All Things Bubba

Today is still sadly baseball-less when it comes to big league games, but AAA has started up again. The CBS Sports Network's "Minor League Game of the Week" airs tonight at 9pm ET. It's the Omaha Storm Chasers at the New Orleans Zephyrs. Paul Janish is starting at SS for the Storm Chasers.

Former Reds prospect Donnie Joseph is a Zephyr. The Reds had really high hopes for him at one point, but traded him for established reliever Jonathan Broxton.

Apparently, the Royals traded him to the Marlins. Joseph was a Storm Chaser not long ago.

Update: I just noticed Josh Rodriguez is New Orleans' third baseman. I'm kind of surprised he hasn't gotten more of a shot. He's put up some decent numbers in AAA.

Labels: Paul Janish

Paul Janish has been playing (almost) every day with the Omaha Storm Chasers, and hitting pretty well. He's had several multi-hit games, including going 4 for 4 today. His ground rule double drove Brett Tomko from the game. He's hitting .333 / .405 / .364 with Omaha, good for a .769 OPS. His OPS in Colorado Springs was just .586.

Not sure why he's hitting so well now. Small sample size, of course. But also, he was hitting a lot better even before he left the Sky Sox. His June OPS was something like 200 points higher than in April and May. So maybe he just got off to a slow start. (Even though he was blistering hot in spring training - leading the Cactus League at one point.)

The Royals are currently 6.5 games back of Detroit in the AL Central, and if the season ended today, they'd be 2.5 games out of the wild card - the first runner up. They aren't out of it yet, for sure.

Labels: Paul Janish

As expected, Paul Janish is a Storm Chaser. It appears he is their starting SS. He's wearing #21.

The Storm Chasers are a real old-timey team. The players all wear their socks high, with real stirrups. And they are all required to be clean-shaven. Janish no longer looks like a Geico caveman. (For some reason, the Sky Sox were all growing their beards out. To ZZ Top-like lengths.)

Janish got off to a decent start yesterday...against his previous team. The Storm Chasers are playing a series against the Sky Sox. Janish went 1 for 3 with a walk.

The announcers joked that Janish might have wanted to come to Omaha because that's where he won the College World Series with Rice. (Apparently, they asked him about it. He said he hadn't been back there since.) But the real reason, according to them, is that he's hoping he'll have a better chance of cracking the big league roster with the Royals.

Seems like he's pretty far down the Royals depth chart, but I guess anything's better than Colorado. They are out of contention and appear resigned to it. Which means they have no reason not to stick with Rutledge and Culberson, even if something happens to Tulowitzki.

Labels: Paul Janish

Paul Janish, who opted out of his minor league contract with the Rockies on Tuesday, has signed with the Kansas City Royals. It's a minor league deal.

I don't see him listed on any rosters yet. I assume he'll be assigned to the AAA Omaha Storm Chasers, though.

Not sure what advantage there is to switching from the Sky Sox to the Storm Chasers. Maybe he was just annoyed that practically the entire Sky Sox roster was called up...except him. Or maybe he wants to play for a contender. It seems weird to be saying this, at nearly the All-Star Break, but the Royals are contending this year. The Rockies, alas, are not.

A reporter once asked Janish what his best moment in baseball was. He said it was winning the College World Series with Rice. Because they won it all.

He's had at least the expectation of playing in the post-season the past few years. With the Reds, and then with Atlanta. Colorado must have been a bit of a letdown. They're having a pretty terrible year.

Labels: Paul Janish

Today was Paul Janish's opt-out date, and he is no longer listed on the Sky Sox roster. So I assume he must have chosen free agency.

No word on where he's going, but I assume he must have an offer. Players usually don't opt out unless they have somewhere to go.

Labels: Paul Janish