Coast to Coast: Familiar Faces
![]() RHP Baron Short |
![]() OF Stantrel Smith |
![]() RHP Anthony Sullivan |
As previously mentioned, out here in Florida they’re starting a new professional winter baseball league, appropriately called the Florida Winter Baseball League.
The local team is the Space Coast Surge, playing in Cocoa Expo Stadium, which was the Houston Astros’ spring training complex from 1964 through 1984.
The Surge players reported Sunday, and the next day they met for the first time. I was asked to do their head shots which you can see by clicking here.
Five former Angels minor leaguers have been signed by the league. All five played for Tom Kotchman’s Orem Owlz at one time.
Three are here with the Surge — Stantrel Smith, Baron Short and Anthony Sullivan.
The other two, Trevor Pippin and Tyler Johnson, are in Miami with the Diamantes.
A league official said to me yesterday, “So do you like all the Angels we sent you?”
I asked him to send Pip and T.J. to Cocoa too, but he said they have to spread the wealth. Oh well.
Anyway, the three seemed happy to see each other again, familiar faces in unfamiliar territory, and to have me around as a sort of Jiminy Cricket who already knows the area.
Baseball has an amazing ability to create families …