Pass The Catch-Up
That the Outlaws received a three-day midweek break because of the two games in Chico smoked out by the Butte County fire conditions is extremely bizarre in any pro baseball setting, especially in a beefy minor league schedule. Some players have taken full advantage. Gabe Riley, for instance, said at today's workout he was able to return home to Sacramento to visit with friends and family.
Perhaps no one benefitted more than pitching staff leader Greg Bicknell, who ironically was complaining to me earlier this week about having trouble finding time to take care of things around his garden at home in Durham. Besides his time with the Outlaws, Bicknell gives private lessons to young players daily and helps his wife with their newborn daughter. Not surprisingly then, he was hailing some time off to get hours upon hours of work out in the plants.
"Everything looks good except for the (water) melons," he said. "They're not coming in how they should. Apparently they're the ones who need the sunlight the most and they're not getting it (because of the smoke-encrusted sky)."