BRISTOL, Va. — Pitcher Garrett Johnson is glad to be in Bristol. He’s not alone in his sentiment.
The 6-foot-10 left-hander and many of his Bristol White Sox teammates had been quarantined in Tucson, Ariz. since March, taking part in extended spring training. The daily routine of extended spring training can be a grind and mentally draining. In fact, most of the players have been counting down the days until the season’s start.
So, a change of scenery has been good for Johnson and his cohorts. The BriSox held their second official workout on Thursday at DeVault Stadium, preparing for their Appalachian League opener on June 17.
“It’s great,” Johnson said. “The weather’s a lot nicer here. You get to see green trees and stuff. In Arizona, it’s all dirt and gravel and that’s about it. Baseball-wise, it’s great to start a season. Statistics start counting and stuff like that.”
Johnson hopes to improve on the statistics he posted last year in Bristol. The southpaw was 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in 15 relief outings. He did show signs of promise and struck out 23 batters in 20 innings of work.
“My goal this year is, pitching-wise, to keep my ERA down and my wins and losses on the good side,” Johnson said. “I just want to get people out and stay healthy.”
Johnson also will look to help Bristol improve on its 25-43 record from a year ago when the team ERA was 4.78.
“Last year will help out with guys being more mature this year and knowing the ropes,” Johnson said. “Last year, was new to me and a lot of the guys. This is my second year, so I think things are going to be a lot better.”
CWS Memories
The College World Series begins Saturday at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium. Bristol White Sox manager Bobby Thigpen played in the event in 1985, helping lead Mississippi State University to a third place finish in the event.
That Mississippi State team, coached by Ron Polk, included future major leaguers Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro, Jeff Brantley and Thigpen.
Thigpen also had one of his roughest moments as a player in the ‘85 CWS as Mississippi State was eliminated by eventual national champion Miami.
“It was fun,” Thigpen said. “We had a great team and had a good year. But it was also kind of bittersweet. It was the best of everything and it ended up being a tough way to go out. The last game we played, I hit a grand slam in the sixth inning and then gave up a two-run home run in the ninth to lose it … The stadium and the field has changed a lot. But still, the atmosphere and the prestige of being in the World Series was still as good back then as it is now.”
Workout Washed Out
Bristol’s workout on Thursday was halted early due to rain. Still, players got some of their work in and many hit the weight room with Dale Torborg, Chicago’s minor league conditioning coordinator.
thayes@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2570
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