He really doesn’t need an introduction. Just think of the last out of the 2003 National Championship Game. He fielded the groundball and fired to first. He’s hanging out in Arizona at San Diego Padres’ camp and he’s taken the time to check in with RUBPA. He’s Craig Stansberry.

For those of you that don’t know I was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization to the San Diego Padres’ organization this off season. Since I’m on the 40-man roster I was invited to big league spring training. I was recently optioned to Triple-A Portland and, as such, am now in minor league camp.

It’s quite a change to go from big league camp to minor league camp. I’ve, of course, been through a few minor league camps, but it’s amazing how quickly you get used to getting pampered in big league camp. Even more of a difference than the pampering is the levity around the clubhouse in big league camp.

Our manager, Bud Black, made great efforts to keep the guys loose and to make sure that everyone got to know everyone else. Without any regularity, he required the rookies to introduce themselves to the entire team. Bud found out that I was born in Saudi Arabia and made me do a report on Saudi Arabia for the entire big league camp. I only lived in Saudi Arabia for the first month of my life so I did what any resourceful former Rice student would do: I got on the phone with the Saudi Arabian embassy and asked the poor guy that answered the phone as many questions about Saudi Arabia as I could think to ask. I think my report went over well since Bud wore the traditional Saudi Arabian headgear I fashioned out of a towel. He was a good sport!

San Diego is probably the first organization to ever have two former Princeton student-athletes in camp at the same time: Chris Young and Will Venable. Interestingly, Chris and Will both played basketball as well as baseball for Princeton. When Bud Black discovered this coincidence he arranged a free throw shooting contest. Chris and Will each had to pick 3 other guys and everyone shot 15 free throws. I hadn’t shot a basketball in 3 or 4 years but I wanted to fit in so I went up to Will and told him I could really shoot free throws. Will, me and 2 other guys beat Chris, David Wells, Bud Black and another in the contest. I actually hit 11 of my 15 which, ahem, was quite a few more than Wells managed! Of course, he didn’t get optioned to Triple-A so I guess he gets the last laugh…

I hope you enjoyed my stories. Thanks for all of your support both while I was at Rice and now that I’m gone. If (and when) I make it to the big leagues, I hope to see you all at the ballpark.