Last night, I went to Asheville NC to see the Legends play the Asheville Tourist.  My son & I snuck in (with permission) to see some BP.  It was wrapping up and I think I see Ed Wade walk by.  I say to my son, “I think that is Ed Wade, General Manager of the Astros.”  He wasn’t impressed.

Mr. Wade was there with Clarance Johns (Regional Supervisor of East scouting) to take in the Legends game and look at some of last years developing draft picks.  I identified myself as a fan from Greeneville and as one of the guys who covers the minors for SpikesnStars.com, a fan website.  There was a brief look on his face that I coudn’t discern if it was “Oh, crap, that’s worse that if he had said, “I am with 60 minutes”.  Of if the look was “huh, he looks to normal to be living in his mom’s basement.  I feel for his kid.”

Regardless, I engaged the nice gentlemen in some small talk about how Mr. Wade had traded away some of our families favorite kids from Greeneville (Patton, Parraz, Ralphie Henriquez…).  I then explained that we were there to catch up with some of the guys from last years team.  He said he didn’t think he would be trading any of the starting pitchers anytime soon.

With small talk over, I got down to the real questions I wanted answered.  The most important question to Astro Fans named Duman!  “What does the new GCL team mean for the talent we will see in Greeneville.”  What? You thought I was going to ask about the LaTroy Hawkins to the Twins rumors?  Please.

Mr. Wade said that Greeneville should be getting the upper tier highschool kids, some of the upper tier foriegn kids and some of the guys in extended spring training.  He said the Gulf Coast League Astros, would have the less refined HS kids and foriegn players.  So he summed it up by saying, we shouldn’t see much of a difference in Greeneville.

I then followed up by inquiring about how signings were coming from the draft, esp. the upper tier guys.  He said they were coming along and basically minimized things.  Mr. Johns chimed in and reported that 3, 4 & 5 are signed.  I don’t know if that is round or pick order.

I thanked them for their time and left to let them get down to the business of whatever it is they do hanging out at a minor league park before a game.