Bako answers Bell's ring to join K.C. Royals
Staying in Los Angeles for another try wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world for former Lafayette High and UL Ragin' Cajun catcher Paul Bako.
But when old manager Buddy Bell showed interest in him, it made his decision a lot easier.
So it'll be now eight different teams in nine Major League seasons for Bako when the Kansas City Royals make it official today that he's signed a one-year contract with their organization. "I'm excited to be able to play for my first manager in the big leagues (in Detroit in 1998),'' Bako said. "In Los Angeles, it just didn't work out. My agent and the Dodgers talked and they were decent about it, but just didn't go quite as far as we had hoped.
"Buddy wanted me to go there and I wanted to play for Buddy. I'm looking forward to helping them win some more games.''
Bako spent much of last season with the Dodgers on the disabled list after injuring his knee in a rundown at San Francisco on May 26.
"When you go through a year injured like that, you get a great respect for just getting a chance to play,'' Bako said. "Physically, I've been cleared. I feel real good. Mentally, I'm just ready to go back and play.''
Bako passed a physical in Kansas City earlier this week and says he'll fly back to Los Angeles in January to get a medical release to play from his doctor.
Bako is going to Kansas City with the understanding that he's going to back up promising young catcher John Buck, who he met briefly at Houston Astros training camp back in 1999.
"I know I'm being brought him to help him learn how to get big-league hitters out,'' he said. "And hopefully, I'll get to play some as well.''
Returning to the central time zone is another plus for Bako and his family.
"The different time zones definitely made things kind of wacky with my family, especially before school is out,'' he said.
The one down side to signing with the Royals is Kansas City's 56-106 record last season.
"They're going to have a little more of a budget this year,'' Bako said. "They're close on some solid big-league players like Scott Elarton and Mark Grudzielanek.''
Source: http://www.acadiananow.com/
But when old manager Buddy Bell showed interest in him, it made his decision a lot easier.
So it'll be now eight different teams in nine Major League seasons for Bako when the Kansas City Royals make it official today that he's signed a one-year contract with their organization. "I'm excited to be able to play for my first manager in the big leagues (in Detroit in 1998),'' Bako said. "In Los Angeles, it just didn't work out. My agent and the Dodgers talked and they were decent about it, but just didn't go quite as far as we had hoped.
"Buddy wanted me to go there and I wanted to play for Buddy. I'm looking forward to helping them win some more games.''
Bako spent much of last season with the Dodgers on the disabled list after injuring his knee in a rundown at San Francisco on May 26.
"When you go through a year injured like that, you get a great respect for just getting a chance to play,'' Bako said. "Physically, I've been cleared. I feel real good. Mentally, I'm just ready to go back and play.''
Bako passed a physical in Kansas City earlier this week and says he'll fly back to Los Angeles in January to get a medical release to play from his doctor.
Bako is going to Kansas City with the understanding that he's going to back up promising young catcher John Buck, who he met briefly at Houston Astros training camp back in 1999.
"I know I'm being brought him to help him learn how to get big-league hitters out,'' he said. "And hopefully, I'll get to play some as well.''
Returning to the central time zone is another plus for Bako and his family.
"The different time zones definitely made things kind of wacky with my family, especially before school is out,'' he said.
The one down side to signing with the Royals is Kansas City's 56-106 record last season.
"They're going to have a little more of a budget this year,'' Bako said. "They're close on some solid big-league players like Scott Elarton and Mark Grudzielanek.''
Source: http://www.acadiananow.com/
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