Ryan Freel, 2009 Topps #561

Last year, Ryan Freel played for four different organizations, mostly because he was brittle and terrible. The 33-year-old utility player became an Oriole in December 2008 via the Ramon Hernandez trade, but played in a grand total of nine games in five weeks. He had two singles in fifteen at-bats, missed time with a concussion as a result of an errant pickoff throw in Boston, and griped about a lack of playing time. So the O's traded him to the Cubs on May 8 for all-run, no-hit outfielder Joey Gathright. In Chicago, Freel had a whopping four hits (again, all singles) in 28 at-bats over two months before the Cubs dumped him on Kansas City, who seems to collect lousy old players. Ryan rewarded KC's faith with a .244 average (including two doubles!) in 18 games, but the Royals released him in August. It took two weeks for him to catch on with a fourth team, the Rangers. He played two games at AAA Oklahoma City and was released yet again. No one has signed him since, but he could probably use the rest after moving so much in 2009.

Much like Freel, I've just started moving and I won't be stopping soon. I spent eight hours this morning and afternoon helping my sister and her husband move from their old house into their new house. The torrential downpour and occasional gale-force winds made it a particularly pleasant experience. But I had my own motives, as I'll be making my new home in the rowhouse that they've just vacated. I only wish it were as simple as packing up everything that I own and schlepping it up the Beltway to my new digs. Next weekend I'll be occupied with cleaning the place from top to bottom and stripping the decades-old wallpaper. It'll probably be another week before I can get the walls freshly painted, and another week beyond that before I get somebody in to refurbish the hardwood floors. Then, and only then, will I be ready to move in and get settled. With all of this in mind, I certainly hope you'll bear with me if the entries on this blog aren't as verbose as usual in the coming month. For now, I think I'm gonna find somewhere to lay around.