Watching A Dream Die

Nice backpack!

This was going to be a post about the backpacks the bullpen guys use to carry all their string, makeup, candy and shiny things. They make the new guy pack and carry the thing and get a good giggle if it's less-than mannish. I started to prepare the pictures from the July 7th game for the story when I noticed a player sitting next to the backpack just looking sad. So, so sad...

July 7th, 2013 in the Reno Aces' bullpen -
A pink backpack and a sad guy next to a pink backpack.

...Outstanding! Another sad guy in the bullpen blog (from Stuff, July 30, 2012)!

The saddest man in the saddest bullpen.
Francisco Rodriguez - July 30, 2012.

So I looked up #17 for the Reno Aces to let everyone know who this sad player was and couldn't find a #17 for the Reno Aces. Hmmm? I then checked the transactions and saw that Reno had released a #17, Bryan Henry, on July 8th.

Dude? You sad because of that backpack?
Oh? You about to be released?
Sorry Bryan. Best of luck to you sir.

Well, dammit. Bryan Henry had a reason to look sad. Not only was he was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks/Reno Aces after the game, he saw it coming. Bryan wrote this for the Tallahassee Democrat the day after the unpleasantness, "We had just finished a day game at Colorado Springs on Sunday. Honestly, I had a strange feeling the entire day.

The first sign of trouble was easy to spot. I had been taken off the disabled list last week but still had not thrown in two series. There also were a number of moves at the big-league level that were going to trickle down and impact our roster at Triple-A Reno. And, when I did not throw on Sunday, I knew for sure my time with the organization was over."

"It really did not sink in until we arrived at the Denver airport. Everyone checked in and checked their luggage like we did on countless other trips. We went through security and jumped on the tram to the B Concourse. Once we got off that tram, it hit me.

My former teammates went in one direction to catch their flight to Fresno. I headed in the opposite direction to catch my flight back to Reno."

Read the whole column, he's a good writer and his honesty in this piece is heartbreaking.

Sorry Bryan. We really are. We came to make fun of a sad bullpen man and ended up finding a person we can root for in life. Hope you catch on with another team soon. And if this is the end of your playing days, we wish you and your family all the best in life.