Pro athletes, like people in other walks of life, like to make excuses.
But not Mike Huggins.
After four seasons in the Oriole farm system, the first baseman was released in spring training.
“I didn?t play like I was capable of. I had a couple of bad years in Bowie,” he said. “They gave me an opportunity to play. I will always be grateful for that.”
Huggins, 25, was drafted by the Orioles in the 13th round out of Baylor in the 2002 First Year Player Draft.
He played that season in Aberdeen, then moved up to Single-A Frederick of the Carolina League in 2003.
The Texas high school product hit .293 with 13 homers and 74 RBIs that season for the Keys, and was named to the Carolina League all-star team. He was also very involved in the community in Frederick, where he won the Elrod Hendricks Minor League Community Service Award and the Keys first-ever Steve Bechler Spirit Award. But on the field, Huggins slumped to .237 with four homers and 30 RBI in 2004 for the Bowie Baysox in the Double-A Eastern League. Last year, also with Bowie, he hit .212 in 397 at bats with four homers and 35 RBI.
After his release this spring, Huggins signed with the Road Warriors of the independent, New Jersey-based Atlantic League. The team plays all 126 games on the road, and was 17-28 earlier this week.
“It has been great. I didn?t know what to expect. Playing on the road every day, it is different,” Huggins said.
Huggins, a right-handed hitter, was batting .331 with six homers and 26 RBI in 163 at bats in games through Tuesday.
“He has made some progress,” said Jeff Scott, the Road Warriors manager. “For him to play (at a higher level), he needs to hit the ball out of the ballpark. He seems to be capable of putting the bat on the ball.”
“He is a very good first baseman. He is an above-average first baseman,” Scott added. “He runs the bases well.”
THE HUGGINS FILE
Team: Rod Warriors
Position: First base
Drafted: by the Orioles in 2002
Did you know? Huggins played last season at Bowie for manager Don Werner, a former Reds catcher. “One of the greatest managers I ever played for,” Huggins said … Huggins and his wife, Karee, used to live in Silver Spring, and now live in northern Virginia, where she is a marketing consultant … Huggins has coached a travel baseball team in Anne Arundel County … He has a marketing degree from Baylor … Huggins was born in California, then moved to Texas as a boy … The president of the New Jersey-based Atlantic League is Joe Klein, a Maryland resident who was an executive with the Tigers, Rangers and Indians.
