CJ Blowers: Goodbye for Now
CJ Blowers Reflects After His Trade to the Florence Y’alls
by Roberto Santiago
On Tuesday, Oakland Ballers starter CJ Blowers was traded to the Florence Y’alls of the Frontier League. A fan favorite and friend of Dispatches, Blowers took the time from Kentucky to reflect on the trade, his former team, and the fans of Oakland baseball. Here’s CJ’s response to Roberto, edited slightly for clarity.
Hey, Roberto. As far as my thoughts on the trade, it was a trade made to help my career and help me get to the next step, and I'll forever be thankful to the Oakland Ballers and Aaron [Miles] and Jimmy [Dedrick] and James [Harris] and everybody over in the organization just for the opportunity and moving me along to this next step. I’m back into the Frontier League with the Florence Y’alls. In addition, you guys get a big arm [Ahmad Harajli], and this right hander, he throws 97 is what I understand, with some good pitches—a relief guy, and I think that's what the team needs right now...I think it's a good move on both sides. So there's no hard feelings. It was a move made out of necessity for me. These guys want the best for each one of us. And this is a testament to that.
With all of that being said, I am going to miss Oakland. I'm going to miss the fans. I'm going to miss the field. As crazy as that sounds. It's a special place that made me feel comfortable the day that I stepped foot into it. And it's just something that you can't teach. You're born with that sense of community and you're raised in it and it takes a village, and I think that's truly what Oakland is…You see all of these people showing up and showing out to support a ball club and more importantly just human beings that are just chasing their dreams. It's amazing. It's something that can't be replicated. You know, they can try, but they can't ever take the Baller out the Bay.
So I wish I could stick around to see the team turn it around and to help the team turn it around, but I think the fans of Oakland baseball are in good hands, and maybe in the future our paths will cross again.
Roberto Santiago is a third generation Berkeley boy currently raising the fourth generation. Roberto’s writing has appeared in Latina, Parents, and various online outlets. A lifelong baseball fan, Roberto worked briefly with the Boston Red Sox and once hit an RBI single off Spaceman Lee on a 2-2 changeup. It was his only at bat ever in a real baseball game. Find him on Instagram.
