07/29/2008
Ten hours of waiting in an airport to join his new team on the road.
This is how Cole FigueroaÕs professional career began, with his connecting flight to Washington getting canceled, which forced him to wait until the next available flight - at 11 p.m.
So just what did he do with this unexpected free time?
"I got to know SeattleÕs airport pretty well," Figueroa said.
The former Gator finally got into Yakima, Wash., at 1:30 a.m., but he showed no signs of jet lag in his debut with the Short-Season Eugene (Ore.) Emeralds on Sunday, where he went 2-for-3 with two walks, a double and two RBIs.
Not too shabby after what Figueroa described as a "kind of crazy" week off from baseball, but the talented shortstop from Tallahassee shrugged off his successful debut.
"It was fun," he said. "It was cool just to meet some of the guys and just go out and play again."
Figueroa, who was taken in the sixth round of the draft by the Padres as a draft-eligible sophomore, officially signed on the dotted line on Thursday night, opting to forgo his final two years of eligibility at UF.
"I was weighing it really hard," he said, "Because our teamÕs supposed to be so good next year, and I knew we had a good chance of going to Omaha. It made me think twice about everything.
"But I really want to play professional baseball, and (the Padres) gave me an opportunity."
Figueroa had been in Boston playing in the Cape Cod League when he got the call saying the Padres had agreed to terms on a contract. From there, the team flew him out to San Diego for a few days to have his physical done and meet with general manager Kevin Towers and other front-office personnel.
"It was a pretty awesome experience just because I got to meet some of the players and see Petco Park," he said.
But while Figueroa was saying hello to his new team, the Gators had to say goodbye to him.
"We are very happy for Cole and certainly are going to miss him," coach Kevin OÕSullivan said.
That would be an understatement. While UFÕs squad looks extremely solid for next season with the majority of last yearÕs team returning, FigueroaÕs absence will still be felt. He was the only player to start all 58 games last season, and he led the team in RBIs and home runs.
But Figueroa will miss UF, too.
"IÕll just miss being at the university," he said. "IÕll miss my friends and being out there with the guys. IÕll miss the staff, from the strength and conditioning guys to Ann Hughes in the academic office.
"On and off the field, itÕs been a great experience."
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