Will Smith, you may recall, was shipped to Kansas City in the blockbuster Alberto Callaspo trade along with Sean O’Sullivan. Bedrosian, the 2010 first round draft pick has had a rough go of it so far in professional baseball. He missed all of 2011 with Tommy John Surgery. Then came back in 2012 with mixed results. A top pitcher in a farm system filled with exciting young arms that’s more bare than Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, some would think Cam would be better off resting this offseason. But the allure of venison and it’s delicious dryness can be too strong sometimes.

I don’t mind if Cam wants to spend his down time stalking deer with a bow and arrow for a couple of reasons. 1.) I’m not impressed with him as a starter so what do I care if he isn’t getting any rest. 2.) On a slow news day/week, having his and Smith’s twitter conversation show up on my twitter line allows me to mix and match whatever words I can find to fill up space on this blank page. And it also allows me to use my new ability to screenshot (hat tip to Mike Engel at Kings of Kauffman for the phone lesson).

CREDIT: My phone

First off, haha at the 4:00 AM wake up call. Mine is five, because I hunt close to my home. Three cheers for living near the woods. Secondly, if you see an eight point buck, get to it. C.) Will, you’re a pitcher. You don’t bat. I find it hard to believe you are striking out right now. Lastly, what’s with the “keep square” thing? Is that iPhone lingo? Is Cam calling Will an L-7 weenie? I think I’m going to need a judges ruling on this.

All things being equal, I’m glad Cam is unwinding from the season, every player needs it. Even if it does mean that PETA will probably have open protests outside the Big A this year. And who knows, maybe, someone out there in the quiet cold of the wilderness in between moments where he can guess what shape his visible breath is making he’ll find a way to improve on a season where he walked more batters than he struck out, posted an ERA of 6.31 and had a WHIP if 1.730 in 82.2 innings. I’m not counting on it, but, you know, it could happen. I mean, stranger things have happened.

Cowart was drafted out of high school in 2010 as a two-way player. After ditching pitching and signing with the Angels instead of Florida State, the Georgia native is making strides to be a big league third bagger. He hit 16 home runs and .276/.358/.452 splitting time between A-ball Cedar Rapids and High-A Inland Empire in 2012 as a 20-year-old. The youngster will likely open 2013 in Double-A as the Angels top prospect. Of course, Cowart had a little help in the prospect rankings when Jerry Dipoto gutted the system of Jean Segura and Johnny Hellweg in the Zack Greinke deal.

Cowart struggled a bit in the Arizona Fall League mustering a .200/.265/.283 line in the SSS 65 plate appearances but even Mike Trout was tired before the AFL last year. Cowart only blasted one home run in the fall but hopes to do more damage in the woods. By hunting deer. With guns. That was a call back to the earlier wordplay. All right, let’s go to the block quote from this Mark Whicker article from the OC Register…

“I hunt everything,” he said. “Mainly I like to deer hunt. I’m passionate about it. And it started Sept. 8. I got to go home about three weeks before the Fall League so I did some of it. But it goes on until Dec. 2. Then duck hunting comes right behind that, starting Nov. 25.

“I’ve gotten an 8-point buck before, but not any real big deer. Hopefully I will this year. We take a hunting trip to North Dakota every winter.”

Also worth noting from this article are the opening two sentences…

MESA, Ariz. – Deer, coyotes, doves and other wary wildlife in deep south Georgia were visibly upset to hear the Arizona Fall League finally ended.

It meant the boots of Caleb Cowart would soon be on the ground.

Whicker misspelled “Kaleb” as “Caleb” in his only chance to use Cowart’s first and last name. Meh. Blame in on the editor, they love that.

As for Cowart, I don’t understand the appeal of hunting but good for him if that’s what helps him relax and blowoff steam (or duck heads). Moving to Double-A in 2013 will be a big step in his development. It would be nice if his head is clear and not full of murderous rage or stress.

*Standard hunting warning for all baseball players applies* Do not attempt to carry your own deer meat up stairs. You will fall and break your collar bone.