One of the things that being in Houston and separated from the baseball scene there in D/FW that I think helps me in blogging is that I don't really interact with the players or get to know them. It is harder to blog about folks who you have talked to or dealt with, I think.
Anyway, one of the players I have had the chance to visit with some is Kam Loe. At the Newberg Release Party a couple of years ago, he got trapped listening to Ben stories (or rants, I'm not sure which) for a while, and was very gracious about it. I had the chance to talk to him then a little bit about life as a major leaguer and why successful players in their early 20s get married instead of playing the field and other such things, and I found him to be a really good, engaging guy.
Which is consistent with what I've heard about him from everyone else who has spent time around the Rangers or their farm clubs...that Kam Loe is one of the really good guys in the game and in the organization.
So while I can understand why the Rangers felt they could part with Loe, and appreciate that he's getting an opportunity to advance his career (and make some nice money) over in Japan, on a personal, non-sabermetric, non-analytical standpoint, I'm pretty sad to see Loe leave the organization.
I can only hope he'll do well over there, and be able to come back to the U.S. and have a solid major league career down the road.