ST. PAUL'S JASON COOPER HAS ONE SPECIAL MEMORY AS HE MOVES INTO FRONT OFFICE JOB

Standout outfielder Jason Cooper, who has moved from playing (the last three seasons with St. Paul, MN of the American Association and briefly with Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League) to a front office opportunity with the Pittsburgh Pirates, only got into a few major league games and all of those were in exhibitions. But Cooper, who I will give considerable attention to in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, has one really good memory.

He traveled to Philadelphia with the Cleveland Indians for the very first game to be played at Citizens Bank Park in 2004.

It was a cool, rainy day, but there was the predictable full house. The lefty swinging Cooper was on the bench until he was called on to lead off in the ninth inning, and who should the Phils bring in but southpaw flame-thrower Billy Wagner.

After fouling off some of Wagner's pitches, Cooper, then only 23 and less than two years removed from signing out of Stanford, was able to single to right field.

What a nice moment for any baseball player to experience.

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