Potts Pitching in for D-Jays Pen

There is always a story in a name. Whether we were named after a relative or it was just a name our parents saw in a book, everyone's name has an origin. That is definitely true when it comes to Dunedin Blue Jay player "Boomer" Potts.

"Boomer" has to be the most creative name on the roster, and it's an interesting story how Boomer stuck and his given name, Jared, didn't.

"Boomer came alone because I was born on the fourth of the July. My great grandmother was still alive when I was born and she called me Boom Boom - that stuck for about a year or two. Then after she died my dad shortened it to Boomer and it sort of stuck around. My parents have never called me Jared. I even sign autographs as Boomer," Potts explained.

Potts joins Dunedin this year after having labrum surgery and having to sit out the entire 2011 season. Up until last year, he was moving through the Blue Jays minor league system at a steady pace.

Potts is also easy to pick out of a line up due to a Fu Manchu that he sports on his upper lip.

"I grew it as a joke in 2010. Eric Thames and I were talking about growing Fu Manchus so I went ahead and did and so did he. When I got called up to New Hampshire him, I and Adam Loewen and a couple other people had Fu Manchus. Then it slowly dwindled out and I just kept mine cause I'm just a dork like that," he said smiling.

Another interesting fact about Potts is that back in his hometown of Grove, Oklahoma, he is a substitute teacher at the same middle school his wife teaches at. "In the off season I give pitching lessons and I'm a substitute teacher. I majored in history and social sciences. I did history because I enjoyed the class and I thought about being a teacher."

Potts is off to an impressive start to this season having pitched 16 innings allowing only two runs and striking out 19 batters. He is what some would consider a lefty specialist, but Boomer has been called upon in all situations this season. Along with teammates Danny Barnes and Dustin Antolin, Potts leads the Florida State League with 18 appearances through the first 40 games of the season.

Although he's very happy following his baseball dreams right now, when he finishes he thinks he might be a youth minister. "Ever since I was younger I wanted to be a youth minister. Either that or speak for FCA. Be a speaker of sorts or something like that because I like to talk. My dad was actually a youth minister for 20 years and is a preacher now."

Come out and see Potts and his teammates during the next home stand which begins on Monday, May 21 when the Blue Jays take on the Jupiter Hammerheads at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

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