June 4, 2008 (Day 129) - Rain Delays

I hope thus far this blog has provided my readers with an insight into what its like to be a professional baseball player in the minor leagues. Today's entry should help to add further insight into the nuances of baseball's every day life. We were most recently in Jacksonville, FL which is incidentally a beautiful city. We stayed in a Hyatt Hotel right on the St. John's river (which is, FYI, the only river in the US that runs South to North). The hotel and surrounding area were gorgeous. Within walking distance was the Jacksonville Landing, boasting live music and multiple bars, clubs and restaurants, it wasn't difficult to find something to do before and after games. My favorite was dining on the patio of American Grille and watching the boaters dock their 75ft Sea Rays and join the rest of us for a meal.

With summer setting in in the South, the humid is rapidly on the rise. And with humidity comes some mean thunderstorms. The second to last day of our trip began as any other. We got to the field and changed in our BP jerseys and got ready for stretch. When we were first out side, the sun beat down as hot as ever but there some very dark, very ominous clouds beginning to loom over head. After stretch and about half-way through our pitchers throwing routine, the rain drops and lightning began. Intermittent at first and then more rapidly as the Jacksonville Suns prepared for Batting Practice. About the same time, the pitchers (myself included) had begun our conditioning portion of the program. About that time, the heavens began to open up. The Suns quickly vacated the field to allow the field crew to put on the tarp. Meanwhile, the rest of the pitchers finished up their running and went in. I had thrown the night before and therefore had to run slightly longer than average. What that meant is that I was running in the midst of lighting and hard rain. If their had been film rolling, we could have sold that scene to Hollywood.

Once I got back inside and dried off, I changed into my sandals shorts and t-shirt because we were officially in the midst of one of baseball best and worst features, the rain delay. Luckily for me, one of my teammates had befriended one of the field crew guys the day before and he had mentioned they were going to play Rock Band on the PS3 if the rain came. Well, sure enough, me, and two of my teammates slipped off to the field crews locker room and there they were, 2 guitars, drums and a mic all hooked up and rocking out to a Nirvana song. It wasn't long before the 3 of us were jamming to More than a Feeling. The head field crewman's only request was that we sign his door so he could have a memento of those who had jammed with him and his crew. After about a half hour of this, my teammates and I returned to the club house and then I decided to head to the dugout where about 10 of my teammates were literally just sitting on the bench watching the rain. Talking about anything from the oil crisis and the war in iraq, to the new Indian Jones movie, killing time has become an art form for us.
Back in the clubhouse, our team trainer had the radar from weather.com up and running and we could see the sky beginning to clear. I spent the last half hour getting my game uniform together and listening to my ipod and eating a pregame spread. At about 745, the first pitch was thrown after about a 2 hour rain delay.
So in review, I played Rock Band, watched the rain from the dugout, listened to my ipod and ate food to kill about 2 hours. No one recipe is correct as long as you can remain sane.

The team won that game, but we dropped 3 of 5 for the series. It made for a long bus trip home where we watched Tin Cup, For Love of the Game, and Mystery, Alaska, without pause until we made it home. We're playing better ball now, but still need to get over the hump and string a bunch of wins together.

May 18, 2008 (Day 112) - The Beauty of Baseball

The title of this entry might be a little misleading. Although I do regard the game of baseball as a beautiful creation, a perfect balance of control and aggression, power and finesse, explosive instant gratification and slow burning satisfaction, it has its way reminding you just how fragile success can be. I mean this both from an individual and team aspect.

Since my last entry, I've had quite a roller coaster ride in terms of personal performance. My outing in Huntsville ended up with 5 runs over an inning and two thirds with possibly one hard hit ball to account for the damage along with 5 seeing eye singles. I've thrown 3 times since them with much better results. In a lot of ways, my past 2 weeks epitomize the life of a reliever. One tough outing may take weeks to undo, and that's only if you have no other slip ups along the way. The best thing one can do is remain positive and remain consistent in one's approach. The second you start stressing and second guessing your abilities is the second you start losing ground on the competition. I feel confident more and more that I can pitch successfully in this level and the next, but it requires a level of focus and execution that is elevated from previous levels of pro-ball. But personal struggles aside, our team is 3 for its last 13 and is currently on a 5 game slide. This type of run, as you may imagine, doesn't do much for a team's confidence. I've been on streaks like this before and its always the same situation. There is never one symptom that is the cause of the problem, rather a combination of poor execution on a variety of levels that keep victories just out of reach. The only blessing is that it is a long long season and even the struggles we are having now will not doom us yet. We still have plenty of time to "right the ship" and make a run to put us right back in playoff contention.

In other news, the girlfriend is coming in to town when I return from this current road trip for Memorial Day weekend. For whatever reason, the distance seems harder on her this year and the previous year. I'm think the time together here will certainly be beneficial to ease the stress. The rising gas prices (and plane tickets) are not making things any easier on our attempts to see each other though. It's just another tough reality of being a minor league ball player. We simply don't make enough to be buy plane tickets every month and still manage to break even, let along save any money. Its certainly a test of responsibility and self denial when you get your paycheck and basically must dedicate it all to bills. I'm not sure if its a produ`t of today's society or my personal selfishness, but I find it difficult save every last dime. To put it bluntly, sometimes I just want to spend some of the money I make on me. I guess at some point that is no longer a good excuse. That point is usually about the same time my credit card bill comes.

Time to tighten up. Another game in Jackson, Tennesee tomorrow.

Until next time...God Bless.

May 4, 2008 (Day 99) - Hotels and Road Trips

I am currently sitting in a La Quinta hotel in Huntsville, AL.  Its funny to think of the hundreds of hotels in hundreds of cities that I've stayed in since the beginning of my freshmen year of college. That was six years ago now and it feels like it was yesterday.  I would have to say that 90% of them are identical.  Their only differences coming in small variations in room design and whether or not they offer continental breakfast.  They are all "OK" for a day or two but get very old after a long road trip.  We are smack in the middle of a 10 day haul, having completed a series win in Birmingham earlier today.  The La Quinta we are staying probably falls in the middle of that 90% of mediocrity.  Plenty of places to eat around (which is huge) but not much for a morning breakfast and our room kinda smells like urine.  It always bothers me a bit when I get used to the smell.  I don't think urine is a smell I want to get used to.  

Incidentally, the other 10% of hotels are like a treat and can make any road trip a little more bearable.  There are always one or two a year that are awesome.  The Sheridan in Norfolk, VA, Fun City in Burlington, Iowa, The Pruneyard in San Jose, CA are all top notch.  We've yet to visit an upper echelon (sp?) hotel this year, but the older guys say there are a few places which are great.  I am looking forward to those.  

The team is still trying to find its groove.  We play really well (pitching, hitting, and defense) for a game or two but then can't seem to put a team away.  As I said, we won our last series 3 games to 2 which is definitely a plus.  However, we were up 2 games to none and then didn't win again until the end of the series.  As soon as we start putting a few games together where we score early and maintain solid pitching and defense, we will be very tough to beat.  I've thrown once this trip so far.  Didn't give up any of my own runs, but gave up a foul ball that the ump called fair that scored 3 of my starters runs.  As a reliever, I take pride in maintaining the score when I get in the game.  I couldn't do much about the bum call by the ump, but its frustrating none the less.  I will likely throw tomorrow or the next day in this series.  

Other than baseball, I am looking forward to seeing my parents in June when they come to Tennessee (Knoxville) to see me play and to seeing my girlfriend when she comes to visit over Memorial Day.  The distance is wearing on us both some this year.  I am not sure if its because the honeymoon is over or because we both are tired of being apart, but its been tougher this year on both of us.  I've come to understand that times like these are trying and its getting through these things that make you stronger as a couple.  I also feel it necessary to deal with these things now instead of trying to avoid them and sugar coat them.  Again, I think it will benefit us both in the long run.  Either way, Memorial Day can't come soon enough.  

Until Next Time.   

Apr. 22, 2008 (Day 87) - Ran out of P words

The team is now on its second road trip of the year, this time to Chattanooga, TN.  There's not a ton of new information to report.  The focus of the last week or so has been to get in a groove as best as possible.  The most significant portion of this road trip has been how we got to Chattanooga.  Our last game at home ended in 11 innings to West Tenn.  After the game, we ate dinner at the park, showered and loaded the bus up for the trip.  About an hour and a half after the game ended, we were on our way to Tennessee.  Being a low guy on the totem poll (senioritywise) I had to share a sheet with our shortstop, and it was looking like it was going to be  long overnight ride.  Fortunately, four of my teammates decide they wanted to play cards at the card table in the back, opening up a seat for me to try and sleep in.  Well, they managed to play cards for the entire over-night bus trip.  By the time we pulled into the Chattanooga hotel, I had 6 hours of restless sleep (which isn't really sleep at all) in my own sleep, and the four guys who were playing cards (mostly hearts and euker) were delirious from lack of sleep.  We leave for home after tomorrows early game, so I doubt the same situation will occur.  This means I will be doubling up on the trip home.  

We're playing decent baseball as of late, but can't seem to string together a long win streak yet.  We are second in the division and need to get on a roll to take control of the division.  I've been happy with how my season has gone so far, but really just hope to continue the same way over the course of the long season.  

It's also been neat to see the guys who are attending baseball chapel on Sunday (basically church for ball players).  What is ironic to see the new faces and the same guys from last year meet for "church."  Some guys that are going this year, didn't go last year.  I hope this means God has been working on their hearts some.  I also hope I will see more ways to reach out to them if the opportunity presents itself.  

I am looking forward to getting back home and getting to relax in my apartment, instead of a hotel.  We also have an off day coming up, I am hoping to find something to do.  Lots of guys play golf - which I don't. So I need to find a beach or something (perhaps Pensacola again) to go where I can kill some time.  

Apr. 10, 2008 (Day 76) - Perfect Timing

It's been quite a few days since I wrote last and a lot has happened. I am now in Jackson, Mississippi on our first road trip of the season. That means a few things, I got a chance to go to another big league game during Spring Training, I made the AA roster, I drove 20 hours all on I-10 across the US to Alabama, and I've already had 6 games with the Mobile Baybears. I also have already settled into my new apartment with a fellow reliever on the team, spent tons of money, and pitched twice.

The drive across the country was relatively uneventful - which is to say it was mercilessly boring. A teammate and I followed each other all the way across I-10, making it to eastern San Antonio the first night. We made it across the Louisiana Bayou (the real thing) and into Mobile later the second day. The next 4 days were comprised of dashing all over the city of Mobile finding an apartment, buying furniture from Big Lots and Goodwill, shopping at the most crowed walmart in the world, getting a used TV from a store that supports the Baybears and getting cable and Internet hooked up. My credit card is on fire....but all is finally settled.

Our season got off to a slow start as we dropped the first 3 games of the year. However, we've won our last 3 and are starting to play the game a lot better. I've thrown twice and am beginning to get used to the day to day operations of AA baseball. It's apparent the competition is definitely a step up from last year, but I've been happy with how I've thrown so far. Its always a constant struggle to maintain a consistent feel on the mound. I am glad however to have gotten my first couple outtings out of the way.

The girlfriend also came to visit for the first week of the season. Having her there was such a relief and perfect timing, especially with how crazy everything else had been. We had an off day, the day before she left, and headed to Pensacola Beach. Unfortunately, weather.com lied and it was neither 75 nor sunny as the website predicted. Still we made the best of it and had delicious Flounder Chowder at Floyd's Flounder house. She made it home yesterday without a hitch, and I am now on my first road trip of the season to Mississippi to play the Braves. Their stadium is beautiful, and it is really nice to play at such a nice field and realize that you belong in those stadiums. That they were built for you.

I suspect I will throw again soon.

Stay Tuned.

Mar. 20, 2007 (Day 55) - Pitching My Case

The middle of March means that I am smack in the middle of spring training. I've had an oppurtunity to pitch against competition twice. My first apperance went great against AA competition. I was confident and executed my game plan the way I wanted to. This was approx. 10 days ago. In the days that followed, I was given the oppurtunity to be in the bullpen for 2 big league spring training games. Many times, minor leaguers are sent with the big league team to "back up" the schedule pitchers in case one of them gets in trouble. I wasn't fortunate to get into either game, but the chance to rub shoulders with the guys that are already where I want to be is almost as valuable. Unfortunately, this pushed my next apperance in actual game back almost a full week. For a pitcher, it is necessary to be able to adjust to changes in the daily routine. In my case this time, I fel t a bit rusty on the mound as well as apprehensive because I was pitching in the AAA game. It didn't go quite as well as my first outting, but there were still some positives to be taken. Although I gave up a few runs, I minimized the damaged and made an adjustment during the inning to correct the problems I was experiencing. This was 2 days ago and I will get another apperance tomorrow in the AA game. I am excited to throw again, but also looking forward to having a better outting this time. Of course, if the outting isn't perfect, it won't be the end of the world. It is, after all, spring training and an opportunity to work on things to get better. None the less, I am competitive and ready to go after the hitters I face.

On another note, my boss from the painting company back home came out to AZ to watch me play some. It was a welcome break from the repitition and "groundhogs day feel" of spring training even if it meant adjusting my routine for a few days. I guess its a bit of a catch 22. While its nice to get a chance to see a familiar face and get out of the hotel for a while, it requires a little extra effort to accomodate some one else for a bit.

Another minor inconsistency has been the failure of my equipment company and agent of getting my equipment to me in a timely fashion. In fact, I still don't have any of the stuff I ordered. I don't know what exactly the hold up is, but it has become a bit of an extra concern that all of the equipment I was supposed to have waiting for me by the beginning of spring training has not yet shown. I've been using stuff that I brought myself from home. Despite this being the case, I've refuse to allow it to bother me much because I still have the responsibility to pitch whether or not I have new equipment.

There's less than 2 weeks left in Spring Training. I and everyone else will know where they will be playing baseball this season by March 29th.

Stay tuned.

Mar. 7, 2008 (Day 42) - Pushing Westward

I've been in Tucson now for 4 days, which obviously means that I made it successfully across the country by car. The following are the highlights from my 3 days of driving.

Day 1 -
- Route 81 near Blacksburg was stopped for 1/2 hour because a tractor trailer ran completely off the road and was hanging off a cliff.
- I ate at a Famous Dave's (per my Dad's recommendation) outside of Nashville.
- I met some my Lambda Chi fraternity brothers in Memphis and stayed at their house for the night. I had to use our secret handshake to prove I was a brother.

Day 2-
-I crossed both the Tennessee and Mississippi River.
- Contacted a teammate who was also on the road and ended up being within an hour of each other on I-20.
-Made it to Van Horn, TX (1.5 hrs east of El Paso) and split a hotel with my teammate, the Days Inn (temp. 70)
- Woke up in Van Horne to snow and 35 degree weather.

Day -3
- Visited the City of Rocks in New Mexico. It was exactly was it sounds...a huge cluster of boulders that looks like a city.
- Tried to visit the Kurtchner Caverns in AZ but was too late to get a reservation on any of the tours.
-I made it to Tucson and dropped my stuff off after 8 hours of driving on day three and spent the night at a teammates apartment.

So that was my cross-country trip in a nutshell. Spring training has gotten off to a decent start. We've done lots of preparation for defense and hitting. As far as pitching goes, they split us up into 4 teams depending on your experience level. Within those 4 teams, they split all the pitchers into A or B groups. Every other day A's will throw a bullpen and vice versa for the B's. I've thrown one bullpen so far and it went well enough. I would have liked to have located my pitches a little better, but I try not put too much emphasis on the first bullpen of the spring. I will throw another tomorrow.

The hardest part about the first week of spring training is getting your "baseball legs" underneath you. Just wearing spikes for hours at a time and then doing running is enough to wear you out. I paid a visit to the hot/cold contrast tubs today to help wake the legs up. All of the position players start their first day tomorrow. What this means is that our days will gradually get longer until we start at 8ish and don't finish till about 3.

I got to go to bible study for the first time yesterday as well. There was quite a turn out and its always exciting to see some of my peers show interest in Christ the way I do. I am always taken back slightly when I hear what big leaguers have to say about how they believe in God. Its certainly refreshing to know that no how famous or common, we all worship the same God.