Optional Work – Day 1

After my arrival in Phoenix yesterday I was eager to explore the area. The first place I went was the Rockies complex to make sure I knew where it was and where I had to be in the morning. 

The complex is shared with the Arizona Diamondbacks. There is a big league field in the middle where the teams plays games, and each team has six fields for all players to use. On the north side of Scottsdale the complex has a nice shopping area around it, as well as some restaurants. It reminds me of the crossroads center near my old place at the Fairfield Inn. 

Today was my first day of optional workouts, and I was told that guys report on the fields at 11 am to start working out. Also, breakfast currently runs from 6:30-9:00 am. Well me being me and not being able to sleep thinking about today, I was up around 6:00 am and headed towards the fields. From where I am staying it is about a 15 min drive without traffic.

When I arrived I found the parking, and had to ask some big league guys taking pictures where the minor league guys go. There were four or five different photography companies here today working with the big league guys, as well as MLB network working with a green screen. 

After weaving through the photos I was introduced to the Bassman, aka the equipment manager. I was directed toward my locker, one of three minor league locker rooms, and it’s a good spot.  

 
Almost on the end, so I am not cramped, but right near the door for easy access. Looks like I will be rocking #40 during the spring. The  mountain logo on the hat is sweet, and I am really digging the purple with grey sparkles. I know sparkles doesn’t sound cool but trust me they are sweet. Two shirts, a pair of shorts, a wind breaker, and a pullover sweatshirt later, I was ready to go. 

After gearing up and grabbing a buffet style breakfast I was instructed to the weight room. There was testing that needed to be done, and it went alright. The Rockies have this sensor plate that all the tests were on. The first was six vertical jumps, which weren’t actually testing vertical jumps, but force into the ground and explosiveness. The next was a shoulder balance test in a plank position and using one arm at a a time. After that I had to balance on one foot while blindfolded for 20 seconds. The right leg was good, but the left leg balance was iffy. Last test was jumping from off the platform and landing one foot, to see how quickly you can achieve balance. 

All in all after reviewing the results the coaches said I did well for the first time and we will retest later in the spring. 

Then the waiting game set in as my testing was done around 9:00 am. This was a good time for me to meet guys as they came in, rather than in a huge mob on the field. When the field workout started I think there were probably 60-70 guys here working out early which is a good sign. 

The actual on field workout was chill, just a quick stretch, throw, and done. I realize this is just the optional work and is much less structured than what actual spring training is. What a great opportunity for me to get to meet all the coaches, meet some players, and be in the sun for few days rather than go through all this on Friday. 

Bullpens are up to when the pitcher wants to throw, and for me that means tomorrow. It’ll be good to get a bullpen in a few days before the spring. I’ve considered throwing another maybe Thursday or Friday if that is allowed. A last minute tune up if you will. I haven’t met any pitching instructors yet but when I throw tomorrow there will be one watching. 

That is the plan right now going forward, and I’ll get more pictures up throughout spring training. I’m looking forward to the adventure. 

It’s happening!

With two weeks to spare I have been offered an invitation to spring training with the Colorado Rockies.  This means I have at least four more weeks of baseball, and another chance to prove myself. It was a strange last few days, as I went from no teams having a strong interest, then throwing Monday, and sparking interest with a few teams.  I was stressing out over the fact that I would potentially have to make a decision on what team to with.  If you told me a few weeks ago that I would have multiple teams to choose from, I do not think stress would have been one of my first thoughts.

I was thinking back about my baseball career so far, and since I graduated high school in 2009, I have played baseball for seven different head coaches.  I now get the chance to play for yet another new team, and a new coach. My nomadic path throughout my baseball odyssey continues, and the next stop is Scottsdale, Arizona.  The Rockies share their complex with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and I’m excited to see how it works when teams share a place.  There isn’t anything like that in Florida as far as I know.

After my two inning stint in the post graduate game on Monday I talked with a Rockies scout, however, he did not seem all too interested and just wanted my phone number.  This is better than not talking to me at all, but I did not think much of it at the time.  I didn’t want to jinx anything and write about it too much, and then on Tuesday I received a call from a different Rockies player development guy.  He said that the scout had liked what he saw and that he was going to do his homework on me in the next few days.

He wanted to do a background check of some sorts, and see if there was any reason not to give me a tryout during the spring.  Then on Wednesday he called me back and said that he liked what he had found out, and that they were going to send me a contract for spring training.  I’m not sure what he found out about me or who he was talking to, but I’d like to thank those people for the positive reviews.  Baseball isn’t the biggest world to operate in, and I know that most of the people I have ran into I will definitely run into again.

I was informed that the Rockies allow players to show up before the official March 4 report date, so the plan now is to go a week early and get acclimated to the new team.  I just returned home from Florida, and I am taking this week to hangout and catch my breath. Then the plan is to go to Arizona on Sunday, be there a week early for some workouts, and then go into spring training to earn a job. It is always nice to be wanted in the baseball world.

This week is for me to recover before having, fingers crossed, the next six months scheduled out for me. A bullpen tomorrow and Friday should be plenty before heading to Arizona, and then adjust to the schedule that the team has.  I remember last year that bullpens were the first day of practice, and with the schedule I have been throwing on I will be fine.

Spring Training 2016! Woo hoo! 🙂

 

 

I forgot to mention…

The whole reason I wrote an article in the first place. Last Monday a player named Lastings Milledge was hosting a pro day workout. 

I was unaware of this workout until I showed up Monday and was done throwing. Then I was told hey you might as well throw a bullpen while these guys are here let them mosey over. After my impromptu bullpen I talked to a few scouts but I didn’t walk away from that thinking anyone would research me. 

Then today happened. Last week the coaches here said hey why don’t you throw in the post graduate game on Monday so people can watch and you can face some hitters. The stage was set, and returning to my old post graduate stomping grounds. The opponent, Rollins, not sure who or where that is but it doesn’t matter. 

It went well, and after two innings I came out of the game. There were a lot of strikes thrown, the velocity was okay, and the curveball had good action. 

After this workout, I talked to a few more guys. It’s all about networking. The Pirates guy and I talked for a while and he said he made the transition to pitcher also after starting as a hitter. I wanted to say hey looks like you know exactly what I am going through so let’s work together but he is going to do some research and hopefully get back to me. 

That is where it’s at right now, waiting for a call from someone to make an appearance at spring training. There could be another appearance in the works with the post graduate team if a scout requested it but right now nothing is scheduled. 

Overall it was a solid performance, and I’m looking forward to the next step in the process. 

Long Post Incoming

Hello after many months of silence. The end of 2015 has gone, and 2016 brings us into the year of the monkey. It was a weird ending to 2015 for me and now 2016 is going to be a big year. 
The biggest story out of the end of 2015 was my release from Atlanta. Bummer, I know. The good part of the release is that they told me in November, which gives me plenty of time to find a team, instead of scrambling last second looking for a spot. In spring training last year I remember guys throwing one inning then being told their services are no longer needed. That would be a tough spot to be in. 

The obvious hard part of this is that I need to be put in front of teams and show that I have improved. That process has taken me from Bloomington to Cincinnati twice, West Virginia once, and now Florida. The month of January required a lot of driving, but it was fun, and I had a lot of time on the open roads. The teams I’ve thrown for and had contact with are the Reds, Rays, Astros, Rangers, Cubs, and Red Sox. Hoping one of them take a chance. 

Everytime I go to a workout it goes like this. You warm up, meet the catcher, meet the scout. Tell him a little about yourself. Remind them I am new at this, but I am improving, as they will see. Then it is 20-25 pitches to show that you are backing up your talk. It certainly is better than an eight swing round of batting practice. 

The pros of these workouts are that I can show I have improved, but a con is that I have to be in mid season form in January in February. Another pro is that the teams will tell me exactly what I am doing wrong, which allows me to correct it for the next tryout and the season. Another con however is the negativity coming from some of the scouts, when they are telling me I am too old, or that I should try to play elsewhere. The scouts I’ve talked to act like I should be Kershaw when I throw these bullpens, which if I was I obviously wouldn’t have to go through these workouts.  If they got to know me some, and cared about how I project into the future, I don’t see how a team wouldn’t sign me. It is a low risk high reward signing. If I was a high school guy, and had the arm I have, I think I would have a few years to make adjustments and get better. That’s what my arm is, a high school arm, and a team that sees that and gives me the chance to develop will definitely be getting a better pitcher than last year.  

The workout I had in West Virginia was fun, because the snowstorm that occurred that weekend. I was a tad worried I wouldn’t make it there and back, but I did, and the workout went well. The workout building was a little space with three cages in it. If that is what it takes then that is what it takes. 

The latest adventure I’ve had is coming back to IMG Academy for a few weeks. I attended IMG in the spring of 2010 as a part of the post graduate program. When I was here it was more of an extra program for post graduates, and now they play a full 56 game schedule. There are also three high school teams, a junior varsity team, and a freshman team. 

The baseball program has grown quite a bit in six years. With the addition of football to the school, business has taken off. 

Anyways back to my program. They market it as a collegiate and professional program to get prepared for the season. The schedule is running at 8-9:30. Go to the field from 10ish to 10:45 because all is throw. Then workout until 12 in the weightroom giving me the afternoons to enjoy Bradenton. Last time I was here I did not have a car, but now I do and can enjoy the old person Florida life. 

I apologize for the radio silence after the season was over, I just did not know what to talk about in the offseason besides working out and substituting. I was also embarrassed by the fact that I did not perform my best, leading to my release, and did not want to share that. Now that I have it feels good to let it out. 

Going forward the plan is to start throwing to live hitters as well as inviting whoever wants to come watch. I show that my arm healthy, throwing the speeds I want, and the command they need to see. If that goes well then I’m still hopeful for a spring training invitation. After that it is up to me to make good on my ability in the spring and battle for a spot on a team. 

Also, there is an ongoing lawsuit between minor league baseball and Major League Baseball asking for a minimum wage for players. I received a message in the mail about signing my name to join the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that Major League Baseball can not retaliate on you, but what if guys sign on and a list is released? Would major league clubs frown upon a guy who has ask for more money as a minor league player? I have until the 13th to either join the cause or just wait it out and see what happens with the outcome. Either way I get to get the benefits of the lawsuit, so I am unsure what I am going to do with signing. Exciting they are battling for minor leaguers to get a living wage. 

That’s it for now, I’m looking forward to throwing to hitters and seeing how my command and pitches have improved since the season.