Feb. 4 - 6

Feb. 4-

Our second game was against the Saskatchewan Silver Sox. I had seen the pitcher throw before and I knew he was going to bring it. He pitches 92-93 mph with a good slider and a decent change-up; unfortunately I came up empty each time. My father drove in from Los Angeles to see the game, and I felt tension at the plate. I always want to impress and do well when he is around; he is my biggest fan and I wanted to get a hit badly. But hey, it’s baseball and there are always good and bad days. The key is to stay focused and have a short memory. I was humbled after this game because anyone can be on top of the world one day and down in a valley the next. Of course I was upset at first, but a 2-for-2 the first game makes going 0-for-3 a little easier to accept. The positive thing is that my swing feels great, and I wasn’t fooled by anything the pitcher threw at me, literally. My problem isn’t battling the other team’s pitcher, it is battling myself. When I learn to get out of my own way and just relax, I know I can hit anything that comes over the plate, and then I will be a force to be reckoned with in the league.

Earlier in the blog I talked about the different swings between the southeast and the rest of the nation and since I’ve played ball all over the country, it’s easy for me to recognize the differences. The southeast seems to be the best place for baseball based on my experiences.

I grew up playing for East Cobb, which is a very well known and well respected group that holds more than 100 nation-wide championships spread out over different age groups, and they are continuously ranked among the top travel teams in the country. My senior high school team was ranked fourth in the nation by Perfect Game and had eight DivisionI signees. I played with and against more than 30 guys who currently play in the minor and major leagues, including Jason Heyward. Back home in Georgia, I train at Rapid Performance Center with Kelly Johnson (Toronto Blue Jays), Jeremy Hermedia (San Diego Padres), Brandon Boggs (Pittsburgh Pirates), Tyler Flowers (Chicago White Sox) and five minor league guys, most of which will play in the majors.

It’s easy to get overlooked back home, but here is my chance. I’m still the same as I was in Georgia, but this is my opportunity to shine. Now if I could just get out of my own way.

Feb. 5- 

Super Bowl Sunday! Today was the first day we’ve had off since we got here last week. I went to the batting cages with some of the other players to keep loose. The swing feels good! When we got back to our hotel I had a phone interview with the sports editor for the Cherokee Tribune, a newspaper back home in Georgia. I told him my whole story, and I think it went very well. Hopefully it turns out okay.

I watched the Super Bowl with my roommate, Fisher, and we got time to relax and talk. My body definitely needed the day off, I’ve been sore.

Feb. 6-

Today started off amazing! I got a phone call this morning that my truck was 15 minutes away from the hotel and will be dropped off with me. It’s been tough not having my truck. You take it for granted until you have to walk everywhere because you don’t have a vehicle! My roommate and I went to Cracker Barrel, and I got the country boy breakfast! After breakfast we went to the stadium and took a few swings to stay loose. We planned on going to the gym when we got back but the passes we get while we are here were gone already so we had to pay $7 to lift weights. I had a good gym day though and worked out my upper body and the abs to help keep in shape and ready for the games.

We have a lot of downtime between practices and games. Our neighbors are from Hiroshima, Japan and don’t speak a word of English. I’m going to try to learn a little bit more about them and maybe even some Japanese. I will dedicate later post to the many cultures of the Arizona Winter League.