January 30 & 31

Jan 30

Today I arrived in Yuma, Arizona for the Arizona Winter League. Check-in this morning was very short and afterward all the players were given gear and lockers for the month. I moved my bags into the “fancy” Ramada Inn where I will be sleeping for the next 30 days; it’s not the Ritz, but it’s alright. My roommate “Fish” is a really nice outfielder from Queens, New York. I spent my first two years of college at Siena College in Albany, New York, so we hit it off right away.

The meeting tonight was filled with more than 180 players, and we were giving each other the “eye test,” trying to gauge a guy’s performance by how he looks. After the AWL commissioner introduced himself and the manager, he had each player stand up and state their name, position, where they are from and where they last played. I looked around the room listening to each player, and it was hard not to let some self-doubt creep in. I wondered if I can play with these guys and if I deserve to be here. I’ve trained with the best and worked hard at this, my dream, and it’s my last chance. I know I’m ready.

Tomorrow we begin the tryouts and then break off into teams to scrimmage. Let the games begin.

Jan 31

The first day of workouts is always similar to other programs and camps. There are always a large number of guys standing around, trying to size each other up, because as long as I’ve played this game, it is as much about how a player looks as it is about any ability he may have. I’m pushing 5-foot-10 and 205, and I don’t have the “Hercules” physique; that’s strike one. For a guy like me, who isn’t physically imposing, it’s even more pressure to greatly excel at every aspect of the game.

First up, the 60-yard dash. I knew if I could put down a good time, the day would be a lot easier. I did. It felt like a weight had been instantly lifted off my shoulders. We broke off into batting practice groups where we took a few rounds. I did my best to make sure I was seen and that my travel across the country wasn’t in vein. I was confident about my swings, and felt I caught the eye of the coaches at the workout.

We went to fielding where I had to shake off a little rust, but after noticing a few more people were rusty, I felt a little bit better.

The workouts are as much about mental stability as they are about physical ability. I keep telling myself “you’ve trained with the best, you grew up playing the game and you grew up in the best region in the country for baseball.” After today, I feel confident in thinking that I’m the best 2^nd baseman in the league. Now I just have to prove it.