So we have a lot of catching up to do...the last time we talked I had 2 weeks left of Extended Spring Training!
I finished Extended strong and from Extended Spring Training, I went to Vancouver. It was an extremely long travel day from Florida to Vancouver! It is the Short A team for the Blue Jays and is in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Everybody had been telling me how beautiful it was and they couldn't have been more right. The city was so much fun with a lively downtown where all the guys could go hang out and get away from the baseball part of our lives. I don't know if Vancouver was so much fun because of the group of guys I was with or what, but it was the coolest city I've ever been to. It also shocked me that a person could look up and see the white snowy mountain tops, but then look down and see a beautiful beach! Definitely one of the coolest sites a person can see! I absolutely recommend everybody go visit Vancouver if possible...its well worth it! The only downers of the city was how expensive it was and the cell phone service...I became accustomed to it after a few weeks, but it definitely took some getting used to. I couldn't make phone calls or receive phone calls while I was in Canada and had to wait until we crossed back over the border to make a call!
I was told Vancouver was a big league city with a minor league team...that's the truth! The management for the Vancouver Canadians were on top of their game to say the least. They had everything covered and ready for us when we arrived. They made the adjustment so easy for us...all we had to do was play baseball! They put the players up with host families...I was lucky and was put with a host family about a 10 minute bike ride from the park(I rode my bike everyday until the bike broke while I was going UP a hill...Yes I had to walk beside my bike as I pushed it the remaining way to the field...it took 30 minutes to walk the rest of the way). There were some guys that were 45 minutes from the park! My host family was so nice...they fed us every night and were very supportive and understanding of what my roommate and I were going through. My roommate was a very close friend that was with me in Bluefield last year, John Lucas, so that made it easier as well. It gave me somebody to hang out with every night after we got home from the field.
The Stadium wasn't the nicest in the league, but damn the fans sure made it the best to play at! Playing in front of 6,000 a night doesn't sound like much, but they make it sound like there are 60,000! That stadium was ROCKING on most nights and was just an adrenaline rush to be there, much less pitch there! The team is currently making a push for the playoffs and I absolutely hope they make them and win the championship for the SECOND year in a row because everybody associate with the Vancouver Canadians deserves it...the fans, the management, the host families, everybody!
I was pitching pretty well, just trying to help the team win whenever I got the ball. All I wanted to do was win...at whatever costs. Toward the end of July, I was called up to the Lansing Lugnuts. I left very early in the morning so I had to say goodbye to all my teammates in Vancouver after the game. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss them because they all went through Extended with me and we had been together all day everyday for several months. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know I will see them all in the future. I can't thank the coaching staff in Vancouver enough. They all were such great managers and people! I learned so much from them and will keep those lessons close.
Once I got to Lansing, it was an extremely hectic day. I arrived in Lansing at around 5 pm and went straight to the field...but the airlines lost my luggage so all I had was my backpack that I carried on. I didn't get the rest of my luggage until after the game that night...thankfully! Once I got to the park, I introduced myself to the coaching staff and was given my uniform. I was given number 3...not by choice! The entire coaching staff are all nice and very helpful. I was put up in a hotel for a couple nights until I could find a living arrangement. I ended up moving in with a host family that 2 other guys live at as well. One guy got here the same time I did from Dunedin. The other has been here all year, but we were good friends last year while he was in Bluefield with me. This host family is extremely nice as well...they are an older couple, but love to have us around. They don't charge us a dime and always keep the house stocked with food, drinks, anything we need.
I knew most of the guys on the team before I got here just from being in mini camp last year in Florida and in Bluefield last year so the adjustment wasn't that bad. I was also excited to be in Lansing because it was closer to home and the next road trip we were going on was to Dayton...15 minutes from my house! I can't even begin to explain how excited I was to go to Dayton. I remember going to a Dayton Dragons game when I was little and watching Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns play as they made their way to the big leagues. It was so good to see my friends, family, and everybody in Dayton. My best friend Jeff King, his girlfriend Kim (just admit it you two...) and Jon Edgington came out one night with my High School coaches, all my cousins came out one night, my pitching coach from college came out one night and of course my family was there every night. I was so happy to see everybody...it still makes me happy talking about it! I even got to pitch in front of some of them and get the win!
I was shown first hand at how much better the competition in Lansing is compared to Vancouver real quick. The hitters are better at hitting mistakes and will exploit your flaws. Obviously, that will be the case the higher you go up because everybody gets better! So far I have done pretty well though...I have been having some bad luck the past couple outings, but I'm going to push through it and prevail just like I always have...it's all about Selling Out to the Process and getting better every time out! Hopefully the team and I can finish the season strong and win a ring here in September! That would be awesome to get 2 rings in one year...Vancouver and Lansing!
I know I forgot something, but there has been so much going on in the past few months, its been crazy! I wouldn't change it for the world though! Hope all you guys are doing well! I will write more often now that I have wi-fi!
Peace Homies!
P.S. - I'm waiting on some exciting news that I should know by the end of the month! I may have the opportunity to play for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic qualifier in Jupiter, Florida. Keep your fingers crossed!
