Baseball is around the corner

Originally posted January 13, 2009 (moved my blog from myspace to here)

Coming up on baseball season here very soon. I figured i would start writing every so often to give updates to people seeing how there are a lot of people that i care about that i dont get to talk to all that much during season. Its nothing personal but because of the demanding schedule i find that i do not have much time to talk to everyone like i would like to. But if you have my number dont be afraid to call at any time during the season and i will probably be able to get back with you pretty quick, even if im not able to talk for an extended period of time.For those of you who dont know me all that well my name is Joey Callender and i play in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Its an unbelievable experience and i have been able to meet a lot of really great people in the process. Unfortunately most of my friends are scattered throughout the United States and some from different countries. But it will be very nice to see them all again here soon.Baseball is my life, it is all that i know. I've played since i was about 4 years old and ive never once gotten burned out on it. I know that this is what i was put here to do and im going to give it all ive got. One thing that has stuck in my head about trying hard everyday is something that i heard last year in Spring Training. You've all heard the saying "Give 110%," but in a meeting last year i heard from a former big league player say that "its impossible to give 110% "and i agree it is. "But what you need to do is give 100% of what you've got everyday. Baseball is a grind and some days you might only have 85% left in the tank. But give 100% of that 85% that you have." This is very realistic and it got me thinking, you can only give 100% of what you have. its impossible to give more than you have. But make sure you give all that you have. This is the only way i look at things. Well i say most things, cause i know i dont give 100% in everything like laundry and things like that. thats more like 5% haha. Ok im better than 5% but its not my favorite thing to do. Im getting off track here. Back to baseball. I've had to fight for everthing ive gotten in my life. I graduated high school at roughly 140 pounds. I was talented but didnt have size obviously. I got one offer to play baseball at a junior college and i went there and had to prove my self again. I didnt play in the first three games and i was pretty upset. When i finally got to play in that fourth game i knew that i had to prove that i could play this game. I went 3 for 4 with a home run a double and 3 rbi's. Needless to say i played everyday after that. Then once again i got only i offer from there to play for a 4 year school Texas Tech University. I was still only roughly 150 pounds and very talented but if you are going up against guys who are much bigger than you they will get a chance before you based on looks alone. It was another year of starting out on the bench and sitting the first 2 games i believe. Then the third game i didnt start but in about the 3rd inning our third basemen pulled his hamstring. This is not how i wanted to get in the game but it gave me a chance to prove again that i can play. I went 2 for 3 with 2 rbi's and played from there on out. Weight has always been a problem for me because i have such a fast metabolism and it is so hard to gain weight. Then the Major League Baseball Player Draft of 2006. It was split into two days. i was told that i would go somewhere late on the first day or early on the second day. I got phone calls from the Nationals, Rays, Reds, Phillies, and the Rockies the day before the draft. So i was feeling pretty good going into the draft. I listened to the first day and didnt hear my name. Then i got calls from the same teams saying that they have me slotted for early second day. Sure enough it was about 25 or 30 minutes into the second day and the Rays picked me in the 21st Round pick # 619. I signed 2 days later and was on a plane by the end of the week. it was crazy how fast it was. Thats pretty much where i am now. I'm entering my 4th professional season with the Rays. I will keep everyone posted on how things progress from time to time. Thanks for your time.