Knucklebook

Three weeks to go before spring training starts. Im getting more excited and im about to start going up to the high school where my old high school coach coaches. This way i can start throwing bullpens and getting to where my arm is in good shape for when i show up to camp. I also am not much of a reader but am starting to take it up a little bit here lately. I found a book called The Knucklebook which is about the knuckleball and im able to read some things that may help me out. Since nobody can really coach the knuckleball except people who have thrown it a lot and have experience, this book gives me some good insight on the pitch that by statistics 2% of professional baseball players throw. There are only about 5 or 6 of us in all of professional baseball which i think is pretty cool because it is something unique. And the more i learn about the pitch the better off i am and will have the best chance for success.

Savannah's birthday is coming up next friday and she is very excited. She is having a slumber party here with her friends and I cant wait haha. Anything for my little girl though. I cant believe she is growing up so fast. She is not excited about me having to go back and play baseball but she is excited about when she gets to come visit. Many people will be missed while i am gone playing ball but i will keep all of you informed on here about what is going on.

Thank You All

Sorry guys its been forever since ive written on here. But baseball season is coming up again soon and i really want to be able to do better this season at updating people. Im really looking forward to this seaon a lot. This will be my first full season as a pitcher and ive been preparing for it and now as i start throwing more and getting on the field more im really getting that itch to start playing baseball again. I've had a lot of influences in my life and i am truly thankful for everyone that has helped me in life. Even the ones that think they didnt play a bog role, played a much bigger role than they could ever have imagined. Truth is, as most of you probably know I've had kind of a crazy life and I've been through a lot of stuff. I dont mind my past because it has made me who i am today and the biggest influence of my life will turn 7 years old in a few weeks. One of the reasons i love baseball so much is that when im on the field, nothing else matters. I have no worrys in the world, except maybe how to get out a few hitters. But for those 9 innings (sometimes more) i dont have bills to pay, i dont have to worry about what im going to eat for my next meal and i dont have to worry about my social life. I have great friends and they understand my lifestyle and I love them for that. Its hard to keep in touch with friends because im so consumed with baseball and they understand that. Now im talking to an amazing girl who understands my life and everything that comes along with it. She cares about what makes me happy and even though she doesnt consider it baggage, she accepts me with all the baggage i have. And these are the people that inspire me to succeed and push me to succeed. Because whats the point of being happy if you dont have anyone to share it with.

Sorry i got sidetracked. But when im playing baseball i feel that it is my purpose and i was destined to do this. Now i know that i have worked my ass off for this and for some reason it doesnt work out then i know i have tried my best and i would have no regrets whatsoever. But i feel that with this pitching thing ive really got a shot. A lot of people believe in me and i believe in myself. There is just something about walking out on a field with the stands full with people who have paid to see you play a game that is my national pastime. The smell of the grass and the diversity of the game. I've played more games in my life than i could possibly remember and i can tell you that i have never played the same game twice. In baseball there is something new everyday. Its a complex game that even managers in the big leagues learn something new everyday. I love it because no matter how long you play or follow this game, there is still more to be learned about it.

Sure there are things that kind of get to me about it sometime. Im far away from home and away from family. Because of this lifestyle it is hard to keep friends and girlfriends. But the ones that understand will always be there and im happy that im blessed with people who are there for me. Family is the most important and they support me 100% and that means a lot to me. Maybe this is kind of a Thank You letter that goes out to all who have ever followed me and support me. I am truly blessed to be loved by so many.

Finally got to pitch in a game

Hey guys. I hope things are going well there. They are going very well here. I had my first outing 2 days ago and i did very well. I only pitched one inning but i had 2 strike outs and a ground out. It was a lot of fun im really enjoying it. The pitching life is a lot easier and ive got a lot more down time that i used to. Other than that there is not too much else going on. I get to pitch again tomorrow and im excited about that. I will let you guys know how it goes. And please remember to keep my uncle Danny in your prayers.

A New Opportunity

Hey guys sorry its been a while since ive been able to write on here. A lot has happend in the last couple of weeks. I have been asked by the organization to pitch now and they want me to throw my knuckleball. It is something that was a hard decision but I will be trying it out. So this means that now i will be in Port Charlotte for a little while learning to pitch and then they will decide where to send me. Im really excited about this because its something that not a lot of people can do. If i can do well with it i can move up pretty quickly. It was a very tough decision to make and i talked to my agent, mom, dad, and sister about it before i made my decision and they made me feel really good because they backed me in it 100%. Which made me feel really good and made my decision much easier. Also i moved into a condo here in Port Charlotte now so i will be able to update this on a more regular basis. It feels so good to get out of the hotel. Living a month in the hotel was not very fun. Hotels get old pretty quick.

Games have started

Hey guys sorry its been a while since ive posted but Spring Training has been kinda crazy. The internet doesnt work well at the hotel. We had our first game today. I went 0 for 2 but hit the ball well. It was pretty exciting because James Shields pitched for us. He is a pitcher that is in the big leagues right now. Its really cool getting to play with a lot of the guys from the big league team. The weather is nice here in Port Charlotte, its been in the low 80's everyday. We also had a cookout the other day with all of the players in the organization. So all the Major League players were there as well so it was pretty neat.

It is a lot nicer playing with the older guys because there is not as much teaching going on because most everyone knows everything at this point and we just do drills for repitition really. Im very fortunate to have a lot of experience around me with the coaches in this organization. There are many coaches here that have spent a lot of time in the major leagues and its really comforting having them around to teach us things that only experienced people would know. Im very happy to be where I am.

As we continue to play more games i will try and keep you guys more updated. Thanks for listening.

Spring Training in Port Charlotte

Hey guys. I know its been a while since I've posted but I made it to spring training safely. I've been trying to get on the internet at the hotel but there is about 150 players trying to do the same thing so I'm having to do this from my phone. Oh well I will be able to do this while I'm at spring training. I have been doing very good and have been working out with the triple a team. I'm sure as players get moved down from big league camp I will get bumped down but its a lot of fun right now. I will keep you guys posted throughout spring training.

Daddy and Me

This is a Slide show with music that my mom made for me and Savannah for her birthday. Things have been going good around here ive just been staying busywith trying to get ready to leave next weekend. Im getting so excited i can't wait to get there. I will try and make another post before i leave for Spring Training if i get a chance. I just wanted to post this video for the time being.