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Round 2 tomorrow

My second of three injections into my knee is tomorrow.  And even though it’s just past 8PM local time, I’m already getting nervious.  I have a thing with needles…

It seems the only thing that could keep the River Kitties from getting another W was Mother Nature as they were postponed in Iowa.  
I’m going to go play some guitar…hero…on xbox.  
Do the NBA playoffs ever end?

Monday no fun day…

Well the Cavaliers are champions of the ACC Baseball world.  Stunning the 8 team field as the 6 seed, the Cavs pulled off two come from behind wins, demolished the UNC Tar Holes, and beat Florida State in dramatic fashion to take home the hardware.  It was awesome to follow and made me proud to be an alumni of the program.  It’s going to be an even better feeling after they advance out of their regional.  

How on earth is the selection committee going to send the seventh ranked team in the country to Irvine, CA, and set them up in the most difficult region the field has to offer.  The fact that the Cavs did not recieve a bid to host a regional when they were ranked number 16 was a crime in itself.  Then they go out and win the ACC Championship sporting a record of 43-12-1.  And they get rewarded for their efforts with a 2 seed across the country.  Awesome.  
Enough of that.  It was just a little bit of a shock to return home from rehab only to watch the selection special on ESPN that I recorded to see that they got the short end of the stick.  It was good to see however, that the team has been doing so well on this road trip.  Maybe this is going to be my role this summer.  Just sit back and enjoy the ride?  Stay out of it as much as I can?  
On a serious note, I already miss playing a lot.  Especially with this group of guys.  It’s a fun team to be a part of – there’s a good chemistry that’s really starting to form and give the team some character.  Hopefully they can keep rackin’ up the W’s until I get back and we can play well into September.  ’Til then I’ll hone in my xBox skills and watch way too much CSI: NY.  
Oh, yea.  Hope you enjoyed your Monday off ladies and gentlemen.  It’s called Memorial Day for a reason so take a second or two to remember those who have made the sacrifices that give us the everyday freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

I’m Back!…sort of

It’s been a while, huh?  Yea I know I said I’d call and everything but I was so busy.  I was thinking about you the entire time.  I really missed you.  Really!

Anyway a lot has happened since we last spoke.  Last time, my biggest issues were getting the cable and internet installed in the apartment.  It’s a good thing that got taken care of because for the next 6-8 weeks I’ll be writing to you from the couch, in front of th TV, and on the disabled list.  
Seems what we thought was tendonitis of the patella tendon in my left knee was actually a tear.  I did catch a lucky break that the creator of a revolutionary treatment procedure for treating such an injury is right here in Sacramento, so I’ve decided to put his reputation to the test.  We’ve decided to treat it using a process called PRP therapy – plasma rich platelet therapy.  They draw my blood from my arm, put it in a test tube and place it in a centrifuge.  This separates the platelets – the stuff in the blood that helps the blood to clot and repair damaged tissue – from the blood.  Then – this is the painful part – they reinject those platelets into the knee, to promote the rejuvination of the tissue.  At least I’m not terrified of needles right?
Now my biggest dilemmas are which recorded TV show I should watch or which movie I should go see at the theater right down the street or which book to read.  And great move by me investing in an xBox…I’m hooked on Call of Duty Modern Warfare.  
I know you all are getting ready to watch the Virginia Baseball Cavaliers in the ACC Championship game tonight.  They have to make up for the lacrosse team falling in the final four yesterday.  I’ll keep you guys posted.

Aaah…The Minor Leagues

In the middle of our first road trip, I’m realizing that triple-A – although it’s just one step away from the big leagues – is still very much the minor leagues.  Let’s just say this trip to Tacoma brought back lots of memories from last season while I was still playing in the California leagues.  The bus broke down on the way to the field yesterday!  As if it wasn’t going to be an experience in the first place – after all, we had two players standing in the aisle and another up front by the driver – our twenty passenger bus became covered in a cloud of smoke on the I-5 forcing us to pull over.  We sat in the shoulder for about thirty minutes before help arrived in the form of our strength coach’s rented Toyota mini-van which began shuttling players to the field from the site.  It was quite an experience.  Hopefully today the trip to the field will go a little bit better.

I apologize I haven’t posted in a little over a week.  Another thing we have to deal with as minor leaguers is getting our living arrangements taken care of.  We’re all moved in to our apartment, but we don’t have a whole lot moved in – if you catch my drift.  No cable or internet yet.  And very little furniture.  Slowly but surely it’s coming together and will feel somewhat like home in the near future.  In the meantime we’ll be wrapping up this four game series tonight in Tacoma, and the next time you’ll hear from me will be in the middle of a four game set in Portland!

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble…

And so it begins!  After a quasi-opening day last night when we travelled 45 minutes south to play an exhibition game against our California League affiliate, the Stockton Ports, it’s finally time for the season to begin.  For me Opening Day is like Christmas – it’s the only other day of the year I’ll lose sleep the night before due to excitement.  Last night was no different.  So after being in Arizona since the middle of February, we finally get to lace ’em up and take the field in one that actually counts.

For me, Opening Day’s have been particularly cruel – even dating back to my days in college prior to pro ball.  I think I get a little too excited, a little too amped up.  Typically, I’ll scuffle in the opener and then settle right back into my groove the following night.  I’m hoping that I got some of the jitters out last night in Stockton – just playing under the lights, in front of fans, in a River Cats uniform was enough to get the adrenaline going.  I’m looking forward to the game tonight, playing in front of the fans here in Sacramento.  I’ve heard nothing but good things – so I guess it’s no surprise that they’ve lead the minor leagues in attendence every year they’ve been in existance.  
On a heavier note – I’m sure you’ve all heard about the passing of Angels’ RHP Nick Adenhart.  I grew up playing on showcase teams in the Northern Virginia-Southern Maryland area when we were both in high school.  People in that area talked about him as if he were a legend.  He made a lot of people – especially in that area – very proud.  He was so good that coming out of high school, needed Tommy John on his elbow, the Angels’ still drafted him despite his commitment to UNC-Chapel Hill.  Maybe it’s because that he’s my age – we were the same high school year – that it’s that much more of a reminder.  Baseball’s only temporary, and as much as we lose sight of it at times, there are things that are more important.  He will be missed by the entire baseball community.  

Judgement Day

And so on this day, the 5th of April, it has been decided that I will return to California for my second full season of professional baseball.  This year however, in stead of returning to Stockton, Ill make my home a little further north on I-99 in Sacramento as a River Cat.  Im really looking forward to playing in the Pacific Coast League at the Triple-A level.  Ive heard a lot of pretty good things about the fans and the community so Im excited that I was able to break camp with the Sacramento squad.  Now if I could only decide on a walk-out song…

The Dog Days of Spring…?

Salutations sports fans!  We’re coming down the home stretch of spring training out here in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona…and it can’t end soon enough.  The desert sun, early mornings, and long days have taken their toll.  The days have started to blend together.  And everyone is itching to get the season under way and start playing games that actually count!

Where my season will begin, however, I’m not yet sure.  I have been working out with the triple-A Sacramento squad, but there is still a chance I’ll return to Midland, Texas, and begin the season in double-A.  I should find out tomorrow, as we break camp on Monday.  So don’t worry – when I know, you’ll know…because I know you’ve really been wondering!
Over the duration of this season I’ll try to give you a glimpse of what life is really like in the minor leauges.  So after you read all the articles on MiLB.com for all of the “important” stuff, come on over and we’ll get you caught up on some of the goings on behind the scenes.  And of course, if you really have something you really want to know about, hit me up – post a comment and I’ll try to drop some knowlegde with my next post.  I’ll keep it as light as I can and try to have some fun over the course of a long season, so stay tuned!
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