Hard to keep proper track of our HSBBW Professionals and their adventures...I'm sure that there are some great stories...and the thread would be of lasting value to those on their way up.
Just a suggestion.
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Posts: 2575 | Location: CA | Registered: May 15, 2005
Hard to keep proper track of our HSBBW Professionals and their adventures...I'm sure that there are some great stories...and the thread would be of lasting value to those on their way up.
Just a suggestion.
44 .
Your request is a done deal!
There may be a problem or two with the idea however
It might be difficult to get people to report. Just to use myself as an example, I am not sure people want to tempt the baseball Gods that way. Our friend JT knew all too well about that.
For just this one time though, I'll break my own self-imposed rules and share an anecdote we all can relate to....
I killed myself at work this week to get my mind off today which was to be the start of my son's season. I got home about 15 minutes before the game started and was excited for sure. As they read the lineup, we did not hear our son's name called. It never occurred to either one of us that our son would not be in the lineup. I guess now we know
Think back 4 years, he's got to earn it and I have no doubt he will.
You don't have to give accounts of games or progress, but reporting about milb life is an interesting way for some to understand and learn about it so when the time comes they can be prepared to educate their sons. The first year guys want to tell you everything, after that you got to drag it out of them.
And there are stories they will tell, I called one day and son was in walmart picking out a sleeping bag. What is a sleeping bag for son, don't you have somewhere to live? Well, they had a 15 hour bus ride to Texas, too many players and not enough bunks on the bus, so last man to join the team gets the floor, unless you have to pitch the next day. Son bought youth sized sleeping bag by mistake, he slept in the chair that night.
Fun, ain't it?
Forget the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey instead...anonymous
Posts: 12759 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
I'll post part of the email from a friend regarding his son. The ending comment is great. ....
His flight was 9:30am today. We decide to leave for the airport at 6:50am. Sleeping beauty tells me to chill and we get on the road at about 7:30am. Bad traffic and he makes the 45 minute pre flight cut off by 2 minutes. He says, "Dad chill. I'm going to my job. Can you believe someone is paying me to play baseball?"
* Everyone prefers to win. Do you have the passion and work ethic to do what it takes to win? *
Posts: 3697 | Location: Mid-Atlantic | Registered: October 29, 2007
There may be a problem or two with the idea however
It might be difficult to get people to report. Just to use myself as an example, I am not sure people want to tempt the baseball Gods that way. Our friend JT knew all too well about that.
Wow that's immediate service. No chance to get "Jimmied".
I understand the challeneges completely.
First, to assuage your fear let us bow in unison pay homage to the baseball Gods, honor them with this idea, and ask their devine blessing at this special season of Omaha and minor league assigments.
Second, I expect/suspect that this thread will/would be different than the other two, more professional so to speak. While numercial data and game reports would be great...as TPM says, I would expect a great deal more Minor league life and great tales such as we are getting already: sleeping bags and flights, and bus trips...and any movement between teams. Gotta be soem great stories out there and in the process a great education for those to come.
In any case I figure it's worth a shot.
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Posts: 2575 | Location: CA | Registered: May 15, 2005
Even though this is a baseball site I've always found it funny that many members feel that other kids accomplishments are to be left off. I have so many virtual friends on this site that I feel close to but it seems as though we've adopted China's 1 male child philosophy at times. The intelligence, level, positive thinking, similar parenting practices, athletic/home environments, time management issues would make me think that HSBBW site would be entertaining and a great medium for discussing our other kids athletic and educational issues and maybe flesh out how those issues affect the continuing baseball saga.
I'm guilty of spamming my girls waterski activities at times but I like to share things that others may find interesting and entertaining. We tell our kids from time-to-time that baseball is only one part of their life, maybe we should follow our own advise.
IMO, The going pro forum works for the tiny milb faction and my suggestion would be a "siblings forum". After all they are a big part of the baseball life.
OOPS: After I read the the whole thread I missed the point but I'm going to keep the post out there.
Posts: 4667 | Location: Madison Wi | Registered: January 06, 2003
rz, You might want to consider facebook, there we are able to share more about our lives, not just our players but spouses, other children and their activities, etc. I don't post there very much, but I love seeing and reading other websters pics of family, friends, adventures, etc.
Justbaseball's facebook would take you a week to go through.
Forget the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey instead...anonymous
Posts: 12759 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Son had his first pro appearance tonight. First out of the pen to relieve the starter in the bottom of the 6th ... 2 outs and runners at the corners ....... called strike 3 on a 2-2 pitch! 7th inning 3 up 3 down, GB out; Hit caught stealing 2nd; Strike out. That was it, but it was a long time to hold my breath. Team won 15-2.
Posts: 1712 | Location: Northern California | Registered: December 26, 2002
If you are an early round "money" draftee - you dont have to do very much the first couple years. You will be promoted each year - and maybe even sooner. No matter what in most cases. (This is especially true for high school early rounders).
You can hit below the Mendoza line - or give up 10 runs per game as a pitcher - and you will be promoted anyway. If that occurs - they will talk about potential - and/or being young for the league. Regardless of what you do or how much you play.
It stops at the A level - usually High A.
If you are not an early round draftee - you are in for a rough time. There arent alot of funny stories. You are considered fringe - at best - and you worry every day whether you will be there the following week.
You have to prove yourself everyday. If you dont - you will most likely be gone.
If you think about it as a business proposition - it makes total sense.
If you spend $500,000 for a machine - and it doesnt work - you try to fix it before discarding it. You are not walking away from a $500,000 investment - without a fight.
If you spend $10,000 for a machine - and it doesnt work - you just get a new one. You dont spend money trying to fix it. No big deal. Every year - there are always lots of newer inexpensive machines waiting for their chance.
It is all about money invested at this level. Just the way it is - whether we think it is right or not.
That - IMO - is minor league baseball in a nutshell.
You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970
Posts: 5939 | Location: Huntersville,NC | Registered: December 27, 2002
A former teammate of my son just got released a few weeks ago. He was 4-2 with a 1.58 era in low A after 42 innings. This year at high A he had an era of 27 after 3.1 innings.
Posts: 5701 | Location: Canada | Registered: October 13, 2005
Dad, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I'm getting assigned to State College... um,the bad news is I need you to come to pick up my car (Florida) and drive it to Pennsylvania.
"Watchin my boys play baseball is another day in paradise"
Posts: 894 | Location: East Coast | Registered: August 15, 2005
The good news is that I'm getting assigned to State College... um,the bad news is I need you to come to pick up my car (Florida) and drive it to Pennsylvania.
Bad news? Nah.. just inconvenient news
So I'll share one related story real quick... I am interning with the Gateway Grizzlies this summer and I am in the clubhouse, in the dugout, etc for home games.
I have been working with the team since May 14. Was introduced to the manager, the coaches, the GM, etc on that first day. Well the first week of the season, we had a player stay home from a road trip due to injury so I went to the ballpark a couple times during that time. Also, one of the assistant coaches doesn't travel so he was at the ballpark too. He couldn't get my name right.. kept calling me by one of the clubbies' names. So I went out to my truck and grabbed my ID badge from school and put it on for a little while
Jump forward a couple weeks and some of the other players found out about this. One in particular calls me by the clubbie's name now with a smirk.
And then last night we're hanging out after the game in the manager's office. One of the coaches asked me to get him a drink out of the refrigerator (by name) and the manager turned around because he apparently didn't know my name either! He thought he had been calling me something different (not the clubbie's name either).
"The Harder You Work, The Harder It is to Surrender"
Posts: 1350 | Location: Waterloo, IL--Cape Girardeau, MO | Registered: February 05, 2006
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First out of the pen to relieve the starter in the bottom of the 6th ... 2 outs and runners at the corners ....... called strike 3 on a 2-2 pitch! 
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