Day one has come and gone. In a word it was.............well, it can't be described in one word.
I landed shortly after noon into West Palm Beach and then, after picking up the rental car, made the drive up I-95 to Port St. Lucie. After a stop into the hotel it was off to the complex. The room wasn't ready yet so I figured I'd go over for the workout. Upon arrival I realized that even though I had my baseball pants in my bag in the trunk, I had no shirt to wear with it, unless I wanted to wear my dress shirt. I decided against it and went back to the hotel to get my softball jersey.
I got back to the complex a few minutes later and walked into the clubhouse. I was directed to the correct row of lockers and there it was.... my locker. Over the top of it was a nameplate with my last name on it. In the locker were two jerseys. One grey road version and one cream-colored home version. Also 2 pairs of pants, a hoodie, a t-shirt and a pair of socks. I was speechless. I met a clubhouse manager who asked me what hat size I wore. I told him 7 5/8. My cranium is freakishly large. Just slightly smaller than that of Jack from the Jack-in-the Box commercials or Mr. Met himself.
I put on my softball jersey, grabbed my gloves and headed out to the fields. My first stop found me just kinda out of sorts, so I moved over to the adjoining field. The energy was very positive over there. Mostly because of the loud voice I heard. It belonged to John Stearns, former catcher and one of the staff here at camp. The first coach to mention my cool Rockets jersey was Kevin Baez. Some others thought it was pretty sweet too. I introduced myself and went down near first base to take some throws."Hey, is he a camper or on the staff?", Stearns yells at no one in particular. Then he starts yelling at me."Hey, Rocketman! What do you play?" "First base", I replied. "Great! Get two, Rocketman!" So he hits me some grounders and I make the play on most of them. Keep in mind I've not thrown at all. But it didn't give me a chance to be nervous any more. I had the chance to get some swings in the cage as well. I hit pretty well, so my confidence is high right now.
After a little more fielding other campers grounders we came together in a group for instructions about what happens to us next. We had the opening banquet at 7 tonight and tomorrow morning we meet at 8:45 a.m.before we have player evaluations. The coaches will draft players for the 10 teams during the lunch break. It matters not what team I end up on. It's just a thrill to be here.
The banquet was a lot of fun. They introduced all of the coaches and after dinner the first-year campers got to introduce themselves. I stood up to tell everyone how I'd gotten here. When the group heard that I'd taken money that I received from my major league pension from the Minnesota Twins there was a large amount of applause.
Tomorrow morning I will be on the bus to the complex around 7 to partake in breakfast and work my way into the day.
My locker is 3 down from Tim Teufel. As I sit in front of it to my 5 o'clock is Ron Swoboda and at my 7 o'clock is Mookie Wilson. I got to sit in on a photo taken with Ed Kranepool, Al Jackson, Ron Swoboda, Duffy Dyer, Ed Charles and Joe Pignatano.
How am I gonna fall asleep after a day like that?
My inner 51-year old will be asleep before the 11:00 news is over.
My inner 10-year old will be awake 24 hours a day for the next five straight days.
Luckily, he doesn't drive.
I landed shortly after noon into West Palm Beach and then, after picking up the rental car, made the drive up I-95 to Port St. Lucie. After a stop into the hotel it was off to the complex. The room wasn't ready yet so I figured I'd go over for the workout. Upon arrival I realized that even though I had my baseball pants in my bag in the trunk, I had no shirt to wear with it, unless I wanted to wear my dress shirt. I decided against it and went back to the hotel to get my softball jersey.
I got back to the complex a few minutes later and walked into the clubhouse. I was directed to the correct row of lockers and there it was.... my locker. Over the top of it was a nameplate with my last name on it. In the locker were two jerseys. One grey road version and one cream-colored home version. Also 2 pairs of pants, a hoodie, a t-shirt and a pair of socks. I was speechless. I met a clubhouse manager who asked me what hat size I wore. I told him 7 5/8. My cranium is freakishly large. Just slightly smaller than that of Jack from the Jack-in-the Box commercials or Mr. Met himself.
I put on my softball jersey, grabbed my gloves and headed out to the fields. My first stop found me just kinda out of sorts, so I moved over to the adjoining field. The energy was very positive over there. Mostly because of the loud voice I heard. It belonged to John Stearns, former catcher and one of the staff here at camp. The first coach to mention my cool Rockets jersey was Kevin Baez. Some others thought it was pretty sweet too. I introduced myself and went down near first base to take some throws."Hey, is he a camper or on the staff?", Stearns yells at no one in particular. Then he starts yelling at me."Hey, Rocketman! What do you play?" "First base", I replied. "Great! Get two, Rocketman!" So he hits me some grounders and I make the play on most of them. Keep in mind I've not thrown at all. But it didn't give me a chance to be nervous any more. I had the chance to get some swings in the cage as well. I hit pretty well, so my confidence is high right now.
After a little more fielding other campers grounders we came together in a group for instructions about what happens to us next. We had the opening banquet at 7 tonight and tomorrow morning we meet at 8:45 a.m.before we have player evaluations. The coaches will draft players for the 10 teams during the lunch break. It matters not what team I end up on. It's just a thrill to be here.
The banquet was a lot of fun. They introduced all of the coaches and after dinner the first-year campers got to introduce themselves. I stood up to tell everyone how I'd gotten here. When the group heard that I'd taken money that I received from my major league pension from the Minnesota Twins there was a large amount of applause.
Tomorrow morning I will be on the bus to the complex around 7 to partake in breakfast and work my way into the day.
My locker is 3 down from Tim Teufel. As I sit in front of it to my 5 o'clock is Ron Swoboda and at my 7 o'clock is Mookie Wilson. I got to sit in on a photo taken with Ed Kranepool, Al Jackson, Ron Swoboda, Duffy Dyer, Ed Charles and Joe Pignatano.
How am I gonna fall asleep after a day like that?
My inner 51-year old will be asleep before the 11:00 news is over.
My inner 10-year old will be awake 24 hours a day for the next five straight days.
Luckily, he doesn't drive.
Day 2. Phenomenal.
Got up and caught the 6:45 a.m. bus to the minor league complex. Had a little breakfast in the cafeteria and then put on my uniform for the very first time. It felt so great to be full uniform. We split up for evaluations at that time. But before that we had calisthenics. Some guys got through it without much issue, but a few guys were slowed by the rush of activity. I was not one of them.
My group started in the outfield section with Mookie Wilson and Rodney McCray. My outfield skills weren't horrible. They are nonexistent, actually. I made a few catches look easy, but that was luck. I pitched about 10 pitches at the pitching station. I was asked about that too, but I stated that my abilities were sub-standard from the mound as well. My guess is that I will get to pitch in a "mop-up" role.
I did well at the infield station. I even did well when I hit. After we hit it was time for lunch. During lunch I got a chance to ask John Stearns as to whether the Chief Nokk-a-Homa story is true or not. Turns out, IT'S TRUE! He actually ran down the Braves' former mascot during pregame as the Chief was running from the pitcher's mound toward his teepee located behind the left field wall. We had a good laugh after that. Manager Terry Collins stopped by and held an informal q&a in front of about 30 of us. It was so cool to hear about this year's team from the manager himself.
Shortly after that the teams were announced. My team is coached by Al Jackson and Kevin Morgan. The team is named The Jackson 11. The draft must've been quite something to see. Al told me that I was the topic of much discussion during the draft. I ended up at third base and batting 4th in our lineup. The first batter grounded out to me and I only made one really bad error. I struck out in the 1st, grounded out to the catcher in the 4th and then popped out to short in the 7th. We lost 5-1, but it was a total blast.
I hope to "get out of my head" tomorrow and let the coaches who drafted me get some of their confidence in my ability justified. My glove work is doing well.
Tomorrow we play two games. Let's hope that I am not in the same group of guys who form a huge line into the trainer's room during the day. So far, so good.
If you've ever seen "Animal House", I feel like Flounder when, while at the parade at the end of the film, says "Boy, is this GREAT,"
Because, really, THIS........IS GREAT,
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