First Road Trip

I know it has been a while since I have posted but we have been on the road and time is short.  This morning we returned from a 6-game road trip that took us to Everett, Washington just outside of Seattle and then to Salem, Oregon about an hour from Portland.  We left last Wednesday morning and we start every road trip with everyone throwing in a dollar to a pot and along with that dollar everyone gives a form of ID.  The coach pulls the first ID out and that person is removed from the pot.  The last name in the hat gets the money.  It's a cool way to start every trip, and especially this time because I won the pot, a whopping total of $34 dollars, thats right, what's happening? Anyway, going across the border is a much bigger deal than is necessary with having to get all of our stuff we carried on the bus checked and then we boarded again and took off.  Our hotel was nice, good rooms and good breakfast, just nothing to eat around it resulting in everyone attending Dennys every night which becomes quite gross after one sitting, let alone 5 in 3 days.  We lost our first game, and then won the next 2 days, resulting in a nice win for the series.  The day of the last game we had some time before we had to go to the field so we went to an outlet mall where I indulged and bought 2 necessary polo shirts and a pair of jeans to wear to and from the field.
The next morning we left for Salem and I got some sleep on the bus before we got to the field and got ready to pitch.  I felt alright, body was a little tired but I was ready to go.  I went through my usual warm up before the game, listened to the national anthem and toed the rubber.  My first inning resulted in 2 runs, not a great start, but I did some damage control.  My velocity was way down, I was throwing 85-86 mph and that is way off of my normal 88-92.  Something hasn't been right since I have been out here.  I'm not sure if it has been the amount of throwing or what, but my shoulder has been sore, and really achy, making it hard to throw unless I pop some pain killers before heading out.  I came out in the 2nd inning disappointed but the head skipper could sense something wasn't clicking so he came to get me and I went into the locker room with the trainer.  I started doing my exercises for my shoulder and stretching and all, then the trainer began to take my blood pressure because we were talking about where I have been sore. He began to notice that he couldnt feel my pulse when my arm is lifted at the angle I throw.  This struck him as unusual especially considering my shoulder had been sore but I finished my stuff and went back to the hotel after the game.  The next day I woke up and went to the field and during stretching the pitching coach told me they were going to shut me down from throwing until I saw a doctor to be safe.  A good move to be preventative so today I saw that doctor during our game at home.  He wasn't really worried but he said the same thing as the trainer regarding my pulse and my shoulder soreness and it appears I will probably get some tests run either in Vancouver or down in Florida and talk to a specialist with the Blue Jays.  They all said, whatever it is, they will figure it out and get me back to myself on the field, something always good to hear and have confidence in.
Anyway, back to the game on Sunday.  There was not a whole lot to eat around our hotel again other than who would have guessed? Dennys.  A little further of a walk was Panda Express, a little chinese food joint that the latin guys love because of the rice and chicken as a main course.  Anyway, our first basemen, Balbino Fuenmayor, ate that right before a game, probably not the best move considering it is fast food, and the combination of fast food and chinese food is something that should be banned in the United States.  After the 3rd inning Balbino comes running off the field with the team as we got ready to hit.  The Canadians go 3 up 3 down and head back out to the field...Balbino is no where to be found.  Our pitcher finished warming up and is looking around wondering where our first baseman is along with the rest of the stadium and no one can locate him.  Finally someone runs into the locker room where grunts and groans are coming from the bathroom.  We send in one of our catchers, Luis Hurtado a Venezuelan guy but speaks very good english and aides with the language barrier, to find out what is going on.  The relay comes out on the walkie talkie to the dugout to the strength coach...he is pooping.  The head skipper (coach) responds with "ok well tell him to get out here, we dont have a first baseman".  The walkie talkie responds, "he can't".  Skipper, "is he done?"... response, "No he can't yet, it keeps coming".  The dugout and coaches all start laughing as our head skipper points to our other first baseman, goes out to tell the umpire the situation who in turn starts laughing and play resumes after a 5 minutes wait.  An inning later Balbino returns cursing in Spanish everything related to Panda Express, I think he even dropped a couple lines about Panda Express's mother.  So we ask him, Balbi, what were you doing? Before Balbino could even respond, one of the other latin guys in the dugout in choppy english says "He take big number two! HAHAHA" and we all followed his lead and laughed until tears were coming.  This was a scene I hadn't seen since little league, and never thought I would see in pro ball.  It was absolute comedy.  We lost that game, but everyone was a winner, except Balbino.
 We won the game last night and got on the bus around 10:30. We watched a few movies and I passed out.  We were due into Vancouver at about 5am so I got some good sleep on the bus.  At about 4:30 I wake up to a BOOM, CRACK.  Our bus driver, the jackass that he is, decided to go down a back alley a quarter of a mile away from the field instead of using the main road and smoked someone's garage and crushed one of the side windows to the bus shattering it all over the inside of our ride. His quote being, "If I trash truck can make it through here, my bus can"....Wrong there hombre, you could not.  We got off the bus, took stuff to the clubhouse and then head home, I walked through my door at 5am, what a long ride.  Our game tonight went well resulting in another win for the Canadians 7-4.  I will figure out what the plan is for the whole shoulder issue probably tomorrow and update this later with the status, but everything should be good.  Until next time.

-Ben

First Professional Start

Believe it or not I slept pretty well last night, maybe a few tosses and turns there but otherwise I would call it a pretty good night's sleep.  I woke up in the morning took a shower and just killed some time doing various things before I had to head to the field.  The van picked me up at about noon and I arrived at the field.  On the day you start you are instructed to do a whole lot of nothing, and keep it low key just to rest up and get ready for your game.  That is exactly what I did, I hung out in the club house in my street clothes and watched TV, played some cards, and bounced around on the internet.  At around 2 or so I got some lunch, took a little walk through town down main street and then moseyed my way back to the field while I heard the crack of wood on the field as our team took batting practice.  More cards were played and TV watched until around 5:30 when I jumped in the shower to rinse off and wake my body up out of relaxation mode.  I got dressed and started warming up my arm, our trainer Shawn got his hands on me and started throwing around my arm getting it loose and I walked out of there feeling like Gumby.  I threw on my uniform and grabbed the ball our pitching coach Cy had given me and took to the field.  I warmed up down the left field line as fans hung over the bullpen fence watching every throw I made, little kids asking the catcher how fast the pitches were and how to throw them.  My warm up was the usual, I'd say I felt a little out of sync after all it has been a little over a month since I threw in a game.  Anyway I finished my pitches in the bullpen and head back down to the dugout where I waited for player introductions, heard my name and ran to the mound.  As the anthems played it was a pretty surreal feeling knowing that this was my first professional start but at the same time nerves weren't setting in like I expected, this just felt like good old fun summer baseball, what a relief.  I threw my first pitch and it was off to the races.  I sat the opposing team down in order in the first, then gave up a 2 out hit in the 2nd eventually getting out the next better.  Between innings I head back into the club house so that our strength coach could stretch out my legs and hips. The 3rd inning started a little interesting, I plunked the first batter on an inside fastball in the knee cap.  The next batter stepped in and I had him 0-2 (0 balls, 2 strikes) and I threw another inside fastball this time smoking the hitter right in the head.  Hmm...a little wild to say the least, however, the next batter bunted it right back to me and I got the guy at third, and 2 ground balls later I escaped with only 1 run scoring.  We had a 2-1 lead going into the 4th, after a lead off single I retired their team in order and then came back out for the 5th.  The lead off man got on after an error that sent him to second base because the throw went out of play.  The next 2 guys grounded out scoring the run and then the 4th batter flew out leaving us tied at 2 a piece.  The crowd at the field rally feels like they are on top of you.  The stadium is built like a amphitheater with an awning that extends out to the edge of the field funneling the noise out toward the players.  The boos rain down on bad calls and the cheers ring out after good plays.  The fans are into it the whole time and are not afraid to let anyone on the field know what they are thinking.  The is a group of people down the left field line in the bleachers that wear out the third baseman, constantly trying to get in his head which they have succeeded in doing seeing as the third baseman made 3 errors in the first game.
After the 5th inning I came out of the game.  In professional ball, they keep you on a strict pitch count considering orders come from above.  My line read after I was finished, 5 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 1 strike out.  A successful outing to say the least. As soon as I am done I put on my turf shoes and wait for the next pitcher to take the mound, as soon as he does, it is right back into the training room where the head trainer starts to work on arm recovery called P and F.  I know what you are thinking, what is P and F? The answer is...no clue, but it is a shoulder workout that leaves you feeling good.  They then take you through an ab workout and I go do a rice bucket workout to build the forearms. I grabbed a bite to eat from the clubhouse manager Glen and head back out to the field.  The Canadians scratched across a run in the bottom of the 8th on a play at the plate and our closer came in and shut it down.  We took to the locker room, I showered up and head out to meet fans waiting for autographs.  Little kids smiling and waiting with whatever they could find to get signed.  I finished signing and head home after a successful night.  What a first night to pitch! Getting the first one out of the way is always the hardest, now its time to go out and keep on keeping on.  Talk to you all later.

-Ben

Out on the town to opening night

After our 2nd team practice we decided to get together as a team before our first game and hit the city of Vancouver.  The public transit up here is awesome, you can get to anywhere you want in the city for $2.50.  I took the "sky train" downtown and a bunch of the guys on the team met up at a place called Roxy where the Vancouver Canadians get in for free.  We all had a few drinks there, listened to a live band and then when the band was done we headed a few doors down to a club called Republic.  There was a line outside and they had stopped letting people in...that was until one of the guys on our team Justin, a 2nd round pick out of high school last year, decided to celebrate us being in Canada and his being of age by throwing down his debit card and buying a VIP booth for us all.  A VIP booth, 2 bottles of Grey Goose, and $2000 later, Justin closed out his tab and we all head home.  We all had a blast, and got a good night's sleep before our first game.
I got to the park at noon for our game, I got my lift in, conditioned, ran through some bunt plays and then suited up for introductions.  We all got called out to the foul line in front of a full house and then the Star-spangled banner was sung followed by the Canadian national anthem.  In Canada, the entire stadium sings along, and in this case, with the whole stadium singing the anthem, it gave me chills as it echoed throughout the field.  In between innings there is different skits and entertainment.  The sushi race is in between the 3rd and 4th innings where the different sushi mascots race around the field.  between the 5th and 6th innings, the grounds crew arrived in a stretch SUV limo dressed in tuxedos to the sounds of the backstreet boys playing.  They start a synchronized dance and go start dragging the infield dirt as the crowd went nuts.  Halfway through they drop their field drags as the chorus comes on again and they break into dance again, the crowd just roaring as they break it down. When the game ended the Canadians got the win in front of the biggest crowd ever in the league's history.  Autographs were signed pictures were taken with the fans and we head back into the clubhouse turning on some victory music.  The skipper came in, told us nice job and we showered up to head home.  Not a bad first professional game I'd say.  I pitch on Monday the 20th, starting my first ever professional game, wish me luck, my next post will be after that.

-Ben

What's happening Vancouver?

Another day of practice was done and I was off to the showers.  I got changed, emptied my locker stuff into my travel bag, got my ziti and meatballs for lunch and got on the bus.  We shipped over to the Tampa airport and the whole team unloaded to check their bags, 1 team credit card paid for everyones bags at the check-in, a number that came to about $5000 dollars...yeah we had a lot of bags. We waited at the gate to board the plane and hopped our flight to Phoenix where we had a quick layover, I ate a brutal burrito in the airport, and then caught our flight to Vancouver.  We landed in Vancouver at 11:30 or 2:30 for everyone on the east coast now, and I awoke from my 3 hour nap that pretty much got me through the next 2+ hours.  Going through customs was quick for the most part, one of our guys Nick Baligod an outfielder from Oral Roberts forgot the team name when getting questioned because he was so tired, swearing up and down that we played for the Canadian Canucks even though our bags told us we were the Vancouver Canadians, but eventually the customs people just accepted the fact it had been a long day and we needed to keep moving.  Everyone at baggage claim was giving us looks and pointing as we kept grabbing our bags with the blue jays symbols all over it, it actually was pretty cool to watch, knowing they were pointing at you.  We applied for our work visas next, battled it out with the lady at the desk over the currency exchange and then boarded the bus to the hotel.  I got to bed about 2:00 out here and then woke up this morning at 10 to get ready.  We boarded the bus with all of our luggage and headed for the field and went on into the clubhouse.  I walked into the club house to find my locker full of jerseys, hats, undershirts, and other gear for the Canadians.  Our colors are red, white, and black, the uniforms are sick and so are the hats.  After putting on our white jersey and red hat we took to the field for picture day.  You all are going to laugh at this but I got my mug shot for the program and then, no joke, got my picture taken for my baseball card...yeah I have a baseball card.  I did a quick film clip for the jumbo tron for when I'm pitching that they show the crowd and then went back to the clubhouse to hang out. Our club house is cool, the skipper's office is where you walk in and then lockers are on the walls all the way around.  A big flat screen TV hangs off the wall with a nice stereo and all for music.  In the middle are leather couches and chairs for us to hang out on...cards is popular in the clubhouse.  Its pretty crazy looking around the clubhouse at everyone because you can tell who signed for big bucks and who were the seniors that didnt have a bargaining chip and took their check and went to play.  The high round picks pull out 4 different gloves that haven't even been worn yet, names stitched in, brand new spikes, multiple pairs of shoes, shirts, and you name it, all of which match our team colors.  The group of guys on the team seems cool, nobody sticks out as annoying or cocky, everyone has been warm and friendly so far.
 We got lunch in town and then came back and went around the stadium meeting people and looking at the stadium itself, its really nice.  They just installed a brand new HD jumbotron in the outfield that is unreal. Then we went on the roof of the stadium and saw over to downtown Vancouver...the view is unreal.  Skyscrapers that are dwarfed by snow capped mountains that look like they could fall over and crush the city.  The mountains are HUGE, and in the evening you can look up and see lights at the top where ski resorts still are open and people ski.  Literally people can swim in the ocean and hang out and drive 30 minutes and ski that same day...ridiculous.  The 7th game of the stanley cup was tonight in Vancouver and unrfotunately they lost or else this would have been fun night in this town.  The whole city was shut down today because of the game, over 100,000 people were in the streets watching the game on TV's they moved in for the game in the middle of the them.  I met my host family tonight also at the field, they are nice, Ashley and her 11 year old daughter Olivia.  There was a barbeque for the players and host families at the field and then I came home with them, about a 5 minute drive from the field and 10 from downtown is where I live.  I have my own floor in the house with my bed room and bathroom and all.  It should work out well.  Our first game is this friday and of course they are expecting a sellout of over 7000 people.  Well, I have practice tomorrow and gotta get some rest, I will post again this weekend.

-Ben

Placement: on the road again

I woke up this morning at 6:00, caught the vans at 6:30 and got to the complex not long later.  Pitchers had to be in the weight room at 7 for our FMS testing, it measures body flexibility and stability, I got to breakfast at 8 and got a quick bite before our first meeting of the day with one of the organization psychologists just talking about what he does and his availability to us, always a good resource to have.  After this, we head out for stretching and started our day's work.  All of the coaches and trainers seem cool.   We aren't allowed to call them coach or sir, we have to call them by their first names.  They say there is no power chain here, it is their job to get us to the big leagues and do what ever they can to help us, they are here for us.  Practice consisted of running more plays, learning signs, and conditioning.  Pitchers had to do ladder suicides, we would start at 10 yards and go down and back 4 times, then at 20 yards, then at 40 yards and do the same thing back down the ladder, needless to say, it was rough especially in 90+ degree heat.  Then pitchers went to go shag in the outfield for batting practice. Guys stepped in and took their hacks... these dudes can hit! Everyone was hitting the ball out of the yard no matter how big or small they were and of course it is wood bats, a sweet sound compared to aluminum like college.  We watched the simulated game going on between the guys that were in extended spring training and then when it was over we head back to the clubhouse.  On the door was the roster for the Vancouver Canadians, the short-season A team, the team that everyone wants to make down here right now.  80 guys going after 30 spots, not many rookies get on the roster right after the draft, a lot of the guys come from those who stayed for extend spring training who have been in the minors for a couple years, so it was a long shot for me to get on that team.  Everyone was crowding around the doors where the roster was and I couldn't even see it, I had 6'5 latin guys blocking my entire view and I wasn't going to try my rusty spanish to ask them to let me get a look.  I went around the crowd and went inside to my locker just figuring I would check later just for kicks.  I went out later to check the list and there I was, my name 4th on the list, I had been assigned to that team.  Only 7 out of the 30 guys I came in with got on the team, 4 draft guys and 3 free agents and I was one of them.  Everyone else had been in the organization and had been working for this spot for months even a few years but somehow I was chosen.  I was so pumped, and even cooler was that Schaef, my buddy from summer ball was on of the other 6 to get chosen out of the new guys.  I went to the team meeting, met my coaches, heard all about how great Vancouver is, our meal money, living situation, the stadium, you name it.  The team is expecting 100% of the tickets to be sold this season and they are already almost there.  This means that they are expecting 7000+ fans at all their games...not a bad crowd.  I met with the pitching coach (Cy) after the team meeting and found out that I am a starter, and would be starting the 4th game and be the 4th starter...awesome, this day just keeps getting better, I was at a loss for words. I got back to the hotel and started packing, because guess what? We fly out tomorrow! In Tampa for 3 days and then Vancouver for 3 months.  As a parting gift, the chefs served steak and chicken for dinner, a feast for kings, unbelievable.  Sleeping tonight should be interesting although I need to because I don't get into Canada until 11pm their time which 2am on the east coast. Let the season begin!  Talk to you all from Vancouver.

My first day as a Blue Jay

I arrived at the Dunedin, Florida complex, the spring training facility of the Blue Jays and went in to start a long day of physicals and meetings.  The complex is unbelievable, 3 locker rooms in the building, huge training room, weight lifting facility, class room (believe it or not the foreign guys are required to take english class), cafeteria, offices, and an equipment room.  In our locker room there is a ping pong table and TV's just to hang out, its pretty cool. Physicals took 3 hours, testing things from arm flexibility, to eye sight, and how my heart looked.  Meeting began and we met all of the coaches and coordinators for the organization and they explained the rules and philosophies that Toronto abides by.  Finally I finished my physicals and meetings and got my first gear from the team. I then signed my contract...My first professional contract, what a feeling! IT's OFFICIAL! Shorts, shirts, a hat and I was ready to practice.  We went out to the field and started our first day.  All the pitchers met on field three of the complex (there are 5 fields all right next to each other) and the head pitching coordinator took us through the organizations throwing program and drills.  I was a little anxious but just because it was my first day of professional camp.  We began to go through different bunt plays and pick offs and what not and that carried right into the afternoon until my first day on the field was done.  I came into the club house and sat at my locker just trying to take it all in, but hunger was definitely one of the things on my mind.  I went to the cafeteria in the building and the team chefs had lunch ready.  I ate and head back to the hotel with my first day at the office under my belt.  I got back to the hotel and took a nice nap, went down to the lobby where we were served our dinner by the chefs consisting of chicken parm, lasagna, caesar salad and a dessert table.  I ate  my fair share again and went back to the room for the night, feeling good and full, watched the Mavericks win the NBA finals and went to bed.

Heading To Tampa

Saturday I headed to the airport and was dropped off by my family and Kelsey with suitcases packed to the brim.  Off to Tampa Bay I go for Toronto Blue Jays mini-camp.  I hung around in the airport until it was time to board and on the plane I went.  People sitting next to me asked why I was heading down and it was weird to say but I would respond with, heading down for work.  I arrived in Tampa at 2:30 in the afternoon and waited in the baggage claim for my buddy Chris Schaeffer who had also signed with Toronto, a guy I played with the past summer in North Carolina.  We got on the shuttle to our hotel and got something to eat, just waiting around until our meeting at 8 that night.  The meeting came and everywhere were baseball players, some drafted, a few not, from schools all over the country.  Anywhere from Auburn to San Jose State to Arizona to some small d3 schools were in there, all for the same reason, to play professional baseball.  We filled out paper work and headed back to our hotel rooms for the night ready to wake up and catch the 6:30 vans to the complex.

Draft Day

Well, I sat at home on June 12th all day in front of my computer watching as name after name was called by various Major League Baseball teams waiting, and waiting, and waiting to get the phone call and see my name come up on the screen and find out where I was heading.  The Pirates had called the night before and I had talked to the Phillies, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Nationals the week before, so my confidence was high.  My mom and dad were there with me and Zach (my brother) and Kelsey (my girlfriend) along with my friends had been talking to me giving me encouragement over the past couple days, all of us positive my name was going to show up. Rounds kept going by and my name wasn't being called, and then round 50, the last round of the draft rolled around and I knew this was the one.  The last pick was announced, the draft came to a close, and my name was no where to be seen.  Everyone began to get down, including myself and texts and calls started going out that it didn't work out.  Not 5 minutes later, our sorrows turned to smiles as the scout for the Blue Jays called apologizing and saying that he had been putting my name in, but the organization kept deciding to take other people.  That conversation turned into the Blue Jays wanting to sign me to a contract right then and there, I agreed and I received my plane ticket through email 10 minutes later.  Everyone started celebrating, sad tears turned to happy ones and the party began.  Dad and I went to pick up some Canadian beer (what else would we celebrate the occasion with) and then Kelsey came over along with Age and some of my friends from Temple baseball including Raf, Dave Hall, Moller, Phil, and some neighbors.  We were up until late that morning and had a blast the whole time.  WHAT A FEELING! I just became a professional baseball player! My life long dream.