I've been everywhere man........

32 17 14 13 16 4....Try and take a guess as to what these numbers symbolize. No, not last nights lottery numbers. No, not my lucky numbers from a fortune cookie. Yes, they are all the different jersey numbers that I've worn this year! It's already been a whirlwind of a year for me and it's already half over. So far I've moved around in the organization from one level to another a total of nine times (and no that wasn't a typo, nine). I've been to Portland, Des Moines, Oklahoma City, Sevierville, Zebulon, Montgomery, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Jupiter, and the list goes on and on.

So needless to so it's been tough to get in a rhythm but this journey has been absolutely amazing! I've now met and played with just about everyone in the organization. I've gone to cities to play baseball that I've never had the chance of visiting before. I've learned how to be a professional and how to slow the game down from the older guys in triple a. I've learned what it's like to play with a bunch of guys who love playing for each other in pro ball in double a. I've learned how to battle every day in and try to get the most out of myself and my teammates in high a.

For those of you out there who are wondering what it's like being moved around and what it's like to travel I'll give you an example of how one of my trips from double a to triple a and back to double a went...buckle up!
Our game in Jacksonville got over at roughly 10:00 and got back to the hotel at about 11:00 (you get to stay in a hotel for three days when you are moved to a different level). As I was getting ready to head to bed I was woken up by a phone call from Tim Leiper, our double a manager, letting me know that I would be heading to play with our triple a affiliate the following day. I quickly packed up my belongings and got an email from our trainer, attached to it was the travel itinerary for the following day. Turned out I would be hopping on a flight at 6 in Jacksonville, stopping off for a little layover in Dallas and finally touching down in Portland at noon. My travel companion (Todd Doolittle), and I woke up at 4:30 the next morning to catch a cab to the airport. Now I'll fast forward to Portland where it's now 5:00 and we're preparing for a double header. I didn't play in the first game and wasn't penciled in to play in the second game but after one of our outfielders, he'll remain nameless because of the embarrassment, bunted a ball off his finger I was called into duty. After an 0-5 day and an extra inning win that ended at 11:00 west coast time (now 9:00 east coast time) I was on my way back to the hotel to get a few hours of sleep. After what seemed like 3 minutes of sleep the alarm clock was beeping and it was 4:30 again and that could only mean one thing...it was time to travel with the team back to New Orleans! After a day full of traveling and after the jump ahead in time we were arriving back in New Orleans at 5:00 and resting before our 7:00 game...which we of course ended up winning on a walk off homerun! It was definitely some of the most interesting 48 hours in my life. I slept as well as ever that night, in the company of the best parents in the world!
So that's what my first half has been filled with...traveling, late night phone calls, and packing and unpacking. I'm back in Jupiter now, and it looks as if I might be here for awhile, but when you are living the life of a non prospect in the minor leagues you learn to never assume anything!