I hope this is an ok forum topic.
I enjoyed another "cage dad" evening last night as my little guy took his rips amongst the usual group of HS and Collegiate aspirants. As always those boys were joined by the three young pros who have conducted their own off-season conditioning and hitting at the same complex where they also once aspired like my kid.
Through last Fall and this winter, I've been lucky to spend some quality time with these guys. The charismatic first-round bonus baby with the Herculean work ethic. The unassuming third rounder from my neighborhood who signed at-slot and on graduation so he could enjoy a great rookie-ball season last summer. And the bright, exceptionally humble, and wise senior sign entering his second pro season who played a huge role in much of my son's hitting instruction this winter.
I got a chance to talk to each of these three boys in the past couple days and get some idea of their anticipation for early March arrival in Scottsdale and Port Charlotte. Optimism, belief in their talent and preparation, and realism; all so palpable in these conversations. Needless to say I am so won-over by these cats.
All of this made me think, that while the casual sports consumer is tied to Sportscenter reports on the Pujols situation, they're all missing what actually makes up most of this sport; the thousands of other guys who've put in unbelievable amounts of work, and who'll spend most of the spring on a back field somewhere in FLA or AZ, making dirt wages.
So I would like to offer, to all those other guys and their Moms and Dads, my best wishes for a successful spring and an enjoyable year of pro-ball at whatever level they play.
And for the rest of us: I wish for plenty of fresh bags of seeds and sturdy lawn chairs!
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