Note to anybody reading this ... I did not lose my mind before posting this particular message. I was responding to some comments made by "BeenThereIL" above which have been edited down to one word ... "ok". I don't know why he changed his post 
but here is how I answered the original post and you can probably discern his comments from my response.John ...
I understand what you are saying, and I respect your opinions on this matter, but I am pretty sure that you and I will need to agree to disagree. We have different perspectives on this and I don't think we are singing from the same page in the same hymnal ... which is fine. However, I would like to address not just the concern you address here but ones that impact all married minor league players ... something that will make this not just a "nice story for moms" as you state, but something that shows how young people CAN enjoy success while pursuing their dreams, with the definition of success not being entirely financial.
(1) The substitute teaching is a
temporary plan. It was something they both thought and prayed about before they married, and both felt that it would fit their needs well while he was in the minors. It gives her the flexibility of traveling with him while in the minors, and to enjoy life together before they have the responsibilities of parenthood, etc.
(2) Her current daily income as a substitute is very very good, and besides this long term job, she has worked almost every day since school started at the beginning of September. She is an amazing young teacher who earned her credential in 4 years, not the usual 5, and is actually sought after when she is not in a long term assignment (she has received upwards to 20 calls in a day requesting that she take an assignment ... not bad if this proud mother-in-law says so herself).
(3) They live a very frugal life, are very careful with their funds, yet still enjoy fun things along the way. They have learned that they don't have to spend a lot of money to have a wonderful life ... something she especially learned as a child and teen in a household with a very modest single income and as a college student who was fully responsible for her own educational costs. She elected to do without some of the extras in college so that she and AJ could enjoy their marriage, even in the early years, without worrying about money.
(4) They have money that is being saved and invested ... he from his bonus and she from some stocks she has held since she was 16. Her college loans are paid off already (she graduated in June of this year) as are the wedding expenses ... mostly due to her ability to manage her money. (She held upwards to 3 jobs at a time while in college full time ... )
(5) When they are blessed with children, they will be a one income family as Katie intends to be a full time wife and mother when that opportunity arises. Should she need to work due to some unforseen circumstance, they will handle that as maturely and intelligently as they have everything else so far ... I have no doubts.
(6) When AJ finally hangs up his cleats, he will return to school to get his degree in chemistry ... he is only one year away from that and negotiated a very lucrative education fund when he signed with the Dbacks. Since he carried a full class load every quarter while at UCR, he is only 3 quarters away from getting his degree. He may also do some additional schooling, perhaps pursue a pharmaceutical degree, when it is time to choose his final career/profession,
if it isn't baseball.
(7) In planning for spring training in '06, they have already arranged to rent an apartment that costs substantially less than the per diem he will receive, and they will actually have more to spend after rent than they are spending on their rent.
And finally ...
(8) They
do have medical insurance through AJ right now. The premiums are deducted from his checks during the season but provide coverage for the year. Granted, they have not upgraded their plan and don't have quite the coverage that my husband and I do, but it is sufficient for their needs at this time. Should a medical emergency arise ... outside of anything baseball related ... I trust their maturity to handle it as logically and intelligently as they have handled everything so far.
I know that you say you are "a big fan of every kid that wants to live his dream of playing in the Show" but honestly, John, from what I have read over the last couple of years in your posts on this subject, I can't figure out how you personally think a kid could follow his dreams. You often mention the low salaries of minor league players ... something that can't be denied ... but at what point does it become acceptable for a player to be
willing to sacrifice things so he can pursue that dream? Sacrificing things to pursue a dream is not uncommon in many professions and careers ... it may just be a fact of the chosen life.
AJ and Katie went into this with eyes wide open ... we know several people who have played professionally and they and their wives have all commented on the planning and forethought that AJ and Katie have done so that he can pursue his dream.
And I think we should also remember that Katie, too, is living her dream ... she is married to her high school sweetheart, is able to travel with him, and is practicing her chosen profession.
I think it is a great story for
all baseball parents, not just moms. There is nothing glamorous about it, but it does show that young men can pursue their dreams on and off the field and have personal success along the way despite the limited income. Too often people focus on the negative aspects of minor league life ... telling everybody to get a reality check, if you will ... instead of pondering the wonderful things that can accompany it. I think that is what our son and "daughter" are doing ... and my husband (who is the most objective and logical family member) and I are very proud of them both.
