Home Opener

Yesterday was our home opener, we spilt again. We were winning 3-1 in the 9 and they tied it up. So we went into extra innings and they came out on top. The crowd was really into the game especially at the end there. I threw pretty good in game 2. I went 8 innings, gave up 2 runs and had 9 k's and 0 walks. The umpire was squeezing me through the game. Which means he had a small strike zone. I didn't get to play in the first one because one of our players is from hungry and you can only have one import play at a time. After my game I got introduced to a guy that was also a Christian. It was great to talk about God and my church back home. He asked what kind of church I attended, I told him its a nondenominational one. As I was explaining it to him he put it pretty simple "As long as you love Jesus your good". Just a simple sating but true. I think it's pretty amazing that no matter where you go Jesus is same person that died for us. I continue to thank God for giving me this opportunity. On a side note one my friends from back home is coming to play on a team in Vienna. I'm excited to have a friend close and be able to go exploring with.

Field Work

I have always liked working on the field. I liked hearing guys say " this is a nice field, I wish our field look like this. I especially like working on the mound, since that where I spend all my time. Going back to a field I played at and seeing something I build still in use I think is cool. When I was a senior in high school I rebuilt the mound using clay bricks. I knew I was going to be pitching the most on it so why not make it the way I like it. Then when I was at USCB we had a lot of field work, since we were a start up program. We had to build the hitting cage that we roll on the field for batting practice just off the picture of it. After 4 days we got it done. Last week Clemens and I put clay brick in the visitors bullpen. He said it might be one of the nicest visitors bullpen in all of Austria. A couple weeks before he had redone the game mound and he did a great job on it. On Monday we used a Sod cutter to go around the whole infield and put in sod where we had cut. It made the whole appearance of the field better. It's amazing how just little things can improve the appearance of something. This weekend in our home opener. I'm excited to get back out there and pitch again. Also bring glory to God through my pitching. The weather is suppose to be beautiful for it. I hope everyone has a great day and remember God will never give you more then you can handle. Trust in him and his plan for your life.

Opening Weekend

Yesterday we played our first two games of the season. It felt so good to get back out there and compete. The first game I played left and batted 4th. The pitcher we were facing is one of the top Austrian pitchers. What a great way to start my hitting career off after taking 7 years off. There were a few butterflies in my stomach for sure. I just said a quick prayer on my way to the plate. He ended up walking me and I was out first base runner of the game. My next at bat I struck out and my third I ground out to second. We ended up losing 10-0, they had some lucky hits and we had a few errors. I was excited to get on the mound and make game two a different out come. I threw 7 1/3 innings had 7 strike outs 0 walks and gave up one run. It was one of my better pitching days. I had a shut out going till the 7th abd were winning 6-1 when I came out. The final was 10-4. Every time before I toe the rubber I draw a cross on the back of the mound and say the same prayer. "Dear God help me pitch to the best of my ability, be a warrior out here and have fun". I say best of my ability instead of pitch well because some times you have off days. The great players will take a negative performance and learn from it. They take what they need to an leave it in the past. My mom sent me a email the day of the game letting me know how much she wished she could be there to see me play. But she wouldn't  actually see me pitch because she gets nervous and paces behind the bleachers. She also said she talked to her dad in heaven and he would be there watching. So before the game started I picked a spot where I imagined him sitting. He wasn't  sitting alone though. My number one fan was next to him, he's never missed one game since I started playing. He's always there to tell me I played well and he's proud of me no matter how I played. It's God. Its pretty cool to think about that the guy that made the world is also your number one fan in life. D

Here's the web site to watch our games tomorrow. I'm starting the second one one the mound. It should start around 830 am est. http://www.athleticsbaseball.at/

Opening day

Cell Phone and Weather

The president of my team was nice enough to give me his wife's old iPhone to use while I'm over here. So we went to t-mobile today to get me set up. Its so much cheaper here then back home. I got 1000 min 1000 texts and unlimited internet for around $19 a month and i just have to cancel it 3 month before i leave. Clemens was nice enough to let me just add onto his account. It was funny when we were in t mobile the girl was talking to both of us and I had no idea what she was saying to me. The weather is a little different then home. Today it was about 43 and windy with off and on rain. Not the perfect baseball weather. It says that saturday should be 61, lets hope it stays that way for our first game. I found out I'm starting game two and playing left in the first. They have funny rules about when and how many foreigners can play. I heard the game will be broadcast over the internet once i found out more, ill put the link on here.

Motivation

I just finished watching the movie Warrior. Which is a great movie, I highly recommend watching it. It got me thinking about motivation. Everyone of us has something that motivates us towards our goals. For me one of the main ones is proving people wrong. I can clearly remember two coaches in my past that doubted me. My Dad knows who they are too. There are plenty of other coaches that never gave me a shot. They are what gave me that extra push to run a extra mile or do the extra set. My family also contributes to pushing me on. I know with out a doubt when my parents say they are proud of me they mean it with all their heart. They have lived this journey with me. I clearly remember coming home from my last high school baseball game and crying on my moms shoulder. They weren't sad tears, I had put the team on my shoulders that season and we came up short of our goal. And if you think a man is weak for crying. Take a look at two of my role models Tim Teebow and Bubba Watson(both are men of God and pretty good athletes). When you pour your heart and time into something you will do whatever it takes to be successful. No one thing or one person can stand in your way. If they do get in your way just take them head on because you have worked to hard to let them stop you. God wired us all differently. So I challenge you not to be ordinary that's the lazy way out. So find what motivates you and let it fuel your fire. Here's two videos to help you get motivated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNL_DAI19_I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X38PCf7kao&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Practice

I have been to two practices since i got here. The first day we got to practice early and get in some early work. The guys on the team are really nice and welcoming. They know english which helps me out since I don't know any german. All we pretty did at practice on day one was got our arms loose then hit. It had been a while since I have hit in a game, so i was a little nervous at first. But I have been hitting with my buddy Mason back home before I left. I got to meet the president on the first day. He gave me a hat and hoodie with the team logo on it. We took some pictures together, many of you probably saw them on facebook. Then the second day they asked me to help coach the 10u team before out pracice. That in its self was very entertaining. None of the kids knew english, so there was a lot of hand motions being used . For our practice it was a bullpen day for the pitchers. I was excited to get back up on the bump and face some batters. I threw pretty good, had command of all my pitches and kept the ball low. I also got bat against a pitcher in a game simulation for the first time in about 7 years. It went better then I thought it would. Our first game is next saturday. I am excited to get back into playing games. Now that I am here I know this is where God wants me to be. Yesterday I checked my stats about this Blog and 580 people have read it. I am not saying this to brag or anything like that. I am just pointing out that God can use the skills he gave you to reach out to other people and you can just say one little thing that will change theirs lives forever. You may never know of the impact you made on them. So seek after Gods plan for your life and trust in him, he knows what he is doing.

I didn't really sleep a lot the night before I left. I was excited and I was worried I was going to over sleep. As my dad and I got 5 min down the road I remember I forgot my jacket at home. Which I ended up leaving in his truck too. The first plane I was in was tiny. When I tried to stand up in it the base of my neck hit the ceiling. Once in Miami I had a four hour lay over. I enjoyed my last American beer for 5 months(Sam Adams). I lucked out on my seat to Germany I was next to two smaller ladies, so I could stretch out a little bit. The breakfast they served us was interesting. It was two rolls a sliced turkey, salami, yogurt and a tomato. When I asked the flight attendant for watershed asked with or without gas. Good thing I knew what she was talking about unlike the guy behind me. We landed in germany at 630 am their time so it was 1230 back home. So it's been a really long travel day. Both of my bags made it here which I was happy about. I got to stop by the field and take a look around. I'm excited about the season and to get back to playing. We got practice at 6 tonight. It will be fun to see the difference between baseball here and back home.

Germany

Just writing a short one while I wait for my flight to Vienna. I made it to Germany safely. Didn't really get to sleep much on the flight, So I have been up for 19 hours. I'll write more later

Blessed

As I get ready to leave tomorrow, I look back at my life and realize how blessed I am to have this opportunity. Ever since I have been 5 i have wanted to be a professional baseball player. I have always trusted in God that he would lead me open the door to where I needed to go. I have grown closer to him because my baseball career. I have learn to be patient and trust in him. One of the biggest struggles I had, was when i would see kids that weren't living right and still being blessed with opportunities that I wasn't getting. Thats when I would turn to my families verse( Jeremiah 29;11) Now he has given me this great opportunity. I want to thank all my family for supporting me and encouraging me to follow my dream. My parents have always been there for me, driving to my games, being there when i needed someone to vent to and praying for me daily. They have been there for all the ups and downs, the times Im on top of the world and the days i cant get anyone out. I cant imagine the anount of hours my dad has spent riding in his truck to see me play. I thank God everyday for giving me a christian days that was there to lift me up when i needed it and to chew my butt when that was needed. Mom was always there to remind me of our family verse, she would tell me just trust in him, he knows what he is doing. My sister is my biggest fan for sure. She has always wanted me to follow me dream and has helped me in every way she can. She can't catch a bullpen, but if i need a little more money to make it to a try out she didn't think twice about it. She has never once asked for me to pay her back because she knows how much I love this sport. Then there are my grandparents, who I know prayed for me daily and always wished me good luck and keep working hard. When i told my grandfather the news i think he was more excited then I was. I could tell in his voice how proud of me he was. Even though my moms dad never got to see me pitch I think about him every time I'm out there. I have his name written on the inside of my hat. I have worked my butt off to get to this point in my life. I have made sacrifices through the years to get here. I don't regret them. For example I never had a week long spring break in high school or college. But to me the baseball memories mean so much more. It might sound weird but when I watch old videos of me closing a close game, I get chills. To quote Cy Young "pitchers, like poets, are born not made". Everyone is blessed with different talents and skills, it's how we use those talents to bring glory to God. I am extremely blessed that I get to get paid for my passion and true love in my life. Thank you to everyone that has ever supported me and thanks to all the people that doubted me, you were the fuel to the fire that motivated me to keep working hard and prove you dead wrong.

Packing

Yesterday I got a few things that I ordered. I got some new grey pants and some new sliders. Since Ill be hitting this season, hopefully Ill be on base some. My new cleats will be in on friday. Clemens the player personal for my team said cleats are really expensive over there and hard to find. So I am taking three pairs with me. I made a Dicks run the other day and got about 12 packs of big league chew.(which is bubble gum). I also bought some eye black, i might as well wear it when I'm playing the field. My new backpack came in yesterday. I needed a new one for when I travel around to the different cities.

One week left

This morning I had to go to the Atlanta passport office to get my passport since I leave next tuesday. Its weird to think about leaving in a week for 5 months. I had to make a list of stuff i needed to bring with me. Its still kinda cold over there so I'm packing warmer clothes to wear and play in. I bought a keyboard for my iPad today to help with typing on here. I made a Walmart run today, since i don't know how expensive stuff will be over there or what they will have.

Getting ready

Today was a busy day. I had to go to the dept of vital records to get a new birth certificate. Since mine was lost somewhere in college. It actually didn't take as long as I thought it was going to in there. Then from there I paid off my credit card so I can use it over there. Last place I went was to CVS to get my passport picture. I was taller then the white pull down screen so I had to sit on a stool. The guy taking my picture informed me that your not allowed to show any teeth for that picture. I got my appt tomorrow at 830 for my passport. Last night I ordered new cleats and pants for over there. So hopefully they get here before next Tuesday.