Hanging Them Up

I knew this day would come. The day when I hang up my cleats and stop playing the game I have loved since I was five year old. I still remember the first team I ever played on, the Pirates.  My Dad always told me I would know when I was ready to retire and that time is now. I have experienced so many things because of baseball. I would have never got to do these things without certain people in my life. First, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the abilities that he gave me. There were times when I questioned what he was doing but I always made it through. He made me into the man I am today through baseball. My family has always been there for me. I can not thank them enough for everything they have done for me. My Dad about wore out the pavement between our house and my colleges. He was always there to see me pitch, even though he is no pitching guru, He has seen me pitch enough to know when something is different. He has been there for my best and worst pitching performances. Afterwards, he always acted the same, he would always tell me how proud of me he was. One thing my Dad made sure of was reminding me baseball was something I did, it wasn't who I was. My Mom has always been there for me and encouraged me to follow my dream. She made me set goals and ask what I would have to do to make them come true. You could always tell when my mom was at the game because if there was a error made in the field while I was pitching she would scream from the stands "Come on, catch the ball". I think that's one reason my Dad would always stand along the foul lines. Nicki, my sister has always helped in anyway she can. She would lend me a little money for gas to make a tryout, she will never fully understand how grateful I am for everything she has done for me. Without my family I would have never made my childhood dream come true. My girlfriend Stephanie has always been a great supporter. She has  encouraged me to follow my dream even when it meant we wouldn't see each other for 10 weeks. It has been a blessing having her over here this year and to be able to travel with her.  Next person I need to thank is Dr. Kevin Flythe, my chiropractor. He always helped keep me healthy and never let any of my arm issues grow into bigger ones. I have known him for 12 years now and over these past 12 years he is the closer to a big brother to me then just my chiropractor. Not many patients get a hug when they leave and hear how proud they are of them. I would also like to thank the guys up at Elite Baseball and Softball in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There is where I started my pitching career when I was 9. Even when I moved back to Georgia. I would play for them if they played a tournament down south somewhere. I spend a month one winter up there just training and working. They played a major roll in helping me further my baseball career. That winter I was in the best shape of my life and I know it helped me pitch as well as I did last year. Thanks for everything Brian and Mike. That same winter the Goebel family opened up their house to me.  I really felt like I was part of their family while I was there. Even though they probably didn't realize it they also allowed me to make my dream come true. There is also Chris Holt, whose down in Tampa, Fl. He is the best pitching instructor I have ever met in my life. He was the one that suggested me to the Ducks last year. From the first time I talked to Chris on the phone I felt like I had known him for years. I learned a lot about pitching from him in just the month I trained with him. I need to thank the Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks for giving me the chance to come over here and play.  I would have never thought I would play baseball in Europe. It has truly been one amazing experience over here. I want to thank the whole Duck community for making me feel welcome from day one. There is also Clemens Cichocki, he was the one that contacted me from the Ducks. He has grown into a great friend. Make sure you check out his baseball store www.c2bb.at. 

 Baseball has allowed me to do some amazing things and meet some great people. Most of my best friends are guys I met through baseball. Probably about 90% of the groomsmen in my wedding will be baseball players. When you spend everyday with your teammates they almost become more than just a friend. One of my best friends, Luke, is more of a brother to me. There was a time when he was pretty much living at my parents house. I know without a doubt he would do anything for me. 

I am excited for the next stage of my life. I don't know where God will lead me but I know I will trust in him. I did that with my baseball careers and he blessed me more then I could ever imagine. I know that I want to get into coaching. I love seeing a kids face after he makes an adjustment and throws a strike or you change one thing and a kid throws the best curve ball he ever has. I have acquired knowledge of baseball over these past 21 years now it's time for me to start pass it on. I have seen all kinds of coaches  over my career, they have taught me things to do and probably more things not to do. Some of those things that I have learned will carry over into my job for sure. My college coach always said people like hiring athletes, especially ones that were studs. The kind of guy that wants the ball with his team is only up by one run, no outs and runners on. Those guys know how to handle pressure and work with a team. They can learn any kind of business but you can't teach the internal make up that made that person a successful athlete. 

These past two years have been amazing. There aren't many people that are my age and say they lived out their childhood dream. Since I was five my dream has been to be a professional baseball player. It wasn't an easy road, there were plenty of times when I thought about just giving up. I would pray about it and God would tell me it wasn't time for me to give up yet. So he would open another door for me. Always follow your dream, there were plenty of people who doubted me. I would love to sign a baseball card and mail to all of them and say thanks for the motivation. Thanks to everyone that has followed me on this journey, I hope you enjoyed it. This will be my last blog, remember always to trust in him. 

Staying Motivated

This has been a long season. Not in the amount of games that we have played but just the length of time. I got here on March 22 and have only pitched in 9 games since then. That is a lot of off time in almost five months. Which has been good and bad. I have been able to grow my relation with God and spend time with him. I have also watched plenty of movies. So if you need any recommendation just ask. So it has been different not playing that many games this season. Only 9 starts isn't much at all for 5 months of baseball. In college I would have 23 appearances in three months. Baseball has always been called a grind. I think there are different kinds of grinds. Here this is so much off time. You might lose focus of what keeps you motivated and keeps you moving forward. I have a few factors that keep me motivated. My biggest motivation is bringing God glory through baseball. He has blessed me with these abilities and opportunities. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here. He gives me my confidence every time I  toe the rubber. Another thing that motivates me is proving every person wrong that has ever doubted me. I will never forget this coach I had for a all-star team. His name was Tony Black and he didn't play me at all. I remember just sitting in the dugout wondering why I wasn't playing. On the way I remember crying about it and my Dad telling me don't let this upset you. You have to channel this to make yourself a better player and that's what I did. You will always have people that doubt you. You just have to surround yourself with positive people that will always be there for you. Setting goals is a must. That is one thing my Mom has taught me and always made me do. If you don't have goals in your life, you will just be going through the motions. God didn't put us on earth to just go through the motions. We were all made in his imagine and made to bring glory to him through different things. He may have blessed you with the ability to paint or play an instrument. Whatever God has blessed you with don't waste it. You never know how much longer you have here on earth so live your life to the fullest and play ever game like its your last. There will come a day when you won't be lacing up your cleats anymore and you'll have to look back over your past. You'll have to ask yourself did you give it everything you had, could you have done more? One of my favorite quotes is "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard". I firmly believe a athlete and pass another athlete by out working them. I have seen players quit playing because they got passed by other players and weren't willing to put in the effort to stay at the top. That when you can see who really wants it and who is just going through the motions. I challenge everyone to push yourself a little more today. From doing one more rep or making a few extra phone calls. No whatever what you do, do it to the best of your ability.

We Made Playoffs

This past weekend we played the A's at home. I was really looking forward to this weekend since my sister and her husband were coming.They got in on Friday morning, so I headed up to Vienna and spent the day with them. It felt good to see them again since it has been about 4 months since I last saw them.

On Saturday it was hot, it was in the upper 90's for our games. So we knew that it was going to be a long day. But not as long as it actually was. I arrived at the field at 10:40 and we didn't leave till 6:37. We won game one 11-4. It was a long game to start off the day. We didn't start game two till 4:30. I felt really good warming up since we had a week break between games. The same umpire was behind the dish for both games. By the second game the strike zone was all over the place, for both teams. I pitched 7 innings and had to come out because of my pitch count. We didn't play the best defense that game. There weren't many earned runs for either team. The final score ended up being 19-12. Which is really high for the import game. It just wasnt a good day of baseball. But the important thing is we got the wins. With the Cubs losing both their games Sunday we clinched a playoff spot now we just got figure out what place we will be in. 

The day after the game Nicki, Clay, Stephanie and I hung out in Vienna for the day. We went to a few places they haven't been yet but mostly just hung out together. There is a film festival right now and there is every kind of food there. But mostly the atmosphere is what you go there for. I was really happy I got to see Nicki and Clay. I was starting to miss home a little bit and they were just what I needed to pick me up.  

We only got three games left before playoffs start. This year it is best of seven not best of five like it was last year. It will be interesting end of the season to see where everyone ends up. I can't  wait for playoffs to start. There is just something different about games when you know it's win or go home. You get to see what kind of guys you got. The kind that step up in big games or crumble under the pressure. It's easy to play when no one is really at the game and doesn't really matter if you win or lose. One of the best games I have ever pitched was in front of the biggest crowd I have ever played in front of. It was the summer after college, I was down in Macon playing in the Peach State League. It was the Forth of July and there were fireworks after the game. My Dad, Nicki and Clay were there to see me play. There were about four thousand people there that night. I threw 7 1/3 innings and only gave up one hit and one run. It was an awesome atmosphere to be pitching in. You have to learn how to channel your nerves. I learned a long time ago from my pitching coach that you should never be nervous. If you put in the work and you you are prepared, you should never be nervous. Yes butterflies will always be there, but you are suppose to have those. This goes for everything in life, if you did everything you could to get ready there is no reason to be nervous. I don't think there will be four thousand people at a playoff game but that shouldn't matter. It's still the same game, you should always play your hardest and leave it all out there. You never know how many games you got left. I thank God every time I get to lace up my cleats and put on a jersey. Always remember to thank God for all he has blessed you with. Hope everyone has a blessed day. 

Ducks on a Roll

We had great week in Belgium for Euro Cup, even though we didn't win. We made it to the championship game and lost. But the team was very welcoming and great host for the tournament. That was a really long bus ride home. The day after was a rainy day and about 53 out. So it was a movie day for sure. 

The weekend after returning we played the Indians at home. They were in first place, so we knew it wasn't going to be easy to sweep them. Clemens threw the best I have seen him throw in a while. We ended up winning that game by mercy rule 12-2. For my game I changed something up. I bought a pair of new baseball pants from Hiro. They are from Japan and are by far the best fitting baseball pants ever. So I wore my pants down which I haven't done in a few years. Stephanie my girlfriend was also there. This was the first time for her to see me pitch. They scored a run in the first and that was all they got all day. My curveball has really been working well. We won 4-1. They were two wins that we really needed. This past weekend we played the Wanderers. They had all their players back. It was a different team then who we saw opening weekend. In game one Christian who is considered one of the best Austrian pitchers threw a no hitter against us. They played really good defense behind him all day. So we lost 6-0. The next game we looked like a different team we started off with two hits and we hit well all game. I felt really good yesterday. I had a no hitter through 5 innings. We won 8-5. They scored a few runs in the last inning off a few costly errors. Stephanie was there again so I told her she has to come to every game now. After the game Hiro said he shouldn't have sold me those pants since I have been pitching well in them. 

This year I am getting to see a lot more and traveling some more. One weekend stephanie and I spent the whole weekend in Vienna just site seeing. One day we went to the zoo, which she loved.  Today Stephanie and I are going to Salzburg, where the sound of music was filmed. Then in a week from now we are going to Venice together. It's making the time here go a lot faster this year. I'm excited because our next home game is when my sister will be here. I am excited to see her and clay again. It will be fun hanging out with them in Vienna. I pray everyone has a blessed day. 

Heading to Euro Cup

Since I got a 10 hour bus ride to Belgium I figured I would write a blog and give everyone a little update. Two weeks ago we got rained out against the Indians. They called it before we even left which turned out to be a good call because that weekend there was flooding all over west Austria. They said it hadn't been that bad in over 100 years. Since we were rained out I decided to head to Linz and see my girlfriend Stephanie. It was so much fun to hang out with her again. It had been 10 weeks since we saw each other. 

 The next weekend we took on the Metro Stars at home. It was really nice weather for the game, it seemed like it had been weeks since we had seen the sun. We spilt with them losing the first game and winning the second in extra innings. The next day I headed to see Steph play in her first game in Austria. She ended up losing her game but there were a few errors in the field. 

We were off this past weekend so we could get ready for euro cup. Steph actually had a game in Vienna on Friday night. So I went up on Thursday and after her games we came back to Wiener Neustadt. It was nice to finally show her where I was for 6 months last year. 

 I also wanted to say Happy Father's Day to my Dad. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for him. I am so blessed to have a Godly father that I can turn to when I need guidance. I can remember when I was a little kid he would write my sister and I notes every morning before he would go to work. It would always end with "God loves you and so do I". It's such a simple saying but so true. I wish I could be home today to cook him one of his favorite meals, a steamed bagel with roast beef and cheese. But I know he would rather have me over here doing what I love. He has been right along side me for this journey of me following my dream. He was always there to throw with when I couldn't find someone. Even though I make fun of him for throwing like a girl. I just want to thank him for all he has done in my life. I hope you have a wonderful day and I love you. 

Weekend Sweep

This past weekend we played the A's in Attnang. The weather was not looking good before we left and it rained to whole ride up there. It was still drizzling when we got there. They had put tarps on the field and it was actually in pretty good shape. During our warm up the sun even came out for a minute or two. But the rain came back and it pretty much rained the whole game. That didn't affect Clemons though, he threw a complete game shut out with no walks. We also swung the bats really well, putting up 14 runs. The rain had stopped by the beginning of my game but it was still pretty cold. I felt really good and worked efficiently only throwing 91 pitches in 9 innings with no walks. I worked manly fast balls against them. We won the game 8-2. These were two wins that we needed since they finally made the ruling on our game against the Wanderers. They ruled that we forfeited the game since Jake DH for me. I don't understand this ruling. If I am hitting or Jake it's still a foreigner hitting. It's not taking at bats away from a Austrian. I think some people just can't admit when they make a mistake. This weekend we make the long journey across the country to Dornbirn. It should be a good day of baseball against this team. After this weekend we will be half way through our season which is crazy to think about. Since we are here for a few more months. 

 This weekend also has another exciting part. My girlfriend Stephanie gets here to play softball. I am so excited to see her, it's been about two and half months since we saw each other. I am so excited for us to go on adventures together, know we have planned to spend a weekend in Vienna and also a trip to Venice. God has truly blessed me by bringing her into my life. He has blessed me in many areas of my life. I can never thank him enough for what he has done for me. Remember to thank God everyday for the little things he does. Hope everyone has a great week. 

     

Season is Underway

Sorry that I haven't posted in a few weeks. On the opening weekend we played the Wanderers a rematch of last years finals. We lost game one and won game two. But the next day they said we cheated by using three foreigners, since Jake DH for me. The rules were written very vague, so you could have taken it either way. Now we are on our second protest about the ruling. So with the rule being unclear I get to hit in games until a decision is made. In week two of the season we took on the Metrostars. In game one Clemens threw well and we got the win. In the second game I felt like I threw well but I had a throwing error on a come backer that allowed the go ahead run to score. So we ending up losing that game and I put that on me for making that error. In week three we were played the Cubs 4 times in three days since we had to move the games so guys on my team can go to some concert. Since we had to move it it put us in a tough spot. That's a lot of pitching needed in a short time. The first game was a slugfest and we lost 12-9. Wayne started the second game and had 18 strikeouts but it wasn't enough, we lost 4-2. So on that Saturdays our home opener they were calling for rain and it did. It pretty much rained the entire game. It was a drizzle the whole time. Just that annoying rain. We had to stop the game twice to fix it and try to make it playable again. Which is difficult here since they don't have quick dry for the dirt. We won the game 14-4 in 8 innings. It looked like they were running low on pitching. So to get the field dry for the second game, they poured gas on the dirt and lit it on fire. I personally have never seen this but it worked really well. The mound was in really good shape, a lot better then game one. So the umpires let us get ready about to take the field and said they were calling the game. They said it was unplayable due to the gasoline smell on the ground. Which was absolutely ridiculous. I was pretty upset they let us get ready then called it. You could tell the cubs didn't want to play since they had no pitching left. So we have to make the game up at a later date. This Saturday we play the A's at their field, which I am excited about since they stream the game over the Internet so people back home can watch it. I hope everyone has a great week and remember to keep God first and he will never give you more then you can handle.

Live Your Life

I believe that God put us all on this earth for different reasons. He has blessed all of us with different talents and gifts. Can I play a flute and remember where I'm suppose to go on a football field, no but I know a lot of people that can. He has given us these gifts and talents to use. When we don't use them we are not honoring him. Since I was a little kid playing in my backyard I dreamt of being a professional baseball player. I pictured my self being John Smoltz and pitching for the Braves. Well Austria is a little far from Atlanta but I'm still doing what I love. It wasn't easy to get to this point. There're were a lot of times where I asked God "What are you doing or why are you doing this". I would then remind myself that God will never give me more then I can handle and has a purpose for everything he does. Sometimes we will be long gone before the reasoning of Gods doing comes through. So I encourage everyone to live out their dreams. Life is way too short to get stuck in a daily grind and not be happy. God gives us opportunities everyday. Sometimes we view these as problems and don't trust in him. His will, his plans and his future for us is the best one there could possibly be. Sometimes we just got to step out of our comfort zone and just have faith in Gods plan. So today when a problem comes up, ask yourself if this is God trying to give you a opportunity to be happy. Trust in him and take that leap of faith.

Spring Training

I made it safely over to Austria. It was a long day of travel, I was laid over in London for 8 hours. Needless to say, I was a little tired when I got here. It almost felt like I never left. It's just a little colder now. As of right now Ryan (our new coach) and I are living downtown with one of the younger players mom. I love the place it's very European. The shower is kinda connected to the kitchen. But there is Wi-Fi there , which I was really excited about because it allows me to talk my family and girlfriend. We can pretty much walk any where downtown.
So we had practice the day that I got here. It was the first practice they have had outside but we need to get outside before we left for spring training. It really wasn't that cold out there until the wind would blow. But when we started BP (batting practice) it started to snow on us. I do have to say that's the first practice where it has snowed on me. We got some quality work in before we hit the road.
I was so excited to head down to Italy for spring training because it meant we got to start playing games again. It was about a 7 hour drive down here so we all loaded up in 3 different vehicles and got on our way. We played our first game yesterday and lost 4-3. Clemens started the game and threw two innings, he pitched well. I came in after him for 4 innings. I think I did pretty good for the first game in a while. Yesterday is when the jet lag final caught up to me. Jan came in next and threw three innings, his change up was filthy. We played well for it being our first game as a team. We picked a a catcher from Australia named Jake. I think he is really going to help us out this season behind the dish. The only thing that sucks is that he can't catch me during a game. I am excited to see where this team can take us this season. Last We are going sight seeing in Milan this afternoon which will be fun, I'll take some pictures and post them on my next blog. Also Matthias and I are making videos all week so people can see what we did here. I hope everyone has a blessed week and remember God loves you no matter what and will never leave you.

Spring Training

I made it safely over to Austria. It was a long day of travel, I was laid over in London for 8 hours. Needless to say, I was a little tired when I got here. It almost felt like I never left. It's just a little colder now. As of right now Ryan (our new coach) and I are living downtown with one of the younger players mom. I love the place it's very European. The shower is kinda connected to the kitchen. But there is Wi-Fi there , which I was really excited about because it allows me to talk my family and girlfriend. We can pretty much walk any where downtown.
So we had practice the day that I got here. It was the first practice they have had outside but we need to get outside before we left for spring training. It really wasn't that cold out there until the wind would blow. But when we started BP (batting practice) it started to snow on us. I do have to say that's the first practice where it has snowed on me. We got some quality work in before we hit the road.
I was so excited to head down to Italy for spring training because it meant we got to start playing games again. It was about a 7 hour drive down here so we all loaded up in 3 different vehicles and got on our way. We played our first game yesterday and lost 4-3. Clemens started the game and threw two innings, he pitched well. I came in after him for 4 innings. I think I did pretty good for the first game in a while. Yesterday is when the jet lag final caught up to me. Jan came in next and threw three innings, his change up was filthy. We played well for it being our first game as a team. We picked a a catcher from Australia named Jake. I think he is really going to help us out this season behind the dish. The only thing that sucks is that he can't catch me during a game. I am excited to see where this team can take us this season. Last We are going sight seeing in Milan this afternoon which will be fun, I'll take some pictures and post them on my next blog. Also Matthias and I are making videos all week so people can see what we did here. I hope everyone has a blessed week and remember God loves you no matter what and will never leave you.

A Month Away

I'm about a month away from leaving to go over to Austria. I can not wait to start playing again. I went to watch my high-school play the other night and it got me itching to play again. This year is looking really good for the Ducks. We added a new coach for the season. His name is Ryan also and is from New York. We have already been talking back and forth about the season. I think his baseball knowledge will benefit all the players on the team. We also added another player from Australia, Wayne. He went to college here in the US then got drafted. He will be a great addition to our already solid team. I am excited to see where this season goes for the Ducks.
I am also excited for this summer because my girlfriend, Stephanie will be playing softball in Austria. I think it's pretty cool how God worked everything out that we will both be in the same country doing what we love. I'm looking forward to traveling around together and going on adventures. I want to travel around more then I did last year. I know when my mom and Dad mom over we plan on going somewhere after one of my games. I hope everyone has a blessed week and remember to thank God for all he has blessed you with.

Unfinished Business

I am proud to announce that I will be returning to the Diving Ducks this upcoming season. After talking my options over with my agent (my Dad) we decided this was the best place for me.  I am excited to get back there and get to work. I really enjoyed my time there last year even though we fell short of our team goal. Getting to the championship game was a huge achievement for our team. I think that we learned a lot from coming up short. There have been some off season moves that I think will greatly improve our already solid team.
    This off season I have working hard to get us to the championship again. Winning MVP and Most Valuable Pitcher last season has only fueled me to work harder this winter. I started hitting and throwing a few weeks ago. I am lucky to live somewhere where it is in the 50's in January, while my team is dealing with snow.
    There are multiple reasons that I chose to return to the Ducks. One of the main things was the Ducks community. They made me feel very welcome from day one. I was there for my birthday last year and they made it one to remember. One of the moms of the little kids I helped coach told me that on her sons Christmas list was for me to come play for the ducks again. I can't let the little guy down. Another reason I am returning is the players on the team. Over the course of the season I made some life long friends. I cant wait to hang out with them again this summer.
        I continue to thank God for blessing me like he has. There are not many people out there that can say their are living their childhood dream. I am blessed to have my family supporting me along this journey. My sister and her husband have already started planning their trip over this summer. I am excited because my Mom will get to come over this year.  I can't wait to get back on the mound and finish what we started last season. Always remember to thank God what he has blessed you with.

Ducks Going to the Championship

We did it, we are going to the championship. We went up there on Friday night, so we wouldn't have to ride the three and half hours then try to play. When we woke up Friday it was raining and continue to on our way to the field. When we started our warm up it actually cleared up and got sunny for a while. The rain came back though as we started to the game. We got three and half innings in before they called a rain delay. The score was tied at 4-4. On Saturday we had to start all over since we didn't play enough innings the day before. Clemens started again for us since we had a low pitch count the day before. It was a great game for the fans to see. We were down three runs in the top of the ninth and Jason hit a bases loaded double to tie the game. So we went into extra innings and their import hit a walk of home run to win the game. Which sucked that we lost but almost worked out for us that he was the one that hit it. He was on a huge high after that game but then he had to start the next game pitching. It's hard to build your self back up after something like that. In the first inning we scored 6 runs off him, it was a great way to show that we put the last game behind. I pitched a complete game and gave up two runs. When the final out was made I got tackled by my third basemen Julio. It was the first dog pile of my life and it won't be the last. With that win we are going to the finals against the Wanderers. They were down 0-2 in their series and won three straight to make to finals. It will be a good series for sure. It kinda funny to me that My buddy Joe and I will be playing each other again. We have played against each other for 10 years now and now we are meeting in the championship in Austria. I think that would make for a pretty cool story. Also we are now going to the EuroCup next year, the first and second place teams from Austria get to go play in it. That will be a lot of fun to play in next year. The first game will be on Saturday and I will pitch on Sunday. I don't now if there will be a live stream but there should be a live ticker for all the people back home.
    This Saturday my Dad and his friends are leaving for their annual fishing trip to Michigan. I have gone the last two years and it is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It's nice to just get away for a week. All we do for a week is fish, eat, sleep, and laugh. You do a lot of laughing there, like laugh so much your stomach hurts the next morning. I love the fact that Christian men can get together and have a great time together. As much as I will miss going my passion for winning this championship outweighs it. Michigan will always be there but this championship won't. I will be able to tell stories in Michigan about my time here. I know this is where God wants me to be and has taught me so much. Only six days till I get to do what I love and bring glory to him one pitch at a time. Have a great week and God bless.

Ducks Win Two

    This past Saturday we had the first two games in the the best of five series. We were playing the A's who finished 2nd last year. It's been five weeks since we played a game that had meaning to it. It felt so good to be back out there. In game one it was all Clemens, he was 4-4 at the plate and pitched a complete game shut out. We faced the best Austrian this year statistically and we scored 9 runs off of him. We played great all around from hitting to defence. Which is funny to me because if you saw our pre game we looked awful by far the worst of the year. But it only matters how you play in the game.
     In the second game I knew it wouldn't be a easy win but we had the momentum on our side. Clemens started off the game 2-2 and scored our first run. I pitched the complete game and only gave up two hits and no runs. I didn't have many strike outs but I did have 15 ground ball outs. That's how I normally pitch. In college and high school I was a ground ball pitcher.  We won the game 3-0 and now will head up there on saturday for the rest of the games.  We just need to win one game to make the finals and the Euro Cup. It's never easy to go to someone else field and win. But I think if we just play our game and take care of business we got a shot.

    Clemens and I decided that we would grow playoff beard and they seemed to work. Victor grew one also and he had a home run on Saturday the first on hit at our field this season, so maybe there is something behind it. I decided I am going to let it grow till I get back home. They might not let me back in the country since I will look nothing like my passport picture. My buddy Joe told me the other day he doesn't know with at I look like with short hair or clean shaven anymore. You can tell fall is coming here the nights are getting cooler which is fine for me because the colder it is the better I sleep. There is just something about playoffs and cooler weather, it's like they are suppose to go together. I can't wait till Saturday and take care of business. Hope everyone is doing good and trust in his plan for your life.

Birthday in Austria

I would have never guessed that I would spend my 25 birthday in a forgiven country. But it's something that I can tell my kids one day. Everyone always asks what did you do? Well I got to do what I love, I got to play baseball. The one thing that would have made it better was going to Japanese steakhouse with my family. We can do that when I return home. My Austrian family definitely made me feel special. Jan and Armin got me a Austrian army knife, which is awesome. I love knifes and will never be able to buy myself one of theses again. I sent a picture to my buddy officer Adam Bradley and he was pretty jealous of it.  After practice they had a cake waiting for me, which was really good. It was a surprise for sure.  I got to talk to my grandparents on my birthday too, my Dad talked them through using a calling card and calling me on my Austrian phone. It was good to hear their voices.  I also got a few birthday cards in the mail which was nice to hear from people back home. I  got a package from my friend Steph, which was perfect timing because that day I was kinda bored and starting to miss home. It was the perfect pick me up. It's cool to see how God uses little things to bring us joy. One week from today we start playoffs, it feels like its been weeks since we have played a game. I can't wait to get back out there and do what I love. Thanks again for all the birthday wishes. I can't wait to get back and celebrate with everyone. .

Ducks Finish 3rd

We finally know that we got third place this season and will be heading to the playoffs to play against the A's.  They don't start till the 15th of September to we still got some time off . We have split with them both times we played them so it's going to be a good series to start off the playoffs. They are a best of 5 and the higher seeded team get to choose where they want to play the first two games at home or away.
   This past week I got to work a baseball camp. I love working with little kids, they have so much fun playing. I love seeing the smile on a kids face when he throws a strike after making an adjustment. This reminds me of a quote that one of my good friends Jeremy Webb shared with me "Behind the player that you have become the stats, the fans, the glory and the upsets- was a little boy that fell in love with baseball. So play the game like that little boy would and thank God for all he has done". That is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Baseball is suppose to be fun and those little kids at camp just had a blast playing wiffle ball.  On the last day of camp is was pretty hot and the kids had a good week so far. So after lunch we had a huge water fight including water ballons, water guns and a slip and slide. It was Armin and me taking on about 25 kids needless to say I think we lost.
   So the seasons final stats are in and I had a pretty good year, I was 11-2 which was the most wins for a pitcher. I threw 123.3 innings which was the second most in the league. I had 152 strikeouts(3rd best) with only 15 walks. My ERA (earn run average) was 1.82. I had a great time this season playing with these guys. It fun to watch players grow over the year and become better players. I can't wait to get started with playoffs, we have won our last 4 regular season games and the 2 yesterday against a Dutch team. Yesterday we got to play a Dutch team to help us play in game shape for the playoffs. We played well in both games and really swung the bats. I only threw 4 innings since it was only a 7 inning game and other guys needed work. I was perfect in my outing no hits or walks and had 6 strike outs. It was a good day on the mound. I continue to thank God everyday I get to put on a uniform and go do what I love to do.

Playoff Bound

This past weekend we needed to win one game to make the playoffs. We decided why not just win both. The first game went into extra innings and Clemens threw all 11 innings. He only needed 125 pitches, which is a very good day on the mound. In the second game we won 5-3. I threw all 9 innings and had 10 strike outs. It was great to win both. That 4 straight for us which is a great way to enter the playoffs. We got 4 weeks till the playoffs so we have plenty of time to rest up. We still don't know who we are going to face in round one.
One of my friends asked me yesterday what was your dream job as a little kid? It was a pro baseball player of course. Then I realized I am living my childhood dream. Yeah I know I'm not playing for the Braves or having baseball cards made of me. But I'm getting paid to do what I love. What I have dreamt about so many nights laying in bed. I can remember playing in the back yard wanting to be John Smoltz. Looking back all the sweat and hours of work I have put in have been worth it. God has blessed me in many ways. I have always been patient and gone where God led me. My mom has always been there to remind me that God has a plan for my life and it's not a ordinary one. My Dad has been there to encourage me through this whole this even when I felt like just giving up. I also want to say thanks to all my coaches along the way, even the bad ones. I wouldn't be where I am today with y'all. I feel blessed everyday I get to put on a uniform and am very grateful for this opportunity.

Ducks Sweep Again

With only 4 games left we needed to win three out of the next four to make playoffs. We took care of business Saturday. It started in game one when Clemens threw all 13 innings and had the game winning hit. It was a big win for us not only to keep us in the playoff hunt but just for the team. The momentum carried over into game two where we scored 7 runs. I threw all nine innings with 16 strike outs 1 walk and one run. It was a great sweep for us.  This up coming weekend is a big one for us.
       My sister and her husband decided to come over and see me as well visit some cities. After my game we headed back to Vienna since we were heading to Prague the next morning. It was a really fun trip. When I see some old buildings it just amazes me that they could build something like that so long ago. I had fun picking on my sister again. I am very blessed to have the relationship that I do with her. She has always been there to support me along this journey. After seeing my Dad and sister I realized how much I miss my mom. I can't wait to be home and go eat Mexican with her again. I'm pretty sure we could both have it for dinner at least three times a week. I am excited to see what happens this next weekend. I love playing in games that can decide the rest of your season. Have a great week.

Second Loss

Sorry this blog is about a week late, I had a busy week last week. We will start off with the games against the Indians. In game one Clemens threw really well, he didn't give up a run till the 9th inning. He also had a two run home run in that game. It was one of his best all around games of the year. In the second game  they scored two runs off some hits and a error but the third run the winning run was scored on a past ball.  After they scored that run in the third I only allowed one more hit in the game. We ended up losing 3-2. I pitched 8 innings had 12 strike outs and only one walk. On our trip across Austria we had to go through Germany but we got lost. So I had a idea of making a video in the car. It actually turned out pretty good, I'll post the link on here. This past weekend I was in the Czech Republic to watch the U21 European tournament. It was really cool to see guys playing for their country. They had some really nice stadiums there. The one day we were there we got to go see some caves. It was really pretty inside them minus how cold it was in there. It was about 40 degrees and I only brought shorts with me.  For half of it we were walking and the other half we were on boats going through the waterways. Its still crazy to me that you can just drive from one country into another.
    This weekend my sister and her husband are coming to my game. They are in Venice right now then coming to Vienna on Friday night. On sunday we are heading to Prauge with team america(Amber, Joe, and Mandy).  I have heard it really nice there and the food is cheap.  Which my brother in law will really like since eating is one of his favorites things to do.
    It's weird to think there are only four games left in the season it has really flown by. I remember when we were planning my sisters trip here how far away it seemed and now it's here.  I guess I can tell how long I have been here from my hair. I haven't cut it since I left home and its the longest it's been in my life. I'm excited for these next two weeks to see what we can do and hopefully make a run at this thing. Remember God is always there for you to talk to and he is your number one fan. Have a great week.

Esp 1The Franchise Austria Esp 1

Papa Kroko Comes to Austria and Brings the Rain with Him.

My Dad came to visit this past week. He got here last friday and flew back home this morning. It felt like forever ago that we were talking about him coming. I was so excited for him to get here that the morning He got here I woke up at 6 and just decided to leve then. I got to the airport a hour before he landed. He brought me lots of stuff I have been missing from back home. He had a few surprises for me also. I am so blessed to have the father that I do. He is my bestfriend, it scary sometimes how well that he knows me. He can tell from the tone of my voice that something is wrong. We have a special relationship that is for sure. Since I can remember we have gone hunting and fishing together. We have had some great times together. I have learned so much from him over the years. Everything from how to be a good Christian man to life descions to things in the business world. One thing he has always done for my family is provided for us. I know I am the man I am today's because of him. I think that my Dad brought the rain with him. For our game Saturday it was sunny for all of pregame. But you could see the rain was coming. About mid way through the first game it started to drizzle and didn't really stop till we were done playing. In game one we just played bad. There really isn't any other way to say it. I was not going to lose with my Dad coming all the way to Austria to see me play. Needless to say it wasn't the best conditions for playing baseball. The mound was a mud pit. When my foot would land it would slide about 6 inches. We actually had a rain delay at one point. If it would have picked up any they would have called it and we would have won since we had completed 5 innings. But it slowed just enough to resume play. In the 9th inning with a two run lead they loaded the bases with two outs. As I stood there on the mound I thought "just don't think about the mud or rain just make three quality pitches and we will win. I struke out the guy to end it. It was a great win for us and helped us stay in the play off race. The president of my team was nice enough to let my Dad and I borrow one of his work cars to go fishing. With my iPhone in hand as our gps we headed west for about 3 hours to go fishing. It rained the entire drive which isn't good when your going fly fishing. So when we got there we met our guide at our hotel and got our fishing liences. We got to the river and it looked like chocolate milk which isn't good. We tried it there for a while and had no luck. So he made a phone call and there was another stream about 100 km away that was in great shape. So we headed that way and it was well worth it. The drive was beautiful. We got to see a lot little towns with lakes in front of them. It seemed like something out of the movies. The stream was perfect, so we got to fish for a few hours before going to our hotel. When we went out to eat we just started walking to see what was open. When we sat down we told the waitress we didn't know German and asked if she spoke English. So the cook came out and asked what we wanted, he asked if we wanted a plate of meat. That sounded perfect to us being half carnivor. So he brought us a plate with a chicken breat, a steak, pork chop, and fries. The next day was a good day. The weather was perfect and we got to catch some fish. We pretty much caught every kind of fish that was in there. I just love being on the water and standing there hearing nothing but the water running. No cars or planes making noise. We drove back to Vienna and hung out there most of the week. My Dad really enjoys looking at different architecture. I tried to be the best tour guide I could with what I had learned. We had a blast together just hanging out and eating. I started to get a little home sick this past week. My Dad came at a perfect time to help that go away. Now it's only two weeks till my sister and brother in law come. I am excited to see them since it's been 3 months since I left. To everyone back home thanks for all the prayers and support.