SMALLS TALK: Last Day at Work

My last day at the office has finally come. After six months of 6 AM wake-ups, shirts and ties, staff meetings, spreadsheets, phone calls and paper jams, the time has come for me to leave this place and head to greener pastures- it's time to start my other 'job.'

My last day here will be just another day at the office- no party, not one balloon, not even a card. My colleagues offered to get me a cake but I politely declined- who needs those empty calories?

I'm actually relieved that nothing big is going on today- it will give me time to complete all the work I've been putting off for the past six months. Projects to finish, emails to follow up on, phone calls to put in- I've got a long day ahead of me.

But at the end of the day, I'll move on, and baseball will once again be my main focus.

The truth is, I liked my job here at the office, and I was lucky to have it. Finding a full-time job for half a year with zero work experience is not the easiest thing to do, but somehow I got it. I worked with some great people, finally got a non-baseball item for my resumé, and got a chance to make some actual money: an ideal off-season gig, really.


Thinking about my time here, I'm really gonna miss the structure that my job provided for this blog. My desk became Minor League University headquarters- every day at around 11 AM I got started on whatever post I was writing. It was a reliable and consistent schedule, one that allowed me to pump out 76 posts over the 80 days that MLU has existed- that's a pretty solid production rate if you ask me. This is where it all started, and while I'm sad to be leaving the spot where this creation began, I'm excited to take MLU on the road with me and begin the next chapter.

Looking ahead, this next week will be baseball overload. The benefits of having a steady off-season income came with the disadvantages of not having nearly enough time for a consistent baseball regimen. I've been working out 4-5 times a week since getting home in September, but due to my busy schedule and the cold climate I find myself in, baseball-specific training has been minimal.

Sure I've gone to the cages, gotten my tee work in, and have seen my fair share of flips and soft tosses- but it hasn't been nearly enough for me to go into Spring Training game-ready. Over the course of the next eleven days I will basically try to cram as much baseball as I can into my daily routine. Lifting, running, throwing, and hitting- these activites will make up the majority of my next week and a half- and honestly, I can't wait.

Although I'm happy to have made some money and gained some valuable work experience, it's right about now where I find myself jealous of the guys working the common off-season batting cage or baseball facility jobs.

Coaching, giving hitting lessons, hosting clinics- these guys have stayed close to the game and have likely stayed sharp throughout the off-season. I enjoyed my time away from baseball, but heading into Spring Training I can't help but think these guys have got a leg up. But then again, my love for the game and excitement to get started has grown immensely through spending some time away from it- is there any advantage in that?

All I know is that it's time for baseball season. Time to go outside, run around under some sunshine, and get started on this year's farmer's tan.

My off-season job was all I could have hoped for- but today, it ends. Time to chew gum at the office, joke around with my colleagues, wear t-shirts at work, and not be self-conscious about how sweaty I get.

I've spent the last six months working a desk job. I've spent the last six months waiting for baseball season.

SMALLS TALK Series
My Bat of Choice
The Superstitions and Quirks of a Ballplayer
The Art of the Autograph
Greensboro's 'Bat Dogs'
Tim Kurkjian is a Man Among Boys
Baseball Movie All-Star Game: Starting Lineups
Walk-Out Music
Pre-Draft Medical Questionnaires
The Ryan Howard Namesake
The Magic of the Rally
Jeter and A-Rod, How Times Have Changed
Summer Leagues - Cape Still Cream of the Crop?
SportsCenter Commercials are Better Than Most Shows
Schilling's Bloody Sock
Red Sox Nation Goes Crazy, JD Drew Can't Be Bothered
Minor League Hats are the Way to Go
Who Has the Best Uniforms in College Baseball?