MiLB LIFE: Housing



"What's up, MTV- I'm a minor leaguer, and this is my crib."

Three nights- that's all you get. Whether you've been moved up, sent down, or are starting your career, when you first arrive to a new team, the organization puts you up in a hotel for your first three nights- after that, you're on your own.

There you are- plopped down in the middle of a city you've never even heard of, facing a 72-hour deadline to find yourself a place to live. It's even more fun when you don't have a car- that's when it gets really interesting.

My first three nights in Rookie Ball were spent in a Howard Johnson's motel. In addition to being rundown and disgustingly dirty, it was located in the middle of a neighborhood that made you wish there were more than just five variations of locks on the door- the type of place where you fell asleep every night to the soothing lullaby of police sirens. Even at the all expenses paid price of free, this place was a ripoff.

But as terrible as it was, the HoJo was conveniently located about a mile from our ballpark- a blessing really, considering I had not yet met a kid with a car at his disposal.

After walking to the stadium that first day, everyone in my draft class convened and bonded over our frustration regarding the living situation- not to mention, the town in general. As we complained and commiserated, older players who had come from Extended Spring Training and already had a year under their belt were entertained by our innocence and the utter shock we displayed. Welcome to Pro-Ball.

MiLB LIFE: How Long Until You're in the Bigs?



Brian Mazone, the oldest active minor leaguer with no MLB experience, turned 34 last season.


Professional baseball is extremely complicated. Unlike other major sports, even the highest MLB Draft choices are not expected to make an impact on their organization for at least a few seasons. While some football, hockey, and basketball draftees are being named all-stars in their first year as a pro, baseball players often spend years in the minors developing their skills and waiting for their opportunity. And while some wait years, others wait a lifetime.

The majority of professional baseball players will never play a major league inning. There are no guarantees when you sign that contract- you are simply being offered an opportunity to earn a chance at your dream. And, quite frankly, the odds are not good.

When you take a look at any organization, there are more than 150 minor leaguers all vying for a handful of open Major League roster spots- not in the organization, but in the entire league.

Baseball is a sport that regularly sees guys take their playing days into their late 30's, even their 40's. While such older players may be a rarity in other sports, longevity has certainly proven more attainable on the diamond. These long careers result in a minuscule turnover rate, producing a very small number of opportunities every season.

MLU's HAT OF THE WEEK: Charlotte Stone Crabs

This is a great hat. Not too flashy- simplicity and subtlety at its finest. The Charlotte Stone Crabs have a great color scheme, and they let the powder blue and navy combo do the talkin'. Add a plain 'C' and an accompanying crab claw and you've got yourself a classic looking lid.

Now if only the Rays would take a peek at the style being displayed in their farm system, they'd have their hands on a pretty respectable alternate cap.

*The Charlotte Stone Crabs are a single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

In case you missed it: SMALLS TALK: Minor League Hats are the Way to Go

Previous Hats of the Week
Superbowl Special (Pittsburgh Pirates & Milwaukee Brewers)
Lehigh Valley Ironpigs
Chattanooga Lookouts
Corpus Christi Hooks
Montgomery Biscuits

COLLEGE CLUBHOUSE: The Bod-Off

It's Friday, the world's most celebrated day of the week. It marks the end of a strenuous string of work days and offers hope and an escape from the harshness of reality. People are just happier on Fridays- whether you're looking forward to a fun-filled weekend or anticipating a relaxing night of unwinding on the couch, it's a day that has people everywhere thinking "T.G.I.F."

During the winter months in my college team's clubhouse, Friday meant another thing: Bod-Off.

The Bod-Off became a sacred institution at my school- a weekly team event that took place in the locker room immediately following our Friday lifts.

The Bod-Off tradition began as a result of some good-natured ribbing about which player had the worst body on the team. When the two most popular choices each refused to believe it was them, the debate was on. Naturally, there was only one way to settle the argument: the two must battle it out in a head-to-head flex-off.

Ahh, such humble beginnings.

What started off as an impromptu comparison of physiques eventually evolved into a full out extravaganza. Challenges, music, props, themes, specialty matches- our clubhouse turned into the setting of a WWF main event every Friday morning, before the rest of campus had even gotten out of bed.

SMALLS TALK: The Superstitions and Quirks of a Ballplayer

Every ballplayer has a routine. Following a repetitive daily schedule for seven months, it's only natural for guys to figure out what works for them, and stick with it. It's a comfort thing- you want to make sure everything is prepared and taken care of off the field, in order for outside factors to be minimized and success to be achieved on the field. Whether it's a type of sandwich, a song, a prayer, or a particular way to get dressed- a player finds what works for them, and that becomes their daily routine.

But when does a routine turn into a superstition? And where do you draw the line between superstitious and obsessive-compulsive?

A routine offers consistency and comfort because of its familiarity- it's reliable, and it takes out all variables. Around the 7th inning of every game, I eat a protein bar in the dugout- it's become a routine of mine simply because I find myself needing energy around two hours into a game. It doesn't magically grant me any extra home runs, but it leaves me feeling nourished and prepared to finish the game strong.

Superstitions add the element of karma into a routine- these actions are thought to help your performance, but offer no real reason. Touching a sign on the way out to the field, performing a certain handshake with a teammate, kissing your bat- these are all unrelated to how prepared or ready a player is for a game; they are done with the hope that good karma and luck will follow.

My in-game actions blow superstitions out of the water, however. I've always had some obsessive compulsive habits, but on the baseball field, where so much attention is geared toward luck and karma, I drive myself crazy. I'm always doing something, and everything I do has a reason. While superstitions are done to promote good luck, my obsessive compulsive actions are done to fight off bad luck. Yes, I've got some issues.

COLLEGE to PRO: Slumping

After years of trying to fight it, I've recently given in to the idea that slumps are simply a part of baseball. There's no avoiding them and they hit you when you least expect them- no one is immune.

I've seen guys follow career days with 0 for 20 stretches. It's amazing- and it happens overnight. How can you go from being so relaxed and confident, to literally feeling helpless in the batter's box? Yesterday you couldn't miss the barrel, every ball was hit hard- today, you'll take a foul tip to reassure you that your bat doesn't have a hole in it.

But that's baseball- it's a game of failure, and even Hall of Famers made an out more than half the time. It's a player's mental toughness- his ability to bounce back from failure- that will dictate how his career goes. And in the minors, the mentally weak do not last long.

In college, when the occasional slump reared its ugly head, I always had enough on my plate to distract me from whatever lack of success I was experiencing at the moment. Go to any college in the country and you'll find your fair share of distractions- most of these can hurt your game, but sometimes in baseball, a distraction is just what you need.