The When

There wasn’t a specific moment when I decided to embark on this journey. I didn’t suddenly have a magical epiphany of me on a professional mound, nor did apparitions of independent league baseball past visit me with tales foreshadowing unparalleled fame and success.

In fact, the reality is much more boring and uninteresting. As this past baseball season progressed and I started to enjoy more and more success on the hill, I began to think of how I’d stack up against better competition. Did I have ‘stuff’ to take my talents down south and play independent league ball?

By the time playoffs rolled around my mind was made up that I was actually going to give this dream an honest shot. I worked extremely hard last offseason preparing my body to pitch this past summer and my hard work paid off handsomely. But I figured that I had a lot more left in the tank and could easily train harder and smarter—becoming a better pitcher as a by-product—with some extra elbow grease and focused determination.    

Although the decision was made to play independent league ball in the summer, I was nowhere near ready physically, and more importantly, mentally to even tryout for a professional baseball team last season. And deep down I knew that I wasn’t ready to play.

Even with all of my success in the summer, I still had trouble replicating a consistent delivery at times, which led to periodic bouts of wildness. I walked way too many batters and, though I got away with it last season, those control problems would have independent league line-ups feasting on me like vultures hovering around a pack of wildebeest carcases.

Also, my stuff deteriorates when I pitch from the stretch. It’s not a precipitous drop-off, but it is noticeable. I need to have the same confidence in my pitches with runners on as I do when the bases are clear.

It may seem like I’m being too tough on myself and splitting hairs when it comes to what I need to work on, but I’d rather not become ensconced with self-congratulatory back pats and kissing my own ass. I’m never satisfied with my own success. I’m constantly striving to get better; that’s the only way to improve.

Thus, this offseason is tremendously important for this journey and is where the question of The When begins.

My season ended on September 6^th. I started my offseason strength and conditioning program on September 8^th. For the past two and a half months, I’ve been working out at a frenetic pace five days a week, sometimes cramming in two workouts a day. I am leaving no stone unturned and working to get myself in the best shape possible.

To use a Rocky III analogy, last year’s training program would be like Balboa’s preparations for his first fight with Clubber Lang; lots of laughing and joking around, hard work nowhere to be found and a general laziness disguised as ‘having fun.’ This year is like when Rocky trains with Apollo for the rematch; all business, lots of sweat equity and a redlining heart rate, and I’m using muscles that I never thought I had.

After taking three weeks off of baseball-related activities, I threw a handful of long toss sessions and now I’ve been throwing a fifty pitch bullpen once a week at an indoor facility. This will continue throughout the winter and into the spring. Thus, once tryouts roll around, my pitches will already be in midseason form, my mechanics will be a well-oiled machine and my stuff out of the stretch will be just as good as my stuff from a full windup.

When does the roadtrip start? The one where I drive throughout the United States, put my money where my mouth is, stop talking, and actually audition for a roster spot? Excellent question.

I originally thought my trip would coincide with major league spring training and I’d be travelling around the time pitchers and catchers report. Then I realized that guys cut from camp in The Show would most likely find their way onto independent league rosters in the hopes of garnering interest from a big league club (which will only make my job a whole hell of a lot tougher).

Also, a lot of these teams and leagues are located in climates similar to the GTA, and there’s no way you’re getting me on a mound outdoors in late February. The only stuff I’d be able to show in that weather is shrinkage.

Lastly, independent league seasons start in early May and my initial research has shown both team and league tryouts take place anywhere from late March to mid April.

That means I have a little over four months until the next phase of this journey kicks off. Let the countdown begin.

Tune in next Wednesday for The Why.