Decision 2011

Above is video from my outing on the second day of the Brockton tryout. I decided not to give commentary on my performance, nor show my inning of work in its entirety because, to be perfectly honestly, it wasn’t that interesting. It was a non-descript, boring stat line: 1IP, 1K, 1H.

However, I did want to post the video to show a selection of pitches to see how far I’ve come since the Fort Myers showcase in utilizing the lower half of my body in my delivery. I think I can notice a marked difference from the February footage, in terms of my back leg drive and the use of my back and shoulder to deliver the ball instead of just my arm. Of course, my form is far from perfect and I still have a lot of work to do. What do you think?

I was purposefully vague in my final video blog from the weekend because I wasn’t exactly sure what was being offered and I wanted to talk to some people and do some research before I divulged any details. I can now say that I was offered a spot in the New York State League, which is the development or feeder league for the Can-Am League.

It’s a 42 game season crammed into six short weeks in the Metro New York City area. Because it is considered a developmental league, players do not get paid and are expected to cover their own housing costs, but the total financial hit for playing in the league would be a substantial sum once all the extraneous costs were calculated.

Also, the league seems to be primarily a proving ground for players fresh off their senior seasons in college. Unfortunately, I am a couple of birthdays past that age. And, truthfully, I think I’m a little long in the tooth to be plying my trade in a developmental league; I am too old to be considered a prospect. I think the scouts of the majority of independent league teams would be inclined to agree.

They want to see twenty-one or twenty-two year old kids, not grizzled guys like me on the downslope of their quarter life crisis. I just don’t feel that playing in the New York State League this summer would be the most appropriate fit for me baseball-wise. However, it is definitely a nice accomplishment to be recognized for my abilities on the mound and lets me know that I have talent to hang competitively with former Division I and Division II baseball players.

(Going to university in Canada always left me curious as to whether or not I could have played at that level in the United States. Now I have that answer)

Therefore, I’ve decided to stay north of the border and play with the London Majors of the Intercounty League. It’s the best fit for me at this point in my baseball career and makes much more sense financially speaking (housing is provided by the team).

Allow me a quick, fleeting moment of self-congratulations. As I’ve mentioned before, this means that I’ve reached half of the titular goal of this blog as Intercounty is a semi-professional league.

That’s not too shabby, as two years ago I played the majority of the season in senior select baseball, last year I spent the summer playing senior rep baseball and this season I will be playing semi-professional baseball. I think that’s a fairly impressive rise through the ranks of the sport fuelled by a ton of hard work and determination.

As for future blog coverage, I still plan on writing a column every Wednesday to document the rapidly approaching 2011 season.