Tigers Minor League Baseball Blog

Usually I like to keep things very light hearted and cheeky, while giving you, the fans, a look at what my life is like but now I have something on a more serious note to discuss. Today I got a comment on a previous post that got me thinking a lot. The question posed wondered if I had put a timetable on my career in the Minor Leagues, as far as how long I would chase the dream of being a big leaguer before I hang up the spikes. As of that moment I really had not thought too deeply about that issue because my career is still fresh and one could say things have been brightening up for me of late. But I think that while we players should play everyday with the intent of getting better and making it all the way, a realistic approach needs to be thought out as well. To be honest, I have a a general idea of when I would say enough is enough, but that is assuming I stay healthy and still have a spot on a AA or AAA level team. Also it’s not as easy as making a plan and sticking with it because you have financial issues as well. Take me for example, if I played four more years and it wasn’t looking good then I would not have much built up to start a family with. However I could get placed on the 40-man big league roster and still play in the minors but be making very good money. This factor makes guys’ decision to play longer a little easier because they don’t have to worry about what is going to happen after baseball. After taking all this into consideration, I realized; Anyone who plays this game is not in it for the money or doing it to springboard the rest of their lives. Yes the big contracts are nice, but it doesn’t drive players from the inside. Baseball is a humbling game, and I would say it is the hardest sport to make a career in because of the length of the season, being away from home, and most of all the sheer difficulty of the game itself. Plus the odds are not in your favor to climb to the top of the ladder; only 10% of minor leaguers make the big leagues, but this small percentage is what gives us all the motivation we need. Still getting called up is a lot of being in the right place at the right time and just flat luck. I still don’t know when I will decide it’s over, but I do know that if you play the game right, work hard and do your job, you increase those odds.