Very good baseball game on ESPN2 right now.

[tdarko]

no, i wouldn't lie about getting fired from my job. it sucks and i am actually back home in texas trying to figure out if i am going to sit around and wait to get picked up by an organization when someone goes down or to play independant ball (like micro mentioned).

[Dead]

[ QUOTE ]
triple A makes 1800 a month. if you are a 40 man player you make a little more.

[/ QUOTE ]

1800 a month? Micro said that you guys only get paid during the season, so that's only like 10,800. That's ridiculously low. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[tdarko]

Exactly! you make [censored] for money and the lifestyle is tough...its not as glamerous as people think. your money comes from your signing bonus.

[tdarko]

my first year was in short season A ball in the appalacian league in staten island and we made 1050 a month which was a mountain's worth of cash compared to the 800 rookie ball made.

[Dead]

Geez I feel kinda bad now, like when I walk into Wal-Mart and see something cool for $.76 . Then I think about how they managed to get the price that low.

It's kinda the same thing with the price of minor league baseball tickets. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[tdarko]

haha, the thing you realize is that there are a lot worse occupations than playing a game for a living. the grind wears you down but you still love it.

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]

best spring training i have ever had too...8ip 0er 6h 9k 0bb

[/ QUOTE ]


Good numbers and they still let you go.

That sucks but, as you know, it happens a lot.

Organization only makes room for the players that they like and/or have already invested in...etc etc.


If you played all 4 years at NU and maybe you're 23 or so then maybe they are looking at you as not being as much of a prospect as their own 20 year-olds.
They just don't give as serious a look to the guy that they grabbed out of indy-ball. It's the wrong way to do things....but that's the reality of it.
you know about these aspects better than I do of course.


You obviously know how it works in indy-ball now too (although I'm not sure how long you played there).

I think I heard they had changed the name of the league...had forgotten though.

As you know...there are some decent teams and stadiums in that league...and some real dumps.

If you can get on with one of the better organizations (NJ or Brockton perhaps) in that league then give it a shot again.

You weren't missing much by not getting to play in Pittsfield or Adirondack btw.
Two of the worst stadiums EVER.

I know that you must have enjoyed playing for Staten Isl in the NYP Lg (you said Appalachian Lg btw....I'm assuming you have played in both....unless they realigned the minors a LOT more than I thought they had).

St.Isl stadium looks fairly similar to Legends Field in Tampa as best I can tell from pics and TV, etc.
Not to shabby for a short-season team.


You are obviously familiar with the Lincoln Salt Dogs of the Northern Lg too (since you played for NU). the Central League down in your native area of Texas is probably a viable choice for you too (again...this may be all really outdated info since I haven't been keeping up with it).

Does your head-coach from NU know the SaltDogs manager very well?? Any chance of a Lincoln return?


Obviously you'd rather be with an organization.
But you survived the NYP and/or Appy Leagues so playing indy-ball shouldn't be too bad.


I know the Frontier League isn't what you want to hear....but you should seriously consider that too.

A talented younger player such as yourself can put up some good numbers down there and maybe get noticed.



Your numbers this spring were almost identical to a pitcher I know named Steve Montgomery (not the same Steve Montgomery who brielfy pitched in the big leagues a few yrs ago, I think with STL).

This guy also got let go by the Royals after shutout ball and a good K/IP ratio in the spring.

We got him in Johnstown in 1995.
He was on the bus to low-A midwest League and when they called him in he thought they were going to send him to advanced-A Carolina Lg instead. He had just thrown 3ip allowing 1h with 5k's or something the day before.
They told him they just didn't have enough room for him on the rosters and had to let him go (they promised minor-league spots to a lot of the replacement players once the strike ended...so he got bumped).


...he was firing it up to 95mph or so for us in Johnstown and was our closer.
Went the whole year with a perfect ERA for us.

Got picked up by an organization (Orioles maybe) and made it all the way up to the 40-man roster. Was injured in Sept/Oct so didn't pitch at the end of the year.

Injuries hurt his velocity though...we got him in Vero Beach in 99 or 2000 or so and he just didn't have the same stuff.

The point though is that he too got let go by the Royals after spring....signed-on with the Frontier Lg and was good enough to get another shot and made it all the way to the 40-man roster.
He came damn close to making it all the way to the majors if not for the injuries.


Hope you keep fighting. There are lots of teams out there....and from your spring numbers it sounds like your arm must still be pretty decent.


As for me....my first baseball radio job was with Erie in the Frontier Lg (before they got their new stadium) for $700/mth in 1994.
The team moved to Johnstown in 1995 and I think I got a 'raise' to $800/mth perhaps (might have been $750).


The most I ever made was $2000/mth in my last year with the Vero Beach Dodgers in 2001. That's a REALLY good salary for a single-A radio announcer who doesn't do any of the ad-sales.

Radio guys who are just seasonal don't get any insurance btw.


Agree with your sentiment in your last post.
It is a TON of fun...AND hard work and tough travel (although much better travel in the Florida State League).

You don't do it for the money (obviously.....since they aren't really giving you any)

Keep us posted...hope you catch a break.

[MicroBob]

Quick story:

Couple years ago I head down to Tunica to play hold-em....Don't play much live but I was in the mood.

Was wearing a VB Dodgers T-shirt...strike up a conversation with the guy next to me who asks me about his shirt.
He was a pitcher for Colorado who had just gotten lit-up against Memphis that night...and I remembered him from when he pitched for the Tampa Yankees (even remembered that he was a lefty).

He was getting pretty sloshed after a bad outing...he had given up a HR to little So Taguchi of all players (I had been listening on the radio a little bit actually).
We had a pretty good time talking florida State lg and the yankees and various players we knew...etc etc. Quite the coincidence.

[tdarko]

yeah contrary to what people think independant is actually pretty good baseball, i am in dallas and i might sign with either the Ft. Worth Cats of the Central League by June 1st and the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League called as well as a few Can-AM league teams (northeast league). obviously Newark would be the best team to go to but i don't want to drive 24 hours to the northeast and then get picked up and drive across the country again. not sure what i will do, i am almost 25 so if i get picked up it wont be for low A ball it will be a Double-A and worst case High A scenario.

right now i am in kind of a holding period so basically i just workout and throw then play poker all day. take care.

[tdarko]

haha that would be funny if it were me, i too played in the FSL for Tampa. i miss legends field.