Every Monday throughout the 2017 baseball season, NLB is going to take you through a day in the life of a minor league baseball player. Some call this ride “Living the Dream”, “The Grind”, or simply just a lifestyle. Whatever you want to call it, all of these players are out chasing the final goal of not only making it to the Major Leagues, but also sticking in the Major Leagues.
My name is Joey Hawkins and I currently play in the St Louis Cardinals Organization. Throughout the 2017 season I will be blogging about my life in the minor leagues; I’ll also have guests from all different levels and organizations of professional baseball chiming in to help NLB share our “Road to the Show”.
As an intro blog I feel the need to introduce you all to some basics on how the minor league world operates. Baseball as a whole is one massive fraternity: someone will always know a player on the other team: whether it be from college, travel ball, or just battling it out in other levels of the minor leagues.
Connecting and meeting guys from several different parts of the world is amazing; hearing the stories that go on throughout the minor leagues is even better. As we meet guys from different organizations, you tend to learn new lingo.
Baseball lingo is probably one of my favorite things in the game and if it were a subject it would’ve raised my GPA back in college. You’ll often hear the words “eye wash”, “Bush” or “Bush League”, and “The Show” out of my mouth and you can find the definition of these below. Throughout the year as we learn new and exciting lingo I’ll be sure to keep you all posted on the definition behind them all.
One more thing, yes the minor leagues isn’t the most glamorous lifestyle but while we may tell some stories that seem like our days suck, we’re not complaining about the life we live. We get a chance to play a kids game for the next 6 months and get paid to do it. We love getting to the yard every day and playing this game and we just want to share a day in our life that involves some exciting stories and even some crazy ones as well!
Eye Wash: Doing something unnecessary for theatrics.
Bush League: Baseball has several unwritten rules, don’t break them or else you’re probably bush.
The Show: Let’s just say they ain’t eating peanut butter jelly sandos in the show. It’s the place we all wanna be sooner rather than later. The Show = The Major Leagues.
As our six-month offseason rapidly closes, buckle up and enjoy the bus ride. The baseball season is fast approaching and it’s time for PB&J’s, doubleheaders, and long road trips with no cell service!
J-Hawk
