I have been reading several stories online as the Milb season came to an end.

Talked to Scott Schebler yesterday. He said he plays with a “chip on his shoulder” because he was not a very highly regarded prospect

— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) September 10, 2015

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There were other stories of course from other  players who felt they weren’t good enough. I am always saddened by these stories, I like to read more postive stuff. Like my brother from my Kap Lifestyle family. Matt Fields, in his most recent post he talks about staying positive. Matt is real and open and positive. He talks about being released and going to independent ball. He is honest in his emotional journey. He talks about feeling like a failure and then he uses his positivity to make the decision to go into independant ball. I admire the drive and determination. But there was a line in the post that  has gnawed at my heart for several days now. To quote matt

” On top of that, I was feeling like a failure. I knew I still wanted to play, and I had put up great numbers last year. I knew I could still do it, but psychologically, getting released twice and not getting an opportunity had me feeling like a failure.”

While Matt turned these emotions around it made me think of all the other minor leaguers out there. Sitting at home, playing on the net or video games. a little pissed off and feeling like a failure.

You are not a failure. Even if you never pick up another bat or glove you are doing something amazing; something most people will never do, you are chasing a dream. I played one season of softball and hated it, I wanted to play baseball, and because I have different body parts I wasn’t allowed. I still love the way the bat feels in my hands and I love to stand at the plate and image the crowd cheering for me. To me it is an illusion something that will never happen. But to you my minor leaguers the dream is real and you feel it and see it and sliding into a bag you can taste it.

After spending the best year of my life working in the promotions department for the Texas Rangers, I moved to San Antonio. I became a fan of minor league baseball;The Double-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres,  the San Antonio Missions. As a fan, I took these players to heart, i wanted them to all come up to the majors.  I called them my baby ducks. In the early days I saw the likes of  Nick Swisher, Hunter Pence. Two minor leaguers I became life long fans Jayson Nix and Shin-Soo Choo. Even before any of these players stepped in a major league park, I believed in them. I cheered for them.

Whenever you feel like a failure please remember these things:

• Do not confuse setbacks with failure, in life sometimes you have to go a different direction to move forward, and sometime you have to stand still and wait before you can go.
• Take time to think about what you are going to do next, are you going to stay or are you going to  go to another team, another league, another country?
• Worrying about problem never solves it, create a plan. Figure out what is wrong with your game, listen to your coaches, your gut. You know what you need to do.

I am not saying I completely understand what it’s like to be a professional baseball player but what I am saying is simply this. I do not think you are a failure, I think you are awesome and I am going to cheer for you, my minor leaguers.