Living the Dream: Spring Training With The Santa Fe Fuego

Greetings from Santa Fe, New Mexico to all of my potential readers. If you read , you may recall that I have been blessed with an opportunity to pursue a professional baseball career with the Santa Fe Fuego. To those who are interested, this blog will be the first of many that will chronicle my experience through the 70-game, 3-month season in pro ball. I assure you, with 6+ games per week, 2 week road trips, and 25 athletes from all walks of life, there should be plenty of experiences to relay.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

After five days of Spring Training, final cuts have been made and the team is set. While it has taken less than a week, that week sure felt more like a month.... 

Most of the 43-man Spring Training roster arrived some time last week in order to be prepared for opening of camp on Sunday, April 29. I arrived last Thursday so that I could get my feet on the ground. After a few light workouts, I began to realize that the altitude is no joke. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet above sea level, which is 1,700 feet higher in the mountains than the Mile High City of Denver.

I consider myself to be in good shape, but the altitude absolutely throws a wrench into the situation. After taking a few fly balls I was out of breath. I jogged from centerfield to the dugout and was out of breath. I took 10 swings and wouldn't you know it, I was out of breath. One week later, I am becoming acclimated, but it's a slow process that research has told me may take 4 to 8 weeks!! (If anybody has tips to help me cope, please do not hesitate to leave a comment!!)  

As I mentioned, the roster started at 43 hopeful athletes from all over the country (and the world, for that matter). The Spring Training roster consisted of players from New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, and Australia. I have been lucky enough to share a room with two Aussies from Brisbane, which has made the experience much more lively and entertaining. I can't help but find everything they say to be amusing.

From a baseball perspective, Head Coach Bill Moore ran two-a-days (10am-2pm, 4pm-7pm) all week: basic individual skills work in the mornings, scrimmages at night. I won't bore you with every detail of practice. The important thing to understand is that every player here is extremely focused and self-motivated. I am lucky to be a part of a group that is so talented and dedicated to the game. Most people with knowledge of the league predict that we will finish in third or forth of the six-team league. After judging our talent level this week, I fully expect our team to compete for the championship.

Side note: There were about 20 to 50 locals in the stands for those workouts. We are expecting anywhere from 500-1,000 fans for the home opener on May 9.   

Probably the hardest part about the past five days has been making friends, only to see them released with little warning. It's a cruel reminder of how cutthroat pro ball can be, and that it is first and foremost a business. When we arrived at camp, every player there assumed that he was going to be on the final 22-man roster. Strangers became acquaintances, acquaintances became friends. It truly is heartbreaking to look a new friend in the eye when he tells you that he has been released and is going home. A childhood dream shattered. So close, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath.  

Once again, that's the life of independent professional baseball. It's a revolving door. Luckily, I have worked hard and had a good enough week to warrant a spot on the roster. My childhood dream is alive and realized, but it hasn't totally sunk in yet. I'm still waiting to sign on the dotted line, and eager to hear my name called on opening day. No telling what emotions will come out of me.

There is much more I have not touched upon, but I have three more months to cover other topics. If anybody is interested in anything specific, please do no hesitate to leave me a comment or send me an email at mstreic1@gmail.com. Also, you can follow the team at santafefuego.com.

Until next time, hasta luego from Santa Fe.