Dear 13-year-old Mikey,
There is so much that I want to talk to you about but now, I am only 16, and still very young. Three years and I feel that I could write 100’s of pages about baseball. Baseball is the best thing that was ever created.
In a few weeks, you're going to get an invitation to a baseball tryout. Your best friend John is going to tell you to come. It’s going to be the last day to try out, but definitely go. You will encounter some pretty crazy memories and awesome moments.
This program may seem pointless at first. Always losing every tournament but, I’ll tell you, it pays off, kid.
Before this all takes place though, you get to play your first year of high school ball. This is where you take off the ground and don’t stop flying.
Yes, you make JV -- sorry to disappoint, but it is worth it. First game comes, and your told to take the mound. That’s right, I didn’t have a typo. You are told to get on the mound. Never before have you started a game, and you're going to start your first high school game. Just remember what Dad always says: you are an all-around player. Learn every position and be damn good at it. That way you have backup after backup.
This is where you're gonna learn that you can pitch pretty dang good. 55 pitches in 6 innings. 8 k’s. 0 walks and 2 hits. That is how you pitch a game, kid. I’m not messing with you. Your whole view on baseball changes after this night.
Your first high school year is a blast and you do so good. Your best year so far, but you don’t get pulled up. Just start now, work on your velocity. If you can throw harder and faster, you will be unstoppable. You will get huge. A lot bigger than you are, trust me.
Anyways, this is when you learn you can pitch. Going into summer ball you know you can pitch. You need to get your voice out there. You will meet one of the best coaches in your career so far -- Zach Kostis. You may think he is crazy at first for making you run sprints after you pitch, but it is worth it.
He gives you the tools, and you must use them.
The last day as a Grizzly, you will be in a tournament and this is finally your chance. Your team has been waiting so long to make it to the championship. All the hard work paid off -- except there is a problem. It has been a long day to make a comeback run in order to get to the championship.
You already pitched an insane game earlier in the day. All the pitchers on the team have already thrown today, and you are gassed. You are going to make a crazy decision. You tell your coach that you can pitch again. So brave, you need to remember this. Always say that you can do something. If you believe in it, then you can do anything. Just speak up, kid.
That is exactly what you do, and you pitch 4 innings of the game. That’s right -- you already threw a full game, and then another half game. That is 11 innings in total. Even though you lose this game, it was still the best moment ever.
You will be broken and hurt but, your coach won’t let that get to you. He will tell you to, “keep your head up, Mikey. You have done an amazing thing here today. Now, go do 10 sprints.” You are so sore and just want to get in the car and go home. But never give up. Instead, you go out there and everyone watches in disbelief as little Mikey is running sprints. You feel like you will fall but, that’s when your best friend Jon will come out and start running sprints with you. Stick with him. He is one of the good ones.
In the next year or two, you put up some good numbers. 86 pitches in 8 innings. But you lose that game, too. The funnest game will be when you get to go against John. You will pitch against him and throw 104 pitches in 8 innings. Don’t worry -- you win this one.
Eventually, you will try out for the Maine Sting. You and John will go together. You will think this is the worst day ever but, it’s not. You have the worst tryout ever. I mean it, like you were terrible. You forgot your contacts, and it was pouring rain. Don’t worry, you will get through this and surprisingly you get the call that you made the 17U team.
This is where I get to finish the story, kid. I’ll let you know how it goes. Don’t forget what I said.
See yah kid,
16-year-old Mikey
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