Something old, something new, something wood & something round

June 15th 2012. Just a date to some but to me the memories really flow back like a flood. Let me explain as to why.

Tonight as I watch my beloved Astros play my beloved Rangers in their 1980's something era jerseys I am taken back to being a YOUNG baseball fan.

These jerseys remind me of a time when Craig Biggio position was behind home plate, his number was 4 not 7 & he was the "youngin" on the team. A time when Jeff Bagwell was a name in Double A for the Red Sox. A time when Ken Caminiti, Bill Doran, Jose Cruz, & Nolan Ryan (along with so many others) played baseball in the "Dome" NOT the "Juice box"

Tonight as I watch this game I really am seeing "something old, something new, something wood & something round" by that I mean "old" jerseys being worn by "new" players, using "wood"en bats & "round" baseballs. I see these guys as a soon to be 25 year old baseball fan. I cant help but look back on the many memories & think of how much I did not realize at such a young age how much this "simple" game would years from then be a "HUGE" part of my life. I did not realize that I loved the game as much as I do, back then the only people that could see my love for the game were my parents & Larry Andersen. Now the people that know my love of the game are my many friends that play baseball professionally, their girls & my family.

Its funny to think that so many years ago with the reminder of the "throw back/retro" jerseys so many memories would be brought back in one nights time, that I really am grown & am blessed daily along with being humbled & honored to call several ballplayers friend. I guess you could say its "something old" combined with "something new"!

Until next time. Peace Love & Baseball!!

All and all I am great full for baseball...

Hello again readers, and welcome to my newest post. Today as I count the remaining 29 days until the season FINALLY gets here I was thinking how excited and great full I am for the GREATEST game I have ever known.

As everyone knows I love baseball. It is kind of a given as often as I say it. But truth be told I really am more great full for the friends I have made in the game. From my first big baseball buddy in Michael Schlact & his beautiful wife Jillian. To Ryan Tatusko & his soon to be bride Megan Goza. To the newest friends I have made in Jake & Taylor Brigham , and everyone in the game in between including the amazing adopted mama I found in Mama T. God really has blessed me with some amazing people in my life that all either are in the game or love the game like me.

It really is funny to me how 3 years ago I only knew of the player Michael Schlact & now I consider him and Jillian to be some of my best friends. I guess what I wanna say is all and all I really am great full for baseball. With that being said, I just want to take a quick min and that the man upstairs for blessing me with awesome friends in the game. So even though this is not my longest blog. Just remember Peace. Love & Baseball :)

Thoughts on thoughts...

Hello again readers and welcome to my newest post ” Thoughts on thoughts”. I am sure many of you are wondering why I decided to title it that and frankly you have great reasoning to do so.

As many if not all that read my blog know, I infact love baseball. I love it so much I would marry the game if I could, but because I can not I will just have to marry a player! Over my numerous years of loving this game God has blessed me with many friends in the game. Some current MLB players, some minor league players, some trainers in the game & even some retired players. For all of my baseball buds that God sent to befriend me in life I am very thankful for everyone of them! But for once I am just going to be a ” fan” of the game. I must put my ” friendships” aside to write this blog, which is not going to be easy.

Every year I go to game after game after game, keeping score eating seeds & really just having a blast. While doing this I have simply wondered ”what thoughts are running through these players heads?” Is it a simple ”wait for my pitch?” Or is something like ” I am a free agent this year, will I be playing next season or could this maybe be my last year?” I have wondered these thoughts for many years & finally decided to give a take on my thoughts about their thoughts.

So here it goes... Players come and go, teams win a World Series and lose a World Series, something us ”fans” know a little to well. But have any of us really given a thought as to what players are thinking? My answer is simple. ”I doubt it”. As fans we get so caught up in the game itself, not thinking of the players or the family they must give up for 6+ months of the season. As ” fans” we scream and tell them how to play when they already know what to do. I mean for goodness sake it is THEIR job. As ” fans” we forget that those guys play their hearts out only to have it broken if they lose the season. As ”fans” we think we know more about what they are doing on the field, then they do! But as a ” fan” over the years I have come to realize I know as much of the game as they do. So many of us hear goofy things that Yogi Berra said such as ” 90% of the game is half mental” & laugh. But what us ”fans” do not realize that saying is 100% truth!

Players don't play baseball because they have to, they play it because they want to. They play it knowing that ” 90% of the game really is half mental.” Those ”thoughts” that are running through their minds are the very same ones we as ” fans” think of as well. Nobody wants to get struck out! Seriously! Think about it, all of us play a game. That game is life, we are all ”players” each of us has ”struck out at the plate” at least one time in life. Each one of us has ”hit a grand slam” at least once in our lives. Each of us have used ”90% of the game” spending half the time thinking, or being ”mental”. So that simply is my thoughts on thoughts. Next time you see a player on the field, smile think to yourself ”we are all playing this game, some just play it better then others. These guys play another game in the game of life.”

Until next time. Peace. Love. Baseball!!

"The wife"... Known to me only as friends...

Hello again readers I write this blog for my girls & dedicate it to 3 Jillian Schlact, Taylor Brigham & Megan Goza.

As you all ready know I love baseball I mean LOVE baseball, but what I have never shared is that I also LOVE the strong women who make the sacrifice of not seeing their men for many days in a row so he can play my favorite game, BASEBALL!

These 3 woman are special to me because their men have not just become my friends, but these 3 amazing women have also become my friends, & I feel closer to them. (Us girls have to stick together ;-) )

SO with that all being said I would like to share my thoughts on why these women are so amazing to me.

Tonight I was telling Taylor how I would love to marry a ballplayer, again I LOVE baseball. I told her that seeing that I can not marry the game I really should marry the next best thing. Taylor was so sweet & said something that I do not think I ever really noticed. She & the other ladies I mentioned are known as "The wife" Or "The girlfriend", and I decided I would write my thoughts on why they are so much more then that silly title.

These 3 AMAZING women not only have 3 AWESOME ballplayers as men, but these ladies really make HUGE sacrifices! Here are some of the many things these girls do for their men.

These ladies pack for their men, cook for their men (healthy food so they can stay fit) they work out with them, do their laundry & so much more. These ladies give up 7 months out of a year so their boys can do what they love the most. The entire time giving their man support and words of encouragement, not once asking for support or encouragement for themselves. These ladies get a title because their mans job is playing baseball, and fans do not realize that the title they give these ladies is just plain wrong. They are not just a wife or girlfriend! These ladies have a very rough job, not just of being the ballplayers girl, but sometimes they too have to work, not 1 job but many on top of the packing, laundry, cooking & helping their man stay fit.

I personally love these women simply for the fact that "Behind every great ballplayer is a woman who has to sacrifice a bunch so that ballplayer can be great!" SO next time you watch a baseball game don't just look behind home plate and see a bunch of "the wives" smile and think to yourself "There are those awesome women. Those girls that sacrifice so much so I can enjoy watching my favorite sport." Oh and remember to thank them, because their job is so much more then being "the wife!" :-)

Until next time...Peace, Love & Baseball!!

Another season around the corner...so thankful for my ballplaying buds :)

Hello again readers. As I write this I can not help but think another season around the corner. Strange that it is nearly here, but it is.

That takes me to thoughts of being a child going to see number 5 & 7 for the Astros play in the dome. It feels like yesterday, me begging my parents if we could catch a game in January, only to hear my father tell me "Its just around the corner. Wait baseball will be here soon enough." But it was NEVER soon enough!

As the years came & went & I got older I am STILL begging to see a game only to once again hear "Its just around the corner." Over my 24+ years of being a baseball fan I have made many friends in baseball & am thankful for every single one of them. I say this because it is nice to know I am not the ONLY person who begs for the season to get here! I find it funny how many of my baseball buddies are just as anxious & excited for the season to get here like I am. I would like to tell you about a couple of my ballplaying buddies, one of my ballplaying buds girls & why they mean so much to me. So lets take a trip down memory lane shall we?...

One of my ballplaying buddies is a guy by the name of Michael Schlact. Now if you recognize that name I am not surprised. Michael is a guy that stands 6'8 and makes everyone look small! But that is not a bad thing because I think GOD made him so tall because HE wanted Michael to have such a big heart & GOD knew if he was shorter then 6'8 his heart would not fit his body!!

That being said let me tell ya more about Michael, other than his heart. As most of you know I grew up in Houston loving my Astros & all their Minor League teams, but something you might not know about me is I love the Rangers & all their Minor League teams as well. That being also said here goes the story of how I got to know Michael...

I have to back track 2 years in order for you to understand how we met.

In June or July of 2007 I was watching the Double A Astros play the Double A Rangers AKA the Hooks & Riders, as I was watching this game I saw a guy on the pitchers mound for the Riders that looked like a giant unannounced to me his name was/is Michael Schlact. I think to myself "Wow this guy is bringing some serious heat! The Hooks are getting smoked. Oh well good for that Schlact guy!" fast forward 3 or 4 weeks later I again am watching the Hooks & Riders on tv and I hear the announcers say something about a Riders pitcher who is having surgery on his arm, right before a break. After the break they again bring it up & say something like "We wish Michael Schlact & his family all the best! Michael we pray your arm surgery goes smooth." & then start calling the game again, as I heard them go back to the game I said a prayer that indeed the surgery would go smooth & that I would once again see him pitch. Little did I realize that GOD ALWAYS knows more then we think we know!

Ok now lets fast forward to November 2009 I am in North Dakota with family because of dads job & I just joined this strange website called "Twitter" I did not know what it was but thought I would give it a shot and started "following" pitcher CJ Wilson. It is a Friday and CJ posts on Twitter how he wants his "followers" to go "follow" his friend Michael Schlact because it is "follow friday". So I think "why not, this guy plays for the Rangers & if CJ thinks this guy is cool, what the hey!" So I clicked "follow" and did not think much of it until later that night. I kept trying to figure out how I recognized the name "Schlact" & boy did it take me awhile to do so too!

After asking Michael many baseball questions & finding out he was a Christian I thought "Man I know I have heard of him but where??" Still could not figure out where! So then Michael gave a follow friday shout out to his wife Jillian & I thought "Michael is cool, what they hey!" & clicked follow & started chatting on twitter with her as well, STILL trying to figure out where I knew I knew them from!

SO one day I am on Twitter & am talking to Jill & found out Michael had surgery on his arm, I asked what kind & then we continued chatting about other things. But it STILL did not come to me! After about 6 or 7 months of chatting on Twitter and praying for my new tweeps I was able to go to Frisco & meet up with them & then it came to me! I said to myself "OH STEPHANIE!!! MICHAEL IS THE VERY PLAYER THAT YOU WATCHED ON TELLY THAT WAS SMOKING THE HOOKS!! HE IS THE ONE THAT THE ANNOUNCERS WERE TALKING ABOUT!!!" Well after that I was sitting with Jill at the Riders game & told her that story. To which both of us had a nice chuckle at my sillyness, and after the game I got to meet Michael face to face or in my case my face to his shoulder! LOL Love ya Michael :) & we took this pic ... No Jill & I did not plan on wearing pink to match it just happened that way!! LOL Ok back to the story, before the pic was taken my dad told Michael he would like to pray for him as well & so we all said a prayer, gave each other some hugs & have continued our friendship! I love when GOD does cool things like that dont you?

Another ballplaying buddy of mine who means so much to me is actually not a ballplayer at all but a wife & yes I am talking about Jillian.

Before I started getting know Jillian I thought she was cute as a button & Jill I still do! I love ya girly!

Jillian means so much to me for so many reasons. She became my friend when I was going through a rough patch in my life & even though she did not tell me she was praying for me, I know she was & I am so thankful for that!

Jillian has a heart of gold just like Michael & they both care so much about other people. If you the reader & you ever get to meet them in person you will see that their hearts our so full of love, not just towards each other but towards people. Jill's smile lights up a room, and when you are feeling bad all you have to do is tell her & that smile comes out & she just says "praying for ya!" I do not know how she does it but GOD does & it just makes you want to spread the love around! Now I say this because the Schlacts really are amazing & I am so blessed to call both of them my friends! :)

Now another person who means so much to me in the baseball world is my buddy Carlos Olivas.

Carlos is an athletic trainer for the Rangers and is just an all around great guy! Carlos also has a heart of gold & from what I hear has put up with a few of those famous "Michael Schlact Shinkicks" (If you do not know what they are, well just ask Michael to show you, but they are really self explanatory lol!)

Carlos, means so much to me as a fan because I know as a fan without him "my boys" would not be able to play the game I love so much. If ever I want to chat about the game Carlos is the guy to chat it with me. I find that pretty awesome! He & Michael are the "big brothers" I dont have & make being a fan so fun!

A few other of my ballplaying buds I want to chat about are Ben Bowman, Jeff Perro, Richard Giannotti, Christian Lopez and Ryan Tatusko.

These guys are an inspiration to me daily & I have told them that often & I mean it every time I say it. I have known Ryan as long as I have known Michael & he too has a heart of gold. Ryan not only is a great pitcher he also is a great baseball fan & baseball writer. I enjoy talking baseball with "Tusk" for so many reasons, but mainly for the reason of he totally understands where I come from as a fan. How I dont know. Why I dont know. But I know he really is a guy everyone wants to chat baseball with because he not only plays it he gets it! Tusk you really are an amazing player honored to have ya as a friend! :)

The next two guys are Lopey and G. I am thankful for these guys for so many reasons, but the main reason is because they inspire me & are my friends. Lopey and G can make you laugh without even trying. They inspire you to have fun, do crazy things and have no regrets doing it. So thanks guys! :)

The next guy I want to say I am thankful for is my buddy Ben. Ben is a guy that just has a heart for people & I really am thankful for his friendship. Funny we started talking about sweet tea & the rest is history. Ben, thanks for being there for me :) I mean that :) your friendship means a lot!!

The final guy I want to tell ya about is my buddy Clubbie. Clubbie (Jeff) is a guy who has been through well all of it in the game & still manages to smile when things get rough. He has some great one liners to crack you up, without trying & man can he put a fire in your belly, not just about baseball. Clubbie :) man you are hilarious. That is all :)


The reason I talked a little bit about each one of these guys & Jill is because, I am so thankful, humbled & honored to have them as friends, because they understand how much I miss the game & watching them play. I may not have known them for so long but I dont care, because at the end of the day all of us can say "Baseball is just around the corner, it will be here soon enough." So thanks y'all. I am so thankful every single day that GOD put y'all in my life! :)

Until next time. Peace. Love & MOST IMPORTANTLY (ok maybe not) BASEBALL!!!