Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
ABOUT ME
46 and 129. I have drawn inspiration from these two numbers throughout my career. The former represents the round I was drafted in, while the latter represents the number of players drafted before me. Not many players get drafted that low and make it to the big leagues. This brings me to the most important number of all, 16,789. That is the number I represent out of 20K+ players that have played this game at the highest level. On September 3rd, 1995 I saw all my hard work and childhood dream pay off when I was called up to the big leagues by the Atlanta Braves.
I wasn't a top draft pick and didn't receive a large signing bonus, but I still got to live my dream of playing MLB. How? I worked harder at every aspect of the game that I could. I used other’s doubt of my abilities to motivate me to do what I knew I could achieve.
I played professional baseball for 16 years, starting with the Atlanta Braves and playing for eight other organizations before retiring in Austin, Texas. I was part of the Braves team that won the World Series, and I also won a Japan Series title with the Tokyo Giants. During my career, I was named the minor league pitcher of the year twice for the Braves and pitcher of the year in the big leagues for the Kansas City Royals. I was also an all-star in Japan. I had the privilege of being coached by some of the best coaches in the game, including Bobby Cox, Leo Mazzone, Joe Maddon, Joe Torre, Bruce Bochy, and Jerry Weinstein. I played alongside and learned from hall-of-famers like Glavine, Maddux, and Smoltz. After retiring, I attended MLB Scouting School and have since mentored young athletes in honing their craft, both physically and mentally. Currently, I work with a sports agency as VP of Player Development and coach the 16U select baseball team for the Texas Senators Baseball organization.
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When I'm not spending time with my family, I enjoy staying active by running marathons for charity, cycling around Austin, and competing in triathlons. I feel fortunate and blessed to have played my entire career without any major injuries, which allows me to live a full life now.
