Its tough at the bottom

Tommy Tainant

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Jan 20, 2016
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By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.


At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?
Love of the game keeps them going. I had some neighbors who played in the minors. Three in one family. The oldest made it to SF Giants, but never played. Two blocks away was the son of a Navy Seal:

 
Every child in the UK dreams of being a professional footballer and you can still make a reasonable living at it even if you are not top class. The best player in our school went on to play for Man Utd and Barcelona. The next best ended up on a building site. Mentality was probably the key factor and not ability.

I still dream about scoring the winner in the cup final despite me being rubbish at the game and probably a bit on the elderly side.
 
At the age of 24 the pitcher is still young enough to make it to the show and carve out a career...

A fact many may not know but Mike Piazza was the last player drafted in the year he was drafted by the Dodgers and he was drafted because of Tommy Lasorda, so the point is you never give up on your dream because you never know when your chance will happen...

I still hold out with the hope one day Alicia Vikander will wake beside me while knowing it will never happen but we must all dream and strive to make it happen no matter as a Pitcher or waking with An de Armas...
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?
In 1943, my Dad turned down a contract with the NY Giants to join the US Navy. He was 17 and spent the next 19 months on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. He said he never regretted making that choice
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?
In 1943, my Dad turned down a contract with the NY Giants to join the US Navy. He was 17 and spent the next 19 months on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. He said he never regretted making that choice
Thats a big sacrifice.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.

Oh it is totally about the MLB team they are associated with. They are supposed to cut a bunch of teams under the contract renewal after this year I think because the teams have "substandard" facilities. A lot of these low wage players are really placeholders to round out teams for the more desirable players as far as baseball is concerned. We have a local guy who spent several years in the minors for the Reds. He got called up a couple times during that period. He didn't really care. He was making more per year than he would have been working in a factory and he was getting to play ball such as it was.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.

Oh it is totally about the MLB team they are associated with. They are supposed to cut a bunch of teams under the contract renewal after this year I think because the teams have "substandard" facilities. A lot of these low wage players are really placeholders to round out teams for the more desirable players as far as baseball is concerned. We have a local guy who spent several years in the minors for the Reds. He got called up a couple times during that period. He didn't really care. He was making more per year than he would have been working in a factory and he was getting to play ball such as it was.
Like hell they do not care. One appearance in the show gets you health insurance for life. Pretty big stuff. I sure as hell cared.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.

Oh it is totally about the MLB team they are associated with. They are supposed to cut a bunch of teams under the contract renewal after this year I think because the teams have "substandard" facilities. A lot of these low wage players are really placeholders to round out teams for the more desirable players as far as baseball is concerned. We have a local guy who spent several years in the minors for the Reds. He got called up a couple times during that period. He didn't really care. He was making more per year than he would have been working in a factory and he was getting to play ball such as it was.
Like hell they do not care. One appearance in the show gets you health insurance for life. Pretty big stuff. I sure as hell cared.

Then you are not him. My brother knows him and always told him he was perfectly happy playing in the farm league.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.

Oh it is totally about the MLB team they are associated with. They are supposed to cut a bunch of teams under the contract renewal after this year I think because the teams have "substandard" facilities. A lot of these low wage players are really placeholders to round out teams for the more desirable players as far as baseball is concerned. We have a local guy who spent several years in the minors for the Reds. He got called up a couple times during that period. He didn't really care. He was making more per year than he would have been working in a factory and he was getting to play ball such as it was.
Like hell they do not care. One appearance in the show gets you health insurance for life. Pretty big stuff. I sure as hell cared.

Then you are not him. My brother knows him and always told him he was perfectly happy playing in the farm league.
yep, tha's what I said till I made the show! People are not always honest on thier wants and wishes. If true maybe that is why he did not make the show. You gotta want it. Hell I tell people that like my wife I am sad about the fact i will be free when that court reopens.. The reality is that when I get that freedom will be the best day of my life. I will let the chains I wrapped around 23 year old me off and my freek flag will fly proud. Keep your girl away from port clinton this summer. I will be on the prowl doing every vacationer that lets me.
 

By the end of January, John O’Reilly was chomping at the bit to get to spring training. Like most minor leaguers, the 24-year-old pitcher, newly assigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, viewed baseball’s preseason as a mecca of opportunity. Sure, O’Reilly who played last season in Double-A, minor league baseball’s second-highest level, wasn’t expecting to make it to the majors and become the Pirates’ opening day starter. But with a decent showing perhaps he could inch his way up minor league baseball’s arduous, low-salaried ladder.

And, when it started, O’Reilly was having what he considered to be a highly successful spring training. He had been called upon to finish innings for major league pitchers. In one game, he pitched against the New York Yankees, a big deal for a kid from New Jersey.

At what point do these youngsters give up on their dreams ?

At $8K a season, the guy is probably never going to get pulled up. Teams have been reducing their farm team ranks though. Our local one at one point had a couple players on contracts worth millions as they were such promising players. One of them was the black kid who could knock em out of the park and led the league in stolen bases. Probably the only reason he wasn't pulled up to Braves prime was he was kind of short.
I know these minor league teams play in smaller towns. Are they not able to generate enough income to pay a better wage. I know that MLS clubs are doing ok with 20k attendances.

Oh it is totally about the MLB team they are associated with. They are supposed to cut a bunch of teams under the contract renewal after this year I think because the teams have "substandard" facilities. A lot of these low wage players are really placeholders to round out teams for the more desirable players as far as baseball is concerned. We have a local guy who spent several years in the minors for the Reds. He got called up a couple times during that period. He didn't really care. He was making more per year than he would have been working in a factory and he was getting to play ball such as it was.
Like hell they do not care. One appearance in the show gets you health insurance for life. Pretty big stuff. I sure as hell cared.
Premier league clubs do similar over here. They sign up all the talent and then find they can only play 11 of them. So they "loan" them out to clubs in the lower leagues to gain "experience". The lesser club pays a percentage of wages. It benefits both clubs but its out of hand these days. Chelsea had something like 30 players out on loan at one stage. The majority of them will never get near the first team but any of them that do so will save Chelsea £50 or £60 million.
But they dont own the smaller clubs and they are supported by their own communities.
 
Every child in the UK dreams of being a professional footballer and you can still make a reasonable living at it even if you are not top class. The best player in our school went on to play for Man Utd and Barcelona. The next best ended up on a building site. Mentality was probably the key factor and not ability.

I still dream about scoring the winner in the cup final despite me being rubbish at the game and probably a bit on the elderly side.
Playing a game reminds us of our childhood. A game that pays us also if we make it. All the work is in front of you. And you have fun doing it.
 
Imagine playing on the Challenger circuit, the minor leagues of pro tennis, and not even having a club to cover your travel and training expenses. Those are the truly dedicated trying to play out a dream.
I think people do it because there is always hope success is around the corner.

You can always drop out and be an insurance agent or car salesman, on the other hand.
 
I'm currently reading a fantastic book, Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein. It details the trials and tribulations of players, managers and umpires in Triple-A MLB, circa 2012. I highly recommend this book to any baseball fans or fans of ANY sport(s). It's a compelling and fascinating read.
 
Every child in the UK dreams of being a professional footballer and you can still make a reasonable living at it even if you are not top class. The best player in our school went on to play for Man Utd and Barcelona. The next best ended up on a building site. Mentality was probably the key factor and not ability.

I still dream about scoring the winner in the cup final despite me being rubbish at the game and probably a bit on the elderly side.
Playing a game reminds us of our childhood. A game that pays us also if we make it. All the work is in front of you. And you have fun doing it.
We used to play until it went dark every night after school. We didn't have any other distractions until big school when we discovered girls.
 
Every child in the UK dreams of being a professional footballer and you can still make a reasonable living at it even if you are not top class. The best player in our school went on to play for Man Utd and Barcelona. The next best ended up on a building site. Mentality was probably the key factor and not ability.

I still dream about scoring the winner in the cup final despite me being rubbish at the game and probably a bit on the elderly side.
Playing a game reminds us of our childhood. A game that pays us also if we make it. All the work is in front of you. And you have fun doing it.
We used to play until it went dark every night after school. We didn't have any other distractions until big school when we discovered girls.
Very true, Tommy, very true. There seems to be an almost seamless transition from interest in sports to interest in girls in most hot blooded young men. I believe THIS is the REAL reason why many outstanding young male athletes stop chasing their dreams of becoming a professional athlete to chasing SKIRTS. It's just normal behavior of most young guys.
 
Every child in the UK dreams of being a professional footballer and you can still make a reasonable living at it even if you are not top class. The best player in our school went on to play for Man Utd and Barcelona. The next best ended up on a building site. Mentality was probably the key factor and not ability.

I still dream about scoring the winner in the cup final despite me being rubbish at the game and probably a bit on the elderly side.
Playing a game reminds us of our childhood. A game that pays us also if we make it. All the work is in front of you. And you have fun doing it.
We used to play until it went dark every night after school. We didn't have any other distractions until big school when we discovered girls.
Very true, Tommy, very true. There seems to be an almost seamless transition from interest in sports to interest in girls in most hot blooded young men. I believe THIS is the REAL reason why many outstanding young male athletes stop chasing their dreams of becoming a professional athlete to chasing SKIRTS. It's just normal behavior of most young guys.
Being a bit naive we used to think that the girls would be impressed if we got on the school team. That wasnt the case. They were more impressed if you could dance.
 

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