Podcast

By Luke Melms

One of the greatest lessons baseball teaches is how to start at the bottom but not stay there.

Ultimately, each player’s goal is to reach the big leagues individually but that is just the starting line. The ultimate pinnacle is winning a World Series.

This journey to #1 most recently demonstrated by the Astros and Cubs was in large part the result of a core group of minor leaguers who made the climb through the minors together. They stayed at it with consistency despite having to experience bumps and bruises along the way with some tough seasons.

I am proud to share that because of the consistency of sharing a story each week BaseballandBusiness.com indexes as #1 on Google when you type in baseball and business or “baseball and business” out of 25 million search results.

However, this is far from where we started.

Exactly one year ago, I went into the hospital for what was the beginning of a three day stay after an unexpected twist to being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease the week prior. The pain I was in was higher than anything I’d ever experienced before.

Athlete Web Design had just finished designing the new logo and was working on the new website. There was no way this punch to the gut was going to stop the vision from becoming a reality.

The picture below was taken just after getting home from the hospital stay. I was in rough shape to say the least. While Crohn’s had taken much physically away from me including about 20% of my weight at this bottom point, I remember thinking to myself about how this was simply serving as a test and to keep the mission behind Baseball and Business at the front of my mind.

We stayed full steam ahead with the whole project and by the end of May launched the redesigned and custom version of BaseballandBusiness.com showcasing the new logo.

If you Googled Baseball and Business then, you would have had to dig through a couple of pages before finding it. Becoming #1 could not have happened without the great contributions by all of the current and former college, minor league and big league players telling their story through the platform.

I write this story to encourage everyone wherever they may be at in their journey especially if the top seems far off. Large media sites such as Business Insider and Fast Company have written about baseball and business which rank just below us. However, these are simply articles. No one else is solely dedicated to these two topics and focused on being a leading resource to current and former players.

There have been no insider SEO secrets along the way. We just published really good content for the last year about baseball and business and nothing else.

Life is not about where or how you start but rather how you run the race that defines your legacy. The key is taking risks and going for it despite when it may seem all uphill. This is what baseball players understand so well.

The timing will never be perfect. Distractions will never completely fade away. The decision to move forward is all that can be controlled.

Last year at this time, this is what the original logo looked like on the template website.

By Luke Melms

Baseball players don’t wake up and just wear a jersey.

We are fathers, husbands, sons, businessmen and list could go on and on. We are more than athletes.

Recently, there’s been debate about whether or not athletes should be engaged in issues beyond their sport. Not being engaged with the surrounding culture and community would be a missed opportunity to say the least.

Many of the guys within the Baseball and Business network are originally from South Florida or now live here including myself. As I’ve reflected on what happened right here recently in Parkland, it makes me realize how much of a gift every day is.

Anthony Rizzo went home to support the Parkland community he grew up in and the high school he graduated from. He commented on his trip saying, “I thought the speech was important, to speak with the kids and families that were affected. I’m really proud to see what Parkland is doing and what the kids are doing and speaking out. And trying to make a difference. I stand behind my community…I said there needs to be change, but I don’t know what the change needs to be.”

Only months prior, he won the Roberto Clemente Award which goes to the player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Through the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Chicago is one of many that have been on the receiving end financially and with his time.

There are needs in each of our local communities no matter where we are. There is no one size fits all solution to any of these problems. The only way progress is made is through a group of people coming together making contributions big or small whether it be with time, financial resources or their talents to make a difference.

A great example of this took place last week in Arizona at the Karts and Guitars event put on by Athletes’ Brand which was filled with pro baseball players that featured 16 current players that went head to head in a Mario Kart tournament. The beneficiary of the event was Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock which is a non-profit providing teens with a central place to learn, have fun, and explore their creativity in a supportive and safe environment through music, dance and self expression.

(Top): Liam Hendricks, Hunter Pence, Kevin Shackelford and Brett Phillips duke it out in Mario Kart (Bottom): Athletes’ Brand founder and former baseball player, Kyle Mauch, with 2018 Mario Kart Tournament champion, Kevin Shackelford 

As we know, these years can be pivotal in the trajectory of where one’s life goes. The athletes who participated found a way to use their influence to help get as many guys to the event which was both a way to make a difference and have fun.

No one person can bear the responsibility of bringing change to the problems that exist in each of our communities and country at large but can all do our part whatever that may look like to make an impact. A successful baseball team models what it looks like for a unified group contributing together as one towards a common goal.

For the current players reading this, I remind you of what you already know. Each day you impact your community by the way you represent yourself on the field and how you engage those who may or may not come out to watch you play.

It may be as simple as taking a picture or something as big as starting a foundation.

Whether you are a current or former player, I encourage you to go after what may be stirring in you to make an impact off the field.

By Gage Smith

Growing up, I was never the most talented player on any of my teams. However, I did pride myself on being one of the most dedicated. That was truly put to the test my sophomore year of high school.

After having a good freshman and sophomore season at third base and pitcher, I was cut from the team because I was “too small”. I refused to accept this and luckily, I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to transfer to a private school for my last two years of high school. My junior year at my new school went okay, but our team was very good and I wasn’t a regular starter. The following summer, I wanted to do everything I could to make the dream of playing college baseball a reality no matter how unlikely that dream may be.

I went to several showcases and tryouts that summer. The more that I went to, the more I realized how hard this was going to be. I was nowhere close to the best prospect at any of the showcases. In no way did I stand out among the crowd. I was going to have go about things a different way. At one of the last showcases of the summer, I was throwing a bullpen for scouts that once again was going unnoticed. A righthander that throws 84-85 with a sub-par breaking ball was of no interest to anybody. So, I decided to drop down. In the middle of my bullpen, I began throwing submarine. I was still throwing 85 and the scouts’ heads started poking up. They asked if I had a breaking ball and I proceeded to throw an impressive slider, considering it was the first time I had ever tried doing so. It was at this time that I started getting interest from colleges.

I had a very good senior season and was eventually asked to walk-on at Florida State University, my ultimate dream. Of course, I accepted and was excited to get started. At our very first practice, I was asked to throw to three hitters, two of whom were All-Americans. A double and two home runs later, I immediately began doubting my ability and my right to be on that team with such talented players. Needless to say, I got redshirted my freshman year and did not pitch an inning in a real game.

I worked hard the following summer and was ready to go when practice started my sophomore year. I pitched well and was ready to prove myself in real games this year. The night before the season starts, we always have a dinner for the team and boosters. As I was walking out the door to go to it, my coach called me and told me to stay where I was at. He came to my house and proceeded to tell me that they were blindsided by a roster limitation rule they were unaware of. They cut me.

At the time, this was the worst day of my life. Baseball had been the center of my life for so long and now it was seemingly over. I wanted to give up. It was a couple days later when God spoke to me. This was very out of the ordinary for me and completely unexpected. My faith had taken a backseat the last few years, but as I laid in my bed one night I began to pray. By the end of the prayer, I knew what God wanted me to do. It didn’t make sense to me at the time, but God put a desire in me to keep working and getting better; that Florida State baseball wasn’t done with me.

Logically, this makes no sense. They redshirted me my first year and cut me my second year. Why would they want me back? But sure enough, I got a call before the next season and they wanted me to come back out and give it another try. This is why that situation was such a “God thing”. Things like that don’t happen. And it changed everything for me.

After not having played in a real collegiate game for over two years, I went on to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in appearances the next three seasons. I was the go-to guy out of the FSU bullpen and collected several awards throughout those years. And it was because I truly trusted God for the first time in my life. Previously, I had been doing everything for myself, but God showed me that I had a real platform where I was at. He showed me that I could be a light for Him and make a real change in peoples’ lives.

In 2014, I was awarded the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing professional baseball. I was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 25th round and went on to play the next 3 years in the Tigers and Brewers farm systems, getting as high as Double-A.

I had a great professional career with even better numbers than I had in college, but the toll of pro ball slowly chipped away at my love for the game. My body was breaking down, going 7 months out of the year without seeing my now-wife, and watching baseball go from a game to more of a business were all factors in my decision to ultimately retire. It was no longer a dream of mine to make it to the big leagues. I had new dreams that I wanted to pursue.

In the winter of 2016, I began playing live music around town and at church with my wife. It was a huge step out of my comfort zone, but we both love music and that is what I wanted to pursue. It was my new dream.

We started to make a name for ourselves and just recently released our first single, Apollo, under the band name South of Echo. The song is about destroying the negatives in your life and going after what you truly want. It’s available on all major music platforms and we are getting very good feedback on it. We are still working on finding our actual sound though so we have a long way to go.

Baseball taught me so many things that have made me the man I am today. It mainly taught me how to deal with adversity and what is required to succeed. As you can tell from my story, I got cut from basically every team I played for, but I didn’t let that stop me. My faith, work ethic, and perseverance got me to the level that so many dream to be at.

I have taken these skills over into my next chapter of life. The music business is very similar to baseball. It’s a grind. I am working a full-time job in marketing while also doing everything I can to book more gigs around the region, write new songs, and gather the funds necessary to pursue this dream. Also similar to baseball, nobody believes you can actually make it. It’s a tough business that a majority of people do not succeed in. Great. I’m going for it.

To connect with Gage on LinkedIn, click here. To listen to South of Echo’s single, visit their website at www.southofecho.com. South of Echo can be followed on Instagram @southofecho.

By Luke Melms

We’ve finally made it to another baseball season with players beginning to report to Spring Training this week. For some, the dream continues on the field. For others, this may be a season of figuring out how to create a new dream.

This week I want to specifically talk to any former players who are in business. One of the most common conversations I’ve had with fellow former players is trying to figuring out where to start and know where they are ultimately heading in business. Baseball is easier to know where to begin. We have bases that get run in a specific order, an order in which the journey progresses from college to pro ball and specific positions on the field.

Let’s try to simplify this by using a baseball analogy. Why do big leaguers get paid big bucks and how does this translates over to business? Simply put there are only 750 guys across the entire world on 25 man rosters at any given time. Few can play the game at a level which produces results that leads to wins and also brings high levels of eyeballs whether it be live or on TV. These are the two main revenue sources for any club. Without the players, a baseball organization is just an empty shell.

Let’s take a look at the three different players on the business field at all times.

1. Revenue generators

Think about a dentist, CPA, or a medical device salesman….many are paid handsomely for the work they do. Why? It is a highly specialized skill that takes an extensive amount of training and hands on work perfecting their craft working directly with the end user to solve the problem or provide the service needed. Without these people the business isn’t a business. Revenue to business is what runs are to baseball. These are the everyday starters and is where big league money is more likely to be made on the business field because they are generating the lifeblood for any business.

2. Revenue retainers 

These individuals don’t directly provide the service that generates revenue but still have interaction with clients. Similar to the climb from the minors to the big leagues, this may be a training ground before becoming a revenue generator depending on the industry. Think of these individuals as late inning relievers because their job is to hold onto what already exists. In baseball it is a lead and in business it is clients. This type of role is key as a business would not grow if it were constantly bringing in new business only to have its existing business leaving to never return again.

3. Non-client facing 

These individuals do not have necessarily have any interaction before, during or after the client/customer engagement process. However they play a key role in operationally supporting the business. Moving up the ladder may mean being able to support multiple areas or people. Similar to a utility player, there is much valuable felt by the business from these types of contributors as they are versatile. Often utility players can play above average defense. In business, there coincides with not letting dollars leak out through lawsuits or operational inefficiencies as two examples which are both very important. Don’t believe that working directly with clients is the only way to make big bucks. Executives paths such as Chief Compliance Officer or Chief Operating Officer are few examples of highly compensated non-client facing opportunities. Unlike revenue generators where there are several starting positions available, each team usually has one or maybe two utility guys. Businesses don’t have more than one COO. All this means is that this path may take more time to reach the top.

Just as a baseball team uses all the guys on a roster, so too does a business rely on all three of the types described above. There’s no right or wrong spot on the field. The key is recognizing where your natural strengths align and making sure you are playing in a position which you can excel at. Of course being a starting pitcher may pay more but if you only have two great pitches success may be hard to come by. You have to put yourself in a position where you can succeed above everything else.

I’ve learned from my own journey that chasing money is not sustainable. Find something you love, commit to becoming an expert at your craft and follow through by investing everyday to learn something new while getting 1% better. Over a long period of time these will yield results that most are unable of achieving. Our biggest advantage as baseball players is the willingness and proven track record of being able to commit to the grind for years. Don’t underestimate what you carry. As my college coach always said, “Little things become big things.”

By Kaleb Earls

Baseball has been and will always be the greatest game to me. Ever since I picked up that bat and ball, I knew I wanted to devote my life to this game. I always dreamed of getting drafted and chasing after my goal of making it to the Major Leagues. My dream got a little closer to that reality when I was in my junior year of college.

I came from a small town where not many people make it out of so me getting the opportunity to play college baseball was a blessing as is but got even better when I drew the attention of MLB scouts that season. It was a lot to take on seeing that I never had that amount of pressure on me with scouts watching me pitch but kept telling myself over and over again to play each game as if it was my last. That helped motivate myself to give it everything I had. I knew that if I did that and put my trust in the Lord, the rest would work itself out.

My junior season was faced with a lot of adversity. In the end, I did everything I could and only time would tell if I had impressed scouts enough to take a chance on me. At the end of the season, I had been invited to a handful of tryouts for major league teams. I was ecstatic and knew this was my opportunity to show these teams what I was made of. I went to every single one I was invited to. After my tryouts, I started hearing from a lot of different teams asking what round, how much money, etc and it was a lot to take in. Once that started to happen, I knew it wasn’t long before I would hear my name called. It all felt so surreal.

Come draft time, I was very nervous. My friends and family were all there to experience this moment with me. The first day went by…no call. The second day went by with one call but ended up not drafting me so it came down to the last and final day. That night before I could hardly sleep because I knew tomorrow was going to be the moment I had waited for my whole life. The day finally came and as tensions were rising. I couldn’t handle it so I went outside by the pool to keep myself from going crazy. I kept up with the draft on my phone but the one time I didn’t refresh was the moment I heard my entire family screaming. I knew that was it so I ran into the house with everyone hugging one another, crying tears of excitement while I looked up on the TV seeing my name on the draft board.

My emotions were flying all over the place and I had to triple check the TV to make sure it was all real. It was very real indeed because only a few minutes later my phone rang with my scout from the Milwaukee Brewers telling me they have chosen me in the 13th round. This was single handily the best moment I’ve ever experienced and only hope the kids chasing the same dream get to experience as well.

I went on to play three seasons with the Brewers. Although my last season with them didn’t go the way I wanted, it was a learning experience for me. I learned that this game can humble you and that you never know when it could be the last time you pick up a ball. My advice is to cherish every moment you have with this game. There comes a time for all of us to trade in the cleats for dress shoes and uniform for a suit but don’t leave the game having regrets. Leave it knowing you gave it everything you have.

Playing professional baseball has been an honor and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I met a lot of great people along the way, traveled to a lot of different places and learned a lot about myself while doing so that I can take into the real world with me.

To connect with Kaleb on LinkedIn, click here.

By Payton Bieker

My attitude comes from my past and all that it includes.  My whole life I was an underdog and loved it.  At 5’8″ and 155 soaking wet I wasn’t exactly a big time prospect. I had zero offers after high school. I went to Vincennes University for a showcase camp and was offered a scholarship on the spot. That was my first opportunity and one that I will never forget.  Jon Adams at Vincennes gave me a chance that no one else was willing to give me and I will forever be grateful. After two seasons at Vincennes I decided to walk on at Purdue.

Division 1 baseball was always the dream and Purdue was going to give me another opportunity.  My time at Purdue was amazing. I started at 4 different positions during my time as a Boilermaker.  Upon graduation I was offered a coaching position with the team.  I stayed there for 3 years, one of which was a Big Ten title.  I spend my days now in a sales “war room” hunting down prospects and finding opportunities for my company in order to put us in the best possible situation to be successful.  My same underdog, hard-working, passionate attitude is still there, my uniform has just changed.

Teamwork

This is what makes all good engines go.  In sports or business, if everyone isn’t on the same page that is a recipe for disaster.  Sometimes in sales this is a hard concept to grasp on to because your own livelihood is sometimes dependent on your performance.  The truth is if one guy wins we all win.  In sports you look out for your teammates both on and off the field.  The same is true in business. If you can assist your fellow employee he/she will find a way to repay you whether that is with some kind of referral or help along the way.

If you don’t have each others back in business it will fracture any company and you will soon find yourself looking for a new team very quickly.  When I was a coach at Purdue my mentor Jeff Duncan (Current Kent State Head Coach) told me that it is not what you know, it’s all about trust.  If every player trusts you he/she will run through a brick wall for you.  The same can be said in business.  If you gain the trust of your fellow employees in the trenches they will always be willing to go to battle with you and help you along the way.  That is something that has always stuck with me throughout my career.

Learning

“The day you stop learning, is the day you stop growing.”  This is another lesson that I took from Duncan.  He used to always tell me to learn something new everyday.  That has been especially true for me transitioning into sales. I just didn’t know what I didn’t know when it comes to sales. I used to be able to talk to recruits on campus and connect with them and sell them on the school, but how does that translate when it comes to making a sale? It has taken about 7 months to truly be comfortable, but I am there now.

I keep learning and surrounding myself with people who can elevate my game. I do not want to be around people that I am better than, I want the people who are better than me and I can challenge and they will in return motivate me to be better.  That is where growth comes from.  If I am not learning, Dunc was right, I am not getting better and not doing anything to better my life.

Competition

I had the privilege of playing along side 3 current big leaguers (Kevin Plawecki, Cameron Perkins, and Nick Wittgren).  These guys taught me so much and they probably didn’t know it.  The way those three carried themselves day in and day out just always rubbed off on me.  The confidence they had when they showed up to the park was just infectious.  I have always been a pretty confident guy due to my height. Most of you would refer to it as little man syndrome.  I have it and I am not afraid to admit it. If you tell me you are better than me, I am the type that will say prove it.  That is how I will be until the day I die and a lot of that I owe to those three guys.

Plawecki and I came into Purdue at the same time and both as catchers.  I was the better defensive guy at the beginning, I was older and had 2 years of JUCO under my belt.  That didn’t last long.  He is currently on the Mets roster so I will let you figure out how that panned out. To this day, he is still one of my good friends and like to think our battles elevated both of our play.  He pushed me and I pushed him which is what it is all about. Healthy competition is crucial in sales. If the top dog isn’t being pushed, why would he/she care about getting better? When they start feeling pressure and someone is nipping at their heels they know they better elevate their game in order to keep the crown.  I love competition. I don’t care if it is sales or NHL on the Xbox, I want to win and win big.

Motivation

There is always something that keeps you moving forward.  When I was playing it was proving people wrong or getting to the big leagues. We all had that person in our life that thought we shouldn’t have gotten the chances we got or they would have been better.  Proving people wrong is and will always be a motivation of mine.  I had coaches growing up that told me no college team would ever touch me because of my size and because I had a cocky attitude. I told that coach recently that I used his words as motivation and still think about it.  I am not mad at him. If anything, I should thank him for lighting a fire in me that was not going to be burned out until I was playing big time D-1 baseball.

Motivation changes when you get in the business world and start to mature more as an individual.  I want to be better for my family now and provide for them financially. I cannot do this if I am not pushing that needle forward. My goals have shifted from fame and glory to financial freedom and providing for the ones I love. At the end of the day if you are not motivated I don’t see how you plan on meeting the goals you set for yourself.

I am the same person I have always been, I just go into a different locker room every day now.  I traded my glove and bat for a computer and product.  Instead of hearing my name announced over the loud speaker, I hear a bell when I make a sale.  No one can take away my past and what has molded me.  I continue to use all those lessons to make my sales career a home run.

Payton is a Brand Engagement Ambassador with Aptera in Fort Wayne, IN. Click here to connect with Payton on LinkedIn. 

Nothing develops relationships like baseball does. The long road trips, practices, games and experiencing major life events together such as weddings creates a bond that lasts well beyond the time wearing jerseys.

While celebrating wins together is always a high, being there to navigate through the tough losses are when teammates are most valuable.

Thinking back on all the games you’ve played, what is the game that stings a bit when you think back on it?

Personally, having the chance to play in a state championship game was a highlight but losing by a run and being the tying run on second when the game ended was a tough pill to swallow. As much as I still wish the outcome would have been different, my life isn’t affected daily because of the outcome of a single game played over a decade ago.

Why do I mention this? We can in the moment sometimes forget that beyond baseball there are moments that will have a much more lasting impact for better or worse.

As I’ve thought about the community Baseball and Business is and continues to become, the real value for everyone is the ability to relate both on and off the field. I recently received a message from a current Orioles minor leaguer after reading Javi Salas’ article that read, “What a great article! Love the family that baseball has given to me.”

I recently connected with Brett McCullough, a former college baseball player who broke the University of West Florida single- season record for wins his senior year.

Like some of us have already experienced, his family grew beyond baseball and got married. Unfortunately, he experienced the ultimate loss when his wife unexpectedly and suddenly passed away last March. He and his young daughter are survived to continue on without her.

Baseball is more than a game. Brett gets this and is heading into his first season as head coach at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Florida. In an article by the Pensacola News Journal Brett stated, “We’re not here to build a program. We’re here to build a family, and that’s what it will be.”

The reason we keep this community exclusive is that I often have people soliciting for something from us. This is a community of baseball players for the benefit of baseball players. When I heard this unfortunate news, I wanted to see what we could do to help as a community.

Brett shared that if you’d like to support him as he builds this baseball family going into the 2018 season, the Eagle Baseball Parent Association is incorporated as a 501(c)(3), and is funded by parents, the Pensacola community as well as outside individual or business sponsors. Contributions to Eagle Baseball are fully tax-deductible.

100% of all donations will go directly towards their program and be applied towards facility improvements, batting cage netting, baseball equipment, uniforms and baseballs. If you are interested in either donating baseball equipment or making a monetary donation, please contact Brett at bmccullough@escambia.k12.fl.us or by calling the school directly at 850-941-6150.

If you feel moved to give in either way in any amount, I know this will mean much to Brett as he navigates this challenging time. Thanks for your consideration!

By Derek Anderson

Like so many young boys, it was love at first sight. The stadium rose like a cathedral from its humble surroundings. The menagerie smells of popcorn, dogs, burgers, and fries permeated the air. The roar of the crowd, the crack of the bat, the pop of the mitt was music to my ears. And oh my…that stained brown dirt giving way to the seemingly endless expanse of green grass with the deepest hue of blue shining down from high above was nothing short of an artistic masterpiece.  It was one canvas that even Claude Monet couldn’t replicate; a canvas that ultimately painted my life for so many years thereafter.

I grew up in the historic Southern city of Charleston, South Carolina where grand oak trees, old ballast stone streets and horse drawn carriages dominate the downtown streetscape. Just like so many other Southern locales, baseball fields pepper the landscape as well. The diamond was my home away from home – my sanctuary.  From T-ball to Coach Pitch to Dixie Youth to Dixie Boys to High School to Legion to AAU to College, baseball and I were inseparable. I took pride in the countless repetition of it all. The early, pre-dawn morning wakeups giving way to the late, under-the-lights postgame speeches. The cadence of weights, stretching, sprints, long toss, tees, soft toss, BP, shagging, fungos, games, and breakdown was routine and cyclical. It gave me stability and accountability. It gave me drive and focus. But more than anything, it gave me purpose.

I was never the most physically gifted guy on a team so I had to earn everything from respect of my coaches and teammates to grinding it out for playing time. Knowing this, it gave me purpose to perform at my optimum potential knowing what I needed to accomplish to achieve my goal.

As a Freshman at Bishop England High School, it helped land me as the starting rightfielder and platoon at Catcher among a very Upperclassman-heavy team as we won our school’s first state championship finishing with a 30-8 record. The following year, I transitioned to left field where I started all year en route to a 33-1 record as our team won back-to-back state titles.

That same year my Charleston American Legion won the state title and took runner-up at the Southeast Regional.  I was named Captain of my high school team as both a Junior and Senior. I took home MVP honors for the Baseball at The Beach high school tournament in Myrtle Beach my senior year. I was selected to play on the SC Diamond Devils AAU team for the following 2 years that was a collection of the best high school talent South Carolina had to offer where I played with and against the best competition up and down the east coast. We played everywhere from the AAU World Series at Disney’s Sports Complex in Orlando to Atlanta against the incredibility talented East Cobb teams to taking home the title at the Welland Invitational in Canada.

In the end, all these highly competitive experiences and my steadfast dedication to perfecting my craft paid off when I received a scholarship and signed a letter of intent to play Division I collegiate baseball for the University of North Carolina – Asheville in the Big South Conference. My boyhood dream of wanting to play Division I baseball had been realized.  All the long weekends traveling to and from tournaments and hacking away in the cages to the point where your palms were riddled with blisters had finally paid off.  The dream had indeed come true.

I wish that I could say it ended on a high note and enjoyed the best years of my life. As we all know, life doesn’t always work that way. My dream was short-lived. You test it, it tests you right back and then you’re left to deal with the consequences.  I only lived the fantasy for one year. But in that year, I faced off against the likes of future MLB pitcher Dewon Brazelton, played against perennial powerhouse Coastal Carolina, started against College of Charleston in front of family and friends, made a game-saving diving catch in left field against Wofford, and enjoyed my best collegiate game in a losing effort against Western Carolina. But unfortunately after my freshman year, I lost sight of the things that mattered the most. I lost my purpose.

But fast forward to the present day and my purposes are crystal clear. I am veteran of the United States Coast Guard who served as an Environmental Liaison during my tenure and was a first responder in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. That professional experience catapulted me to my current position as a 10 year Environmental Scientist with Charleston-based, GEL Engineering where I perform project oversight, report writing, and investigative sampling for regulatory and state required asbestos, lead, mold, groundwater, sediment, surface water, IAQ and VMS projects.  I have three state issued professional licenses and will be striving to achieve my Certified Indoor Environmentalist certification this year.

In the spring of 2017, I also successfully founded and launched a local snapback hat company, IREPchs that has been attracting significant buzz locally with customers and local shops alike. The sky is the limit with my startup and cannot wait for the ride I am about to embark on. I am the proud husband and father to my beautiful wife, Julie, and 2 year old daughter, Sutton.

Purpose. One simple word. One 7-letter word to live by. It sounds easy, right?! It’s anything but. Purpose – it’s the one thing I want you to take away from my story. You will probably have more than one at any given time. Hold on to it, cherish it and nurture it, no matter what outsiders may say and whatever outside influences tug at the other end. It will get you thru the ebbs and flows. Its fine to change your purpose throughout the course of your life because you will more times than you will remember. But have purpose and it will be your guiding light. I have once again found my purpose(s) in life and am forging ahead. Blaze your path and find your purpose. An empty canvas awaits.

You can connect with Derek by visiting his website or his Instagram page @IREPchs.

By Javi Salas

I realized my first childhood dream the day I set foot on campus at the University of Miami as a student-athlete. I can’t remember anything I wanted more than to wear the orange and green and play for the Hurricanes. Over the course of the next four years, I was able to play with my best friends, develop as a player, develop as a person and most importantly obtain my degree.

I will never be able to thank Coach Morris, JD Arteaga, and Gino DiMare enough for giving me the opportunity to wear a jersey that meant so much to me. You see the thing about the University of Miami that people don’t understand, is that it’s more than a school for us. We grow up so attached to the school, the tradition, the legacy, that the recruiting process isn’t much of a process rather just a formality.

I never thought twice about my choice and was never more at peace with a decision in my life. My one piece of advice to any local player is if you get the opportunity to play at home, in front of your family and friends, DO IT. You will never regret it. Having your support system at every game is a feeling unlike any other. Coming out of the double doors in the locker room to see your family and friends after any game is the greatest feeling in the world. To this day, I take the long way home sometimes just to drive by the front of “The Light” just to make sure nothing has changed or that no one is trespassing.

The day I signed my professional contract I had no idea what I would be in for. I boarded a plane to Helena, Montana and my journey began. First of all, for a Miami kid like myself, it was difficult to even comprehend where Helena is located.

Over the next three years, the Brewers gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. It truly is a first class organization from top to bottom. I never came across a coach, staff member, or player that I truly did not get along with. There is something to be said for an organization that is filled with great people at every single level. Although I never reached my ultimate goal of pitching in the big leagues with the Brew Crew, I am a better person for having been a member of that organization.

Every so often, I am asked “Do you miss baseball?” As much as I want to say no, I’d be lying. For me, baseball touched all five of my senses in a way that words would never be able to describe. I’ll miss hearing the national anthem, and the goosebumps that would come over me as I walked over the mound and looked into the crowd. I’ll miss reciting the same prayer that I mouthed to myself behind the mound. The camaraderie, the clubhouse, the dugout, the bullpen, those are all things that I miss on a daily basis. I miss my teammates, I miss the coaches, the fans, and even the critics. I miss the laughter, the pranks, the stories, and even the sadness. Being on a team is all I have ever known, I’ve never not been part of a team. Coming together with people from all different backgrounds to achieve a common goal is a beautiful thing.

Over the course of my career I won, I lost and even recorded a save. There were games where I went nine innings and games where I couldn’t get a single out. I struck hitters out and gave up home runs. I walked hitters and induced double plays.

For every moment where I’ve felt on top of the world, there have been moments where I’ve never been more humbled. As a hitter, I have one hit, plenty of strikeouts, a couple of successful bunts, and a few moments where I feared for my life in the batter’s box.

I have traveled on buses and planes all over to play this game. I’ve lived with teammates from Taiwan, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mississippi and South Carolina among many others. I played against major leaguers, future hall of famers, top prospects and even walked Tim Tebow.

I was perfect once but definitely not solo. On a night in March 2014 I happened to be on the mound with my Hurricanes teammates and got 27 outs in a row. I wish I could take all the credit, but if it wasn’t for the diving plays, magical spinning throws, and a little luck, it would’ve been just another Tuesday night at Mark Light Field.

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. That night with my family in the crowd and my brother on the radio call, my world stood still for a minute. I threw one perfect game in my career and was interviewed one time on air by my little brother. They both happened on the same night and is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Although I won’t realize my dream of playing in the big leagues, I have transitioned to another area which gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I joined a new team in December at Jefferies. I traded the jersey for a suit and my spikes for dress shoes. I knew that one day my baseball career would end, as it does for everyone, and that I would need to be prepared to transition. Thankfully, I started my dream job, helping athletes like myself plan for their futures financially. Although I left behind one dream in 2017, I am excited for my future in 2018 and beyond.

I want to thank the game of baseball. Thank you for allowing a kid to dream and believe that he could achieve more than he could have ever imagined. Thank you for allowing me to take the journey of a lifetime and to meet some of the greatest people on this earth. Thank you for teaching me that its not always the end result that matters but that it’s the journey that makes all the difference. It taught me that being a good teammate can’t be quantified by a statistic. I came to learn there are no such thing as bad days, only good days and great days.

Thank you to all my coaches especially Coach Weber, Coach Morris, JD and Gino. Thank you for challenging me, teaching me, and allowing me to be a part of your teams.

Thank you to all the unsung heroes, GM, Gabe, Jimmy, the trainers, therapists and nutritionists.

Thanks to all my teammates. It was truly a pleasure and loved playing with every one of you guys. I root for all of you and hope to see you guys playing at Marlins Park soon.

Most importantly, I want to thank God for giving me the ability to play the game I love for so long and for guiding me through all the crossroads in my life.

Last but not least, thank you to my parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, and friends. You guys made the journey worthwhile with your constant support and outpouring of love, win or lose. They say it takes a village to raise a child. It just so happens that my village never missed a game. From Miami to Montana, Appleton to Brevard, Biloxi to Maryvale and everywhere in between, you guys are the best.

I didn’t give up on my dream. It’s just taken a different form. I don’t think I’ll ever feel differently about the game. I am not bitter I didn’t make it and am happy I had the chance. Everyday I wore a jersey I had a chance to do something special. That is a privilege and an honor. Players come and go, but the game marches on.

To the greatest game in the world, a sincere and heartfelt thank you.

To connect with Javi on LinkedIn, click here. 

By Luke Melms

The accomplishments of a prior season should never be completely forgotten but in order to accomplish new heights we must go into new territory.

What is the future you envision yourself experiencing?

Maybe you are a father and picture your kids growing up in your dream house. Maybe you see yourself playing in a World Series. Maybe you see yourself getting married to a longtime girlfriend.

Just as a car needs fuel to move forward, many dreams require money being made to become a reality.

Baseball and Business was created to help current and former players make these types of dreams happen through maximizing what baseball is as baseball players and businessmen.

Current players have the chance to stack business on top of baseball unlike ever before. The amount of opportunities to make business connections and create money beyond the field has never been riper.

Former players have the opportunity to put on a different jersey full time. The ability to take the lessons from baseball into business have never been more practical.

Whether you are a current or former player, there’s a huge opportunity on the table by fully embracing who you already are to move closer to whatever your dreams are. There is no reason to change and try to be somebody different.

A great example of a current player doing this is Marcus Stroman. He’s one of baseball’s best arms and is a successful businessman. He completed his degree from Duke University in 2016, puts out a lot of content as he goes about his day which has gained almost 1 million followers between Twitter and Instagram and created his own apparel brand HDMH which stands for Height Doesn’t Measure Heart.

Baseball players are not one dimensional. The days are over of being seen as “just” baseball players and likely not to achieve the same level of success outside baseball. The stories that have been published on this platform are the evidence of this.

Last year was just the beginning of what this movement is. In addition to the weekly stories published on the website, the Baseball and Business Instagram account will begin to see current and former players take over the account through the stories feature to share tips of how winning in baseball and business is happening for them. This is just one of the new roll outs on deck in 2018.

Each player current or former faces their own unique circumstances. Baseball and Business is here to act as a guide to bridge the gap between these two vehicles that go hand in hand.

Everyone is starting 2018 with a 0-0 record. The months ahead can be the moments that change the trajectory of where everything is heading in baseball and business.

Baseball players know there are no detours, shortcuts or one “secret”. This is one of the big advantages baseball ingrains in us. There’s only one decision that matters…to get up each day and do the work. What you do in the present no matter how big or small is a stepping stone to a much bigger moment in the future. The videos below are a great example of this truth. This is the beauty of baseball. There is always a journey.

This formula to success in baseball works just as well in business. This is how it works and will always work. Make this the year you go all in on your DNA of being a baseball player and businessman.

What is your #1 goal in baseball, business or both in 2018? Share in the comments below and put it out there publicly. Let’s make 2018 your best year ever.