As the temperatures around the country continue to rise so do the temperatures of the club houses. While on a recent minor league trip we played at a field that had no air conditioning in the club house. As outside temperatures reached into the 115 range the indoor temperatures became unbearable. With virtually no escape from the heat we were forced to come up with a cooler alternative.

As we finished batting practice around 5pm the temperature and the sun were torching us all. When one player found a hose that was rolled up by our locker room door we quickly began drenching each other. Like young kids in the front yard there stood half a minor league baseball team playing in a hose. Everyone was in their shower shoes and shorts trying to find a way to cool their bodies. Just as we had cooled off we decided that we were not done with the hose. You see the showers are set to one temperature, HOT. So we took the hose through the door and used it in the shower to cool the hot water.

When you just finish a long and hot workout in 115 degree heat then are forced to go sit in a room that has no air conditioning you must find a way to cool off. As many of our teammates would agree this was the only way to stay half way cool on such a hot day and in such bad conditions.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. The central valley of California is known for sweltering heat…. Host mom, Jean

Road trips in minor league baseball can be very boring because of the amount of time spent in your hotel room. The bus to the field is not until 3:30 or 4 o’clock. So if the average player wakes up at 10 am he has almost 6 hours everyday to fill. Some of this time is spend at the gym doing workouts, but most is spent as leisure time. That is why the technology or gadgets that you travel with are so important.

Laptop computers are probably the most popular items to travel with. Many hotels provide wireless internet which allows contact to the outside world. They also are used for playing music, watching DVDs as well as computer games. Another device that many players carry is an iPod, such as this model which has both the video and audio. With all of the bus time and hotel time, the iPods are extremely popular with the players as well as some coaches. Playstations and XBOXs are very popular as well. Many hours are spent playing the new games whether it be NCAA football or Halo. Lastly one of the other favorite items are good old fashioned books. These books range from The DaVinci Code to fiction to history all the way to crossword and soduku puzzles.

Given our schedules, we as players must find a way to occupy our leisure time with some sort of entertainment. The new technology has really made it much easier because even 10 years ago many of the devices that we use were not even available. Also with 25 people per team there is always someone with the new and hot technology–surprisingly quickly many people follow that person’s lead.
Your baseball pro, Steve

P.S. Steve fills me on which gadgets work and which don’t, particularly cell phones. Of course, all of these are portable since players live out of suitcases!

Having a car is almost essential to a baseball player when he arrives to his home city. Despite it being almost a necessity some players are able to survive without a car. Many of these players are from foreign countries where it is virtually impossible to have your car sent to them. But just like ordinary people having a car gives you many freedoms that others without a car do not have.

Most players live in the same apartment complex thus allowing them to find a ride to the field. As long as everyone is together it is easy to find a ride. But in other situations such as a host family you live by yourself. This type of living arrangement makes the car essential. With gas prices the way they are these days, you will have a hard time finding someone willing to drive 10 or 15 miles out of their way everyday.

Simply finding a ride to the field is not the only time you need a car. If you sit in your apartment and go to the field and come home and that’s all you do, then you will be in for a long season mentally. It is the freedom to go to the mall, or go to the gym that makes having a car so nice. Being able to do these thigs throughout the year is what helps keep a player from going insane.

Lastly, what some baseball players are forced to do is buy a car in the city they live in. This becomes difficult because you never know how long you will be in that city and you could be forced to move at anytime and your car is stuck at your old city. It also becomes difficult to sell your car at the end of the season. Used cars do not always sell quickly so sometimes you are forced to sell your car for a bigger loss than you anticipated.

In conclusion a car is essential for a baseball player in most cases. There are ways around not having a car but it limits you and your freedoms. So if you want to be able to have freedoms and transportation on your own, then a car is highly recommended.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. In general, the host family doesn’t provide transportation…we have our own lives and baseball player schedules don’t mesh well with normal work and school schedules. Host mom, Jean

When deciding what school to attend there are many
factors that one must consider in choosing a college baseball program. Location, coaching staff, facility, cost, strength of the program, and playing time are just some of the deciding factors. Each player must choose which factors are the most
important to him when finally making his choice.

For some players playing time is the most important factor. If you are a freshman going to a powerhouse NCAA Division I program it will be hard for you to receive all the playing time you probably desire. It depends on your skill level and your position. Pitchers seem to have an easier learning curve than that of position players. So a pitcher would have a better opportunity to play more and earlier than a position player in most circumstances.

Location and cost sometime go hand in hand. If you
decide to go to a private college in California, be prepared to shell out a lot of money. Even if you recieve the rare “full ride”, it still cost a lot of money just to live, ie gas money, food, etc.. Also if your parents want to see you play, obviously the closer the better.

Lastly, the baseball coaching staff, strength of the program
and facility play a huge role. One thing to consider about the coaching staff is to ask them to what level they played. Often times the one who played to the highest level understands more about the game. They are better at coaching you through slumps because they went through them as well. The strength of the program should be an easy one. How much do they win,
and how long have they been winning for? Nobody wants to be on a losing team and neither should you.

Finally the baseball facility always is a big recruiting tool. Does your school have a locker room, or will you be changing in the parking lot? How about a batting cage, and an indoor facility? If the winters are long and cold then an indoor facility might be needed.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

When you are deciding where to go to school, there are many considerations in choosing a college baseball program. Playing time is probably the biggest concern, in deciding between a junior college or a four year college baseball program. Both options have their benefits as well as downfalls. Usually a player has a better chance to play more at a junior college than he would at a four year school, but that is not the only factor to think about.

Junior college baseball programs tend to have fewer facilities and less money to spend than four year schools. You probably will not be taking airplane flights to your baseball games, nor will you be wearing your Nike jerseys like you can at some larger four year schools. But junior college programs have their advantages, namely game playing time. You are usually competing against players that are your age or a year or two older. They tend to be much more inexpensive. California junior colleges for example can cost less than one thousand dollars per semester. Another overlooked advantage of the junior college baseball program is that after spending two years there and improving, many times you can go to a better four year program than you could out of high school. Many four year schools rely heavily on junior college baseball players on a yearly basis.

Four year schools as mentioned above tend to have much more money to spend on their baseball programs. The facilities can be night and day better than junior colleges. When you go to a four year college out of high school, it is easier to graduate because you know what classes to take. You can concentrate on your major from day one if you choose because you are already there. You also have an opportunity to play for a longer period of time for the same baseball coaches. The things that they teach will have more time to sink in thus allowing you to perform better. Junior colleges tend to be commuter schools where many four year schools are not. The dorms and campus housing allow for the students to hang out with each other more, and this tends to be more fun and more of a college experience.

In conclusion there are many factors that you must weigh before making your decision. Each baseball player has different factors that are important to him. Hopefully these that were discussed will help you in your decision making process — remember to go where you are the most comfortable.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Grades are an important factor in having choices! An athlete with a 3.0 or better has more options to choose from. Host mom, Jean

Depending upon your financial situation, the off season can be a time for relaxation or a time for work. Many players must work in the off season because their salaries during the season do not allow them financial security. Trying to find a job for just a few months can be difficult if you are not willing to expand your horizons. The off season job for a minor league baseball player is often times very unconventional.

Just as anyone else the player wants to make to most amount of money possible with the least amount of time. Since the time frame to actually work is so small the player must take the best paying job as possible regardless of what the work consist of. Many players work at restaurants being waiters where they can sometimes make large amounts of money in tips. This also allows for them to work at night time and enables them to workout in the mornings. Other players work in construction because they can make money quickly as well as being able to be hired quickly. There are some players who work for their parents because it is convenient and it allows them to spend some time with their parents. Another job that is popular for the minor leaguer is valet parker. Many players seem to do this job because the hours once again allow for them to workout in the morning then go to work in the afternoon or evening. Also many players do work that correlates with their college studies. This can range from personal training to real estate to politics. But these jobs are far less common because finding a job that is willing to let you make only a three to five month time commitment is often difficult.

In conclusion, the off season job is essential for many minor league players. But finding the right thing to do is often times very difficult because of the circumstances that they are faced with. Thus they tend to do jobs that you would not expect them to be doing because of the circumstances listed above.

Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. One of our players worked as a mover in New York City, carrying furniture to multi-story walkup apartments — meaning no elevators! Host mom, Jean

Finding a place to live in your home city is not the easiest thing to do in minor league baseball. Many times you are not sure what team you are going to make so you have no opportunity to make plans. There are usually two different options: an apartment or a host family. Host families are usually in the lower levels and are even morecommon in short season leagues where 3 month leases are hard to find.

When you finally arrive in your city you have about 3 days to find a place. If your team has host families then you simply are given one, but if you are getting an apartment it is up to you. The problem is that you don’t have your car in the city yet; after all you just found out where you were going to be 2 days ago. Many apartment complexes require a background check, this of course takes time. So even if you find a place many times you can not just move in.

If you are given the choice between either a host family or an apartment, there are many factors to think about. Host families already have their power, water, cable etc. hooked up. In an apartment these are your own responsibilities. Even worse is the possibilly that you may get moved to another team and all of these bills are in your name and you are not there to pay them. With a host family these conflicts do not exist. Another deterent to an apartment is the cost, since after the initial lease you have a security deposit, then all of your bills. So many times the host family option is much cheaper.

There are advantages to an apartment to think about as well. Many times in an apartment you can have more fun because the entire team is in the same complex. This makes it like a dorm and allows everyone to hang out throughout the day. Also if you do not have a car then finding a ride to the game is much easier if the entire team lives in the same place. Lastly an apartment is your place and you have your own rules. Some host family situations can be very difficult for players to deal with.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. As host family, we have guidelines from the San Jose Giants management….no girlfriends or pets allowed! Host Mom, Jean

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