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- Apr 6, 2010
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I've briefly shared my story with the board a long time ago and have shared it with some members via PM and have been asked to share it again. The previous time was in the members photo forum.
Well here goes lol
Growing up my entire life was dedicated to playing baseball. Like many other children, I had dreams and aspirations of becoming a professional athlete. I just had a few problems, when I was young I was short, stick thin, wasn't fast, didn't have a strong arm, could hit but not for power. But I worked hard, out worked pretty much anyone and everyone on the field. As time passed, I grew a little and put on some weight, not much, but some. I got a little stronger and a tad faster, but was still not as big and fast as others. As my high school career was ending, I was a stout 5'8 165-170 of fury
I had developed some speed and strength and was finally becoming who I thought I should've been. I felt like I was giving the proverbial middle finger to all the people who told me I wouldn't make it because of my stature. My parents were and still are my biggest fans, always encouraged me. The major problem in all of this was my need to drink and use drugs
I graduated high school and played for the local community college as a starting 3rd baseman, despite catching the last 3 years in high school. From there, I signed a scholarship to play at a 4 year school to finish my college career. Junior yr was the starting 2nd baseman and senior yr the starting catcher. We finished 3rd and 2nd in the nation respectively. During this time, I continued to drink myself into oblivion, blacking out more frequently and not caring about anything. Well, little did I know my life was about to change.
During the summer, I went undrafted and was heart broken and devastated, as the scouts I talked to told me I would go somewhere between the 25-30th round. My life was at a standstill. I got a call to go play independent ball and jumped at it. Played for a few weeks, but it just didn't work out. Came home and my girlfriend of a year broke up with me, devastated! I didn't know what to do, where I was going from there, nothing, so I drank. I got a call one day from a scout I'd been talking to and he asked if I wanted to keep playing, "HELL YES" was my response. Drove to Tampa, signed the contract and on a plane 4 hours later. The Milwaukee Brewers signed me, and I was ecstatic!!! THAT was the middle finger to everyone! Being the good alcoholic I am, I continued to drink, just not as much We had a banquet that I went to with my roommate and then hit the town afterwards. Charleston WV. Got obliterated, woke up with my eye "glued" shut with blood and not a clue as to what happened. Well, my roommate and I got into a fight with each other and I couldn't remember. I saw him coming in the house with stitches and asked what happened, he told me. I was subsequently released. The next day, by the grace of God, the St Louis Cardinals call and asked if I wanted to keep playing. So on a plane to Davenport Iowa I went. Finished to season with them. Swore off drinking!
Got home, first stop was the liquor store, didn't learn a thing :banghead:
The next 4.5 months are a blur. I went to Orlando for a friends birthday party, this was 2-3 weeks before spring training (Jan 23, 2006). Remember, I am a blackout drunk. I was walking to the convenience store at 3:15ish and didn't make it out of the front yard. Woke up and walked into the house, the neighbors house. His garage was open and I thought it was my buddies place. He thought I was a burglar, came to the kitchen with his 12 gauge. I woke up in the garage with my right pant leg soaked in blood and not a clue to what happened. I was shot point blank with a 12 gauge shotgun. The paper wadding was recovered from inside my leg. Within a few minutes, the police tackled me and put me in handcuffs, thank God a female officer realized I was going nowhere and moved the cuffs to the front. On to ORMC I went. I was placed in the ICU, right in front of the door where new people were being brought in. The doctors wouldn't do a transfusion as my blood alcohol level was hovering around a .3
I had a nice 2.5 month stay in the hospital and 5 surgeries. I wish my story ended there, it does not
I then get addicted to painkillers, start using and selling. Went on a year binge with them, overdosing a few times. I was arrested for something unrelated, and thankfully the charges were dropped. I had to get a few more surgeries where I had breast implants put in my legs. I attached pics below. I got clean and started living right. Then it happened again, wrong crowd. Started smoking pot again, popping Xanax's like candy and doing coke on a nightly basis. This went on for nearly a year also. Woke up in the middle of the highway on March 15, 2008 after I feel asleep at the wheel and totaled my car into a semi-truck. Was arrested and charge with DUI, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, controlled substance (my prescription bottle had the part with my name on it missing even though it was mine). Again, charges were dropped as the office didn't collect the evidence at the scene, thankfully!
This was the point where I had enough. I came to a crossroads in my life. It was at this point where I reached out to my dad (19 yrs sober at that point, 24 now). I have been able to stay clean for the last 8.5 years, married with a 3.5 yr old boy and a daughter that'll be here in 2 months!!! I love my life!
Please see pics, if you a squeamish do not look
legs: 4 years ago
Few days ago
SHARE YOUR STORIES
Well here goes lol
Growing up my entire life was dedicated to playing baseball. Like many other children, I had dreams and aspirations of becoming a professional athlete. I just had a few problems, when I was young I was short, stick thin, wasn't fast, didn't have a strong arm, could hit but not for power. But I worked hard, out worked pretty much anyone and everyone on the field. As time passed, I grew a little and put on some weight, not much, but some. I got a little stronger and a tad faster, but was still not as big and fast as others. As my high school career was ending, I was a stout 5'8 165-170 of fury
I had developed some speed and strength and was finally becoming who I thought I should've been. I felt like I was giving the proverbial middle finger to all the people who told me I wouldn't make it because of my stature. My parents were and still are my biggest fans, always encouraged me. The major problem in all of this was my need to drink and use drugs
I graduated high school and played for the local community college as a starting 3rd baseman, despite catching the last 3 years in high school. From there, I signed a scholarship to play at a 4 year school to finish my college career. Junior yr was the starting 2nd baseman and senior yr the starting catcher. We finished 3rd and 2nd in the nation respectively. During this time, I continued to drink myself into oblivion, blacking out more frequently and not caring about anything. Well, little did I know my life was about to change.
During the summer, I went undrafted and was heart broken and devastated, as the scouts I talked to told me I would go somewhere between the 25-30th round. My life was at a standstill. I got a call to go play independent ball and jumped at it. Played for a few weeks, but it just didn't work out. Came home and my girlfriend of a year broke up with me, devastated! I didn't know what to do, where I was going from there, nothing, so I drank. I got a call one day from a scout I'd been talking to and he asked if I wanted to keep playing, "HELL YES" was my response. Drove to Tampa, signed the contract and on a plane 4 hours later. The Milwaukee Brewers signed me, and I was ecstatic!!! THAT was the middle finger to everyone! Being the good alcoholic I am, I continued to drink, just not as much
We had a banquet that I went to with my roommate and then hit the town afterwards. Charleston WV. Got obliterated, woke up with my eye "glued" shut with blood and not a clue as to what happened. Well, my roommate and I got into a fight with each other and I couldn't remember. I saw him coming in the house with stitches and asked what happened, he told me. I was subsequently released. The next day, by the grace of God, the St Louis Cardinals call and asked if I wanted to keep playing. So on a plane to Davenport Iowa I went. Finished to season with them. Swore off drinking!Got home, first stop was the liquor store, didn't learn a thing :banghead:
The next 4.5 months are a blur. I went to Orlando for a friends birthday party, this was 2-3 weeks before spring training (Jan 23, 2006). Remember, I am a blackout drunk. I was walking to the convenience store at 3:15ish and didn't make it out of the front yard. Woke up and walked into the house, the neighbors house. His garage was open and I thought it was my buddies place. He thought I was a burglar, came to the kitchen with his 12 gauge. I woke up in the garage with my right pant leg soaked in blood and not a clue to what happened. I was shot point blank with a 12 gauge shotgun. The paper wadding was recovered from inside my leg. Within a few minutes, the police tackled me and put me in handcuffs, thank God a female officer realized I was going nowhere and moved the cuffs to the front. On to ORMC I went. I was placed in the ICU, right in front of the door where new people were being brought in. The doctors wouldn't do a transfusion as my blood alcohol level was hovering around a .3
I had a nice 2.5 month stay in the hospital and 5 surgeries. I wish my story ended there, it does not
I then get addicted to painkillers, start using and selling. Went on a year binge with them, overdosing a few times. I was arrested for something unrelated, and thankfully the charges were dropped. I had to get a few more surgeries where I had breast implants put in my legs. I attached pics below. I got clean and started living right. Then it happened again, wrong crowd. Started smoking pot again, popping Xanax's like candy and doing coke on a nightly basis. This went on for nearly a year also. Woke up in the middle of the highway on March 15, 2008 after I feel asleep at the wheel and totaled my car into a semi-truck. Was arrested and charge with DUI, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, controlled substance (my prescription bottle had the part with my name on it missing even though it was mine). Again, charges were dropped as the office didn't collect the evidence at the scene, thankfully!
This was the point where I had enough. I came to a crossroads in my life. It was at this point where I reached out to my dad (19 yrs sober at that point, 24 now). I have been able to stay clean for the last 8.5 years, married with a 3.5 yr old boy and a daughter that'll be here in 2 months!!! I love my life!
Please see pics, if you a squeamish do not look
legs: 4 years ago
Few days ago
SHARE YOUR STORIES
Last edited:
