It’s here!! Well honestly, for us, spring training (ST) has been here since he officially reported to the complex on January 17th. MLB spring training just started on Sunday for pitchers and catchers. Addison has yet to be a ST “non roster invitee”, which is all of the minor league players that are not on the 40 man roster who are extended an invitation to participate with the major league team. Even though he has never been an official invitee, every year they have randomly called him over to play/practice with the big league club on a day to day basis. It’s fun and exciting but so unpredictable (story of my life)! I remember our first ST in 2009, we had absolutely no expectations of being invited or even being called over just for a day. Low and behold one day he came home with the news that he was going to be playing in a ST game the next day in Kissimmee vs the Houston Astros! We were thrilled to say the least. I was still in college then and I skipped my classes just so I could go watch him! He played short stop for the last three innings of the game, after all the MLB regulars were switched out and after most of the people in the stands had gone as well. If you have ever been to a spring training game you know that the team regulars don’t usually play a full game, only about 6 or 7 innings, and once they leave the game the crowds do too. Not us minor league lovers, we hang around until OUR stars get into the game! But while he was in the game he got only one ground ball (he made the play of course) and only one at bat (he knocked the ball all the way to the fence, but the Astros had a very fast center fielder..bummer!). It was still AWESOME! I had the craziest emotions during the game, I got all goose-bumpy and teary eyed from happiness when he was out on the field. Since then he has played in several ST games, I’m pretty sure he will play in a few more this year and hopefully A LOT more in the years to come, but I will never ever forget that first game he played in a big league uniform.

I was way too excited to take a picture of him while he was actually at bat, so this pic of him on deck is the best I’ve got!