1 week left in the regular season. The anticipation for the playoffs has arrived. We still have some meaningful games left which effect the playoff picture. We are already in but other teams are battling to get in like Salem (Red Sox) who we have 5 more games against next series.

Right now we are at home starting a series against Lynchburg (Reds) today. Yesterday we had a much needed off day, the first one in something like 29 days. We just got done sweeping Myrtle Beach, Sunday we had a walkoff win at home which set off yet another "riot" in the clubhouse. This time it was complete with music from Three Days Grace's song "Let's Start a Riot." Go figure. It was a solid riot though, some quality chair banging, couch flipping, chair throwing, and table flipping. No card throwing this time, we always seem to lose the cards which puts a big damper on pregame routines of passoy and casino.

After a week off to set things up for playoffs better, I will start tomorrow. My previous start last week was at Lynchburg where I went all 7 in the 1st game of a double header...so that goes down as a CG in the stat book, I'll take it but one of these days I want to go all 9 and really earn it.

Also, I just got some good news that I am going to "Instructs" a.k.a instructional league. This is a great thing for me because it shows people like what I am doing and it feels good to be recognized for it and to continue play after the season is over. So I will be back in Phoenix starting Sept 19 for around a month.


Go hard and finish strong.

Back home for 4 against Salem (Red Sox) then we hit the road for 7 games. We are in the middle of a long stretch, I think 29 straight days with games. We did have a couple rainouts a little while ago that helped ease this stretch but its definitely a grind.

I was very happy with my last outing, continued to pitch well. I have complete confidence in what I am doing and everything feels great. I pitch again tomorrow here at home.

I feel great and the body is feeling fresh. One thing I do with a couple other starting pitchers to recover is jumping in the hot and cold tubs. We affectionately call them "spa days." We go 2 minutes in a 105 degree tub, then 2 minutes in a 60 degree tub and switch every 2 minutes for a total of 20 minutes. I don't know the exact science behind it, but I always feel great after getting done. The first time in the cold tub always takes your breath away because you start in the hot tub and so the first time is pretty shocking.


"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment"
Jim Rohn

In beautiful Wilmington, Delaware for a 4 game series against the Blue Rocks (Royals). It's ok though because my biggest problem right now is hoping that my milk stays cold enough. This fridge in the hotel room is pretty weak.



This is the stretch run of the season, we only have about 3 weeks left before playoffs. August always seems to fly by really quick because the end of the season is right there staring you in the face.



My last start was the best of my season, probably my career. I went 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0BB and I think 4 K's. I only threw 89 pitches. I felt absolutely in control the whole game. In my start tomorrow my goal is just to go out there and take control of the game and attack those guys. I am really trying to finish up strong and just keep goin hard.

I never look at my own stats, but I always check up on my college teammates from UCI and other buddies I have in Pro Ball. Lots of Anteaters are doin well in pro-ball, its great to see. Also lots of guys who work out at P3 are having great seasons, really good to see.

Tonight we are using all the Kangaroo Court money to buy ourselves a good post game spread. I think I ended up contributing like $10 in fines.....whateeeev.

FINISH STRONG!

All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one... characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers
--Henry David Thoreau

We are now in the midst of a 7 game home stand back in Winston. I think we all enjoy being being back here for extended periods like this, its a lot easier to relax and just chill a little bit. We play Frederick (Orioles) the next 4 games and then back on the road to I don't know where. I tend not to look ahead to where we go next until a day or 2 before hand, it adds a little surprise element to it.

I pitched well last start against Myrtle Beach, I had my best velocity all year and had good command down in the zone. Really its no secret how to pitch well. If you can locate down in the zone, things usually will turn out all right. My arm strength is getting better now, I have gone deep into the game my last 2 starts. I have cut out "sides" (a.k.a bullpens or throwing off the mound for any baseball illiterates haha) in between starts and longtoss instead. I feel like this has 2 advantages. First I get a little extra rest and recovery and second I can build arm strength by longtossing on my "day 2"(2 days after my start) which would normally be a side day.

I start tomorrow against Frederick, my goal is to go deep into the game again and be the domination station.

Reports from SB is that Fiesta is going on. Man I miss that, not much quality Mexican food in these parts....like zero. I used to love the one at Mackenzie park as a kid. We felt like we owned the place because we played ball on those fields...good times.

I had a birthday recently, here is what came to mind:

You know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, "See if you can blow this out"
--Jerry Seinfeld

*Of course this never happened to me because I don't eat cake.............