​​We’re officially back in the United States after three weeks in the Dominican Republic. Matt was released from the Toros. 
 
Honestly, Matt didn’t get much of chance. He only got 11 at-bats. He went 3-for-11, all DH and most against left-handers. But winter ball especially in the DR and especially with the Toros is all about big league names. Each team can only have 10 imported players on the roster, and the week Matt was released they needed his spot for a pitcher and were also activating Hunter Pence and Yunel Escobar. Matt was the only position player (outside of one of two catchers) of the imported players who doesn’t have big league time. The Toros were struggling to win games (which is all that matters there) so trying a lot of different things. 
 
It also didn’t help that Matt had originally signed a contract for the first half and the Dodgers vetoed that so were lucky to even still get a spot at all. The GM was super nice and said he hopes Matt can come back next year. 
 
At the end of the day, we had a great experience both at the baseball games and at the resort. The resort was beautiful, and the team did everything to accommodate our needs during our stay. Matt got work in for three weeks which was another important thing.

We’ve officially been in La Romana, Dominican Republic for a week now. Matt was officially activated and added to the roster today. The rosters can only be changed every Monday here. He’ll be playing for the Toros del Este. If some of my information is a little off base, it’s because I can’t read the website (LOL) because it’s all in Spanish. 
 
A little background about winter ball, there are several leagues guys can go play for. There are teams in the Caribbean League here in the DR (six teams), Mexico, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. There is also a league in Australia. This is Matt’s first time playing winter ball. Usually guys who were hurt for the majority of the season or guys who need/want more reps go play winter ball somewhere. Another reason is if guys are free agents and want to keep playing to get more/different exposure in hopes of being signed back to a MLB organization or even to a professional team outside of the states. Or even to make some “real” money.
 
Obviously, Matt’s reason is because he was hurt most the season. We knew pretty early on he was wanting to play somewhere. His agent worked his magic and we got pretty lucky with the best set-up in the DR. Most of the time only guys who have big league time or have been coming to play here for years get signed to the DR teams. 

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I’m breathing, guys. I’m good. I have a reaction video to the news uploading. As you can imagine, the Wi-Fi here isn't the fastest so it's taking a while. I was able to upload part of the video on Dreams and Seams Facebook. Watch the video below to see my reaction and the situation we were in when we found out the news.

So yesterday, Nov. 20, the Dodgers added Matt to the 40-man roster! Which means MATT IS ON A MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTER!!!!!!
 
OK so before we all go really crazy, this does not mean Matt “got called up” or will be in the big leagues next season. BUT it’s a huge step in that direction.
 
I’ve explained before each team has a 40-man roster and a 25-man roster. The 25-man roster is the group of guys who are traveling and playing/on the bench each day for the team. The 40-man roster is those 25 plus 15 more. The 15 extra (which one is Matt) can be called up at anytime, make quite a bit more money than normal minor league salary and usually get called up in September when the rosters expand to 40. (If a team wants to call you up and you’re not on the 40-man, they have to make more moves to add you to the 40-man then the 25-man than when you’re on the 40-man already.)
 
So why did Matt get added to the 40-man now? There is a thing called the Rule 5 Draft. In short, any player who has not been added to the team’s 40-man roster before their fifth year in the minors/after four seasons can be picked up/drafted by another team. So the Dodgers added Matt to the 40-man roster to project him from being picked up by another team in the Rule 5 Draft (which is Dec. 13).
 
I hope this all makes sense. I know it’s confusing, and I have to talk through everything like 10 times to really understand it (and sometimes then don’t fully understand.) There are a lot of moving parts in this process. I’m trying my best to explain things as we go through them.
 
The biggest thing the 40-man brings is a real income for all the work Matt puts in and just one step closer to making his debut and being a big leaguer. We’re pumped! And thankful to the Dodgers.

​Greetings from Arizona! Yes, we’re back. 
 
After the OKC Dodgers lost to Memphis in the playoffs, Matt had two days in Tennessee before he was sent back to Arizona.
 
I stayed in TN because my Granddaddy got us tickets to the Vols vs. Florida game. (I should know not to make plays in this baseball life we live in…but I tried.) It worked out because I got to take my best friend Kelsey, and the trip was her first time to Neyland Stadium. Also I got to be in town when my other best friend Jesse had their second boy, Wade. Got to stay in my parents new house — which was the first time I hadn’t stayed in the only house I grew up in. (Shout out to my parents and their loft for housing all our stuff. And it’s A LOT of stuff.) 
 
Honestly, after the past several months, being at the only place I truly call “home” for now was really needed and nice. People at church and other people I ran into consecutive days asked if I had moved back because not used to seeing me that much. HAHA Fair question because I haven’t spent that much time in Dresden since I moved back for the summer before my junior year in college I guess. But no, I didn’t move back. And now Grainger and I are back in Arizona with Matty B.

​Good news: You’ll survive. 
Bad news: You’ll go a little crazy — actually maybe a lot of crazy.
 
For us, rehab is back in Arizona. We love Arizona BUT Arizona during the summer is BRUTAL. The temperatures there are well over 100 which makes it hard to get outside and do anything.
 
The first several weeks after Matt had surgery didn’t entail very much as far as the rehab process. He would go to the field for an hour, two at most which is so short compared to what he is used to this time of year. Our schedule became very opposite of normal baseball schedule. We were going to bed way early (around 9 or 10 p.m.) because at that time we were already trying to entertain ourselves for 10 plus hours. So we were getting up around 7 a.m. and getting breakfast downstairs at the hotel. Matt would head to the field around 8:45 a.m. and be back by 11 if not earlier. Trying to keep ourselves entertained before bedtime was a struggle.
 
Once Matt started practicing, there wasn’t as much down time. But there was still a lot more down time then what we’re used to.
 
Luckily for me, I was working so I had that to keep a little bit of sanity.
 
Once Matt started playing in games, his first game he was so tired because we made the mistake of not getting back on baseball schedule. So a bit of advice for players out there who are rehabbing – once you start practicing get back into the baseball routine, stay up late and get up late. We didn’t do that (mainly because of the boredom leading to an early bedtime) and by game time Matt had been up 12 hours. Whoops. After that game, we got back on schedule and his last two games he looked like himself again.