he's chasing dreams hitting seams.
she's chasing dreams talking sports.
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.
1 Comment
The picture above was taken one week ago… as you can tell, we were back to enjoying baseball life (double chin & all) and felt like Matt was starting to get into a groove. The very next night (Saturday, June 16) Matt was 4-for-4 when he slid into home plate, and his thumb got caught on the catcher’s foot.
He came out of the game. We were optimistic in thinking it was just a strain. Until the swelling didn’t go down for a couple of days. June 19 the Dodgers sent Matt to Arizona to get an MRI — we were still not thinking the worst. The next day Matt got an MRI first thing, and we quickly realized we were dealing with the worst case. A torn ligament. Surgery. 6-8 weeks recovery. We were devastated. Obviously. Cue pity party. On both our ends. We thought we were finally in the clear for this season. Starting to really put the oblique injury behind us. Then it all comes crashing down. I’ll be honest I’m not sure we’re dealing with it well now, a week later. Just in shock and disbelief we’re right back to square one. Matt will have surgery on June 26 to repair the UCL ligament in his left thumb. The doctor says the recovery is 6-8 weeks. The main trainer made the comment Matt can put a wrap on this season. Obviously, Matt wants to try and get back to play the last couple of weeks of the season. But we’ll just have to see how surgery goes and then take rehab one day at a time and go from there. In my last post, we thought Matt was only a week out from being back with the OKC team. I moved everything to OKC, started my job, etc. We thought we had it figured out for the most part.
Then baseball laughed at us right in our faces… Matt was feeling great. Had taken BP multiple days at 100% and had no pain or symptoms. He went to start his game progression in Arizona. First at bat first swing, he was right back to ground zero — even a little worse on the pain scale. I started questioning all the decisions we had made. I can’t believe I’m not there with him to help him through this. People were telling me I was crazy for moving without him. (And maybe I was.) But I like I said in my last post we didn’t have other options and felt it was best…he was going to be back in a week anyway... (Side note: Everyone has a different journey in this life. There isn't a right or wrong way to do things. You do what you think is best for your situation.) Obviously, rehabbing is frustrating. Having an injury is frustrating. Matt having to pay for part of the hotel in AZ, me paying rent and bills in OKC and being a part is frustrating. Watching all your friends be amidst in baseball season and we’re just feeling kind of stagnant is frustrating. Matt got hurt again in the game about a week ago now, and after the first couple of days of the pity party (on both our ends), we talked and decided to change our mindsets. Matt has been through a lot of crap in his baseball journey. From not getting as many offers as we felt he should out of high school, to getting hurt his junior year of college, to not even getting drafted after his junior year and all the other draft nonsense he went through. We felt the same frustrations through those that we do now. But like I told Matt looking back all of those tough times have been blessings. We certainly didn’t see that in the moment but we see that now. Matt has been assigned to AAA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — but he isn’t breaking camp with the team. I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago that Matt had a minor injury. He’s having problems with his intercostal muscle. Last week he got an MRI, and thank the Lord the MRI came back clear. But Matt isn’t 100% yet so they are keeping him in Arizona to rehab and get to 100%. We’re not entirely sure what the timetable (hoping for one week but could be two or three) is for him to be with the team, but we’re hoping for the best!
I am actually though packing up and will soon be on my way to move into our apartment in OKC. By myself. With U-Haul trailer in tow. Prayers are appreciated. We decided I would go ahead and go for a couple of reasons. One our Arizona lease is up at the end of March. Two when Matt is ready to play he won’t have a couple days or even a day to make the trip from AZ to OKC. They’ll fly him out to OKC or wherever the team is playing. So we’ve already signed a lease and have roommates. I already have a job lined up in OKC — Lululemon transferred me! I wanted to include the places where Matt will be playing during the season (granted no send downs or call-up) because I think a lot of our friends and family are going to be happy with a couple places he will be playing. The Oklahoma City Dodgers are in the Pacific Coast League. The PCL has 16 teams that are very spread out which means the team will be flying a lot. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers) – Colorado Springs, Colorado - Security Service Field Iowa Cubs (Cubs) – Des Moines, Iowa – Principal Park Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) – Papillion, Nebraska – Werner Park Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) – Memphis, Tennessee (!!) – AutoZone Park Nashville Sounds (Athletics) – Nashville, Tennessee (!!) – First Tennessee Park New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins) – Metairie, Louisiana – Shrine on Airline Round Rock Express (Rangers) – Round Rock, Texas – Dell Diamond Fresno Grizzlies (Astros) – Fresno, California – Chukchansi Park Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) – Reno, Nevada – Greater Nevada Fields Sacramento River Cats (Giants) – West Sacramento, California – Raley Field Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) – Tacoma, Washington – Cheney Stadium Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies) – Albuquerque, New Mexico – Isotopes Park El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) – El Paso, Texas – Southwest University Park Las Vegas 51s (Mets) – Las Vegas, Nevada – Cashman Field Salt Lake Bees (Angels) – Salt Lake City, Utah – Smith’s Ballpark The OKC Dodgers come to Memphis April 30-May 3 and May 21-24 and Nashville May 25-29 and July 20-22!! Hope to see a lot of you there! If you're going to be in one of the other cities or OKC, let me know! I'd love to meet you. You can see the entire schedule here. I’ll keep you guys posted on when Matt makes it to the OKC! There are around 10 days left of spring training. And yesterday that fact finally hit me, and I had a mini panic attack. We've been in Arizona for six months which is a very long time for us to be in one place. Besides visiting Tennessee for Christmas, Matt going to Georgia and a short trip to California we haven't left Arizona during those six months. We've loved it here, but we're both ready to get baseball season going again. But with that comes the stresses of moving. Plus the stress of we still haven't heard officially where Matt is starting the season. So no, we still don't know where we're heading. And no we don't have a place to live yet. And no I haven't even started packing yet. People that don't understand the baseball life cannot wrap their heads around that whole we're-moving-in-two-weeks-but-have-no-idea-where-we're-going-to-be-moving thing. It is difficult, but we've learned to just go with it. I've called the apartment we stayed at in Tulsa, and they will have units available. And I've called a couple places in Oklahoma City that will have units available. Last spring training, Matt already knew where he was going by this point. His first spring training (2016) he didn't find out where he was going until two days before camp was over. I don't have a very good reason to share as to why they wait so long or when they tell the guys. The Dodgers have several new people in place so I think they're trying to get all the marbles in place if ya know what I mean. Also there are a ton of guys in camp so they're going to be making a lot of releases soon. They have to evaluate the newer guys and all of those things. And I know there are a lot of guys to assign to teams but for guys like Matt they know where they're going to send them so I wish they would just confirm. So for now, I'm trying to get as much in the works as possible for Tulsa and Oklahoma City for when we do know. And trying to figure out if we want to get a small U-Haul and take the little furniture we have with us. Just the usual. Matt was sent back to minor league camp a little over a week ago. He has a minor injury (muscle strain) that has kept him from playing games. But the past two days he's played defense and been swinging off the tee. Everything should be all good; just taking it slow. I gave his stats while at BLC at the end of this post. So just keep Matt in your prayers that he's 100% by the end of camp, and pray for my sanity (and all the other baseball families) as we wait to get our team assignment and move out and in! Stay tuned for the madness coming! |
Matt & Jesica BeatyWelcome in to dreams and seams! A tell-all blog about our career dreams and path to reaching those dreams with some commentary about sports and life plus some videos too. "Strive for the impossible because it makes the possible seem effortless." -Matt Beaty Categories
All
|