The End of an Era

Dropping Matt off at the airport after he was drafted - 2015

Phew. So many thoughts. So many feelings. If you didn't know, Matt was traded to the San Diego Padres today! I know I haven't published anything in a long time. Honestly, a lot of the things that have happened over the past two seasons are just book worthy. A lot of tears and frustrations and pushing each other to stay strong and keep trusting the process. So those are in the vault for now.

But now that Matt is officially a part of another organization that's not the Dodgers I feel like that deserves a post because I have a lot to say that couldn't simply be posted in a short social media post. 

In 2015 when Matt was drafted, we were so freakin happy. We also had no idea what this journey entailed for us. 

Matt played at every level in the Dodgers system, Ogden, Midland, Rancho, Tulsa and OKC. We met some of our closest friends in that system. We had some of the best times on road trips, sharing apartments, meals, laughs and exploring cities we would have never went to if it wasn't for baseball. 

The people that the Dodgers staffed and the player development in their minor league system is top notch. Matt puts in all the work and has the tools, but I think it's fair to say he wouldn't be the player he is without the help along the way with some of the hitting coaches, mentors, etc. through the system and teaching him how to be a big leaguer. 

Then in 2019, Matt got the opportunity to have his dream come true. Being a big leaguer. I'll be honest when the Dodgers drafted Matt I never thought they would be the team he made his debut with. Too much talent. Too much money to do whatever you want, get whoever you want. Matt earned that debut year and every opportunity that followed. 

A walk-off. Some go-aheads. A grand slam. A ton of RBIs. Almost three years of service time. Three playoff runs. A WORLD SERIES. We've been through more (both good and frustrating) than we could have imagined with the Dodgers.

I can't say enough about how the Dodgers treat their families. I know I have only  experienced one team, but I know it won't get any better. They always make sure the families are right there and involved in everything, and for that, I will always be grateful. I left my career to travel with Matt and experience every ounce of this, and the Dodgers made that easy. 

Thank you to the fans, reporters, SportsNet LA crew, Backstage Dodgers crew, beat writers and the people we met along the way. Meeting people along this journey is one of my favorite parts, and our paths crossed with some real gems. We're overwhelmed with the support we've received from Dodger fans since the DFA last Wednesday. We're grateful for all the stories, packages, etc. that LA gave our fund efforts. 

We're grateful to have been a part of this organization for such a long time. But we're also so freaking pumped for this new chapter!

San Diego has always been our favorite place to go during the season. As always, we don't know what the heck is going to happen, but we're so excited for this new opportunity and fresh start. 

Go Padres! (Is that what we say?!)