Although I was pretty much taken hostage by my colleague Teddy Klein over the last couple days or so, I can’t deny that I needed the relaxation and had a wonderful time with him and his family. I did, however, miss the chance to get a personal thank you up to our readers and talk about why I’m so thankful to be writing about baseball every day.

I love baseball. There’s no other way to put it or phrase it, as if it was necessary. I don’t think I’ll ever find myself as attached to a sport, and I say that as a follower of cricket, football and basketball as well. But as I talked about with Teddy, I also appreciate growth and progress — even in small increments. I don’t believe in discouraging people who are making small progress — because it is progress nevertheless. It almost goes double for our minor league players — I might come off as if I’m going easy on them, but all I want to do is encourage them, not ruin their confidence.

I’ve never been a prospect and I never will be. So I respect these players — a lot. I want to hear about their journeys, talents, ups, downs, and who they are… and through MMN, I have found people that share that desire with me. There’s more to covering the Minor Leagues than just reading scouting reports and talking about the players that could end up on the MLB team soon. Each player has a story to tell — and the best part is that most of them are willing to tell it at any time if you treat them with respect.

So to loyal readership, friendly players, a top-notch team of writers, and the beautiful game of baseball, I can only repay what each has done for me with my eternal gratitude. So thank you all. Being able to study and talk about the bright futures of young men with great character is a privilege that I do not take for granted.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 🙂 I’ll be back to writing more analysis type stuff later today, but I didn’t want to let this opportunity pass.