NORTH – 1

Regardless the next direction, you break north at the end of spring training. Well, at least that’s what the top guys do.

Luckily, you don’t have to be a top guy to break north with the top guys. They take 25 of us and I’ve been good enough and lucky enough to serve as the long man for a couple of years.

I’m stretching a couple, but you have to do things to make yourself feel good.

The real name of the day is Find An Apartment. Depending on the city you’re headed to, that can be anything and it’s at all levels. While the top have the finances to pay for what they want, try doing that in a brand new town on a minor-league invite salary.

Well, it is better than trying to do it and return to something that isn’t fun. This is fun for me everyday that I get to do it and I’m happy I can.

I’ll be sad when I can’t, but I’m living in the moment.

And the moment I realized that thanks to stinginess, strict savings and a Spartan lifestyle, my original signing bonus and a couple of  years working afforded me the ability to live in a hotel full time; it turned me into a spectator for Find an Apartment Day.

In an effort to save the little money they have, it’s routine for minor league teammates to become roommates. While it’s logical since everyone is together, it is still strangers living with each other due to a shared interest.

Just like college.

I got signed right out of high school, so only can go by what I’ve seen in PG-13 movies like ‘Animal House’ and ‘How High’. Technical college classes are way more serious and useful, but most don’t have dorms.

So the only thing I can compare with are random guys that tell the same story twice in the same week, then describe someone else who does exactly that.

And all I can think about it,

”Can I screw the girl you’ve just mentioned?”