By, Connor Walsh

Six years, four air mattresses and 84 locker punches later, my career has finally come to an end. I may not know what it’s like to play in the big leagues, but I’d be willing to bet my floor spot on the bus that my peanut butter sandwich abilities are first ballot Hall of Fame.

Many may not realize the grind of the ol’ minor leagues. It’s kind of like a hand of poker that you are quite confident you can win, only to find out the guy next to you has slow played quad 4’s and you just lost $800 in one hand and you don’t have $800 to lose so you act like its no big deal but you’re secretly broke and your Spring Training per diem was just lost and life sucks. Or at least that’s what I heard it’s like… from a friend I know… it wasn’t me… it coulda been me… it was me.

Point being is that baseball has a funny way of teaching you that what you think you know, is almost always completely wrong. Some may see a career in the minors as a failure to achieve a dream. However, us ball players know living a life by a score card or results just ain’t it. It’s all about who you become in the process.

Napoleon Hill once said, “The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rain and scorching sun.”

I have sucked a whole lot and this game has pushed me to the brink of rocking back and forth in the fetal position, banging my head on the wall listening to “Don’t Worry, be Happy.” Through all of my shortcomings, I’ve come to one unorthodox conclusion about my experiences that will always allow me to succeed: I can fail way better than I used to.

For those who know me, those words probably aren’t that alarming. I think a little different than the average beaver, that’s for sure. For those who are a bit confused, let me explain…

Some think they may have it figured out. Truth is, you don’t. Life throws more curveballs at you than I did when I didn’t know where my fastball was going (every outing). The moment we can accept this simple fact and train ourselves to handle these obstacles, we can start hitting dingers and wearing some tailored Majestic pants and not those generic ones with leftover stains from the last 43 guys.

Monitoring the process of who you become through the failure in this game is huge. Without failing, I would never know how capable I am of pushing through all the tough times in life. This simple skill makes a TREMENDOUS impact. We’re all going to lose whether it be at our jobs, relationships, or locker room poker games. How we handle those failures make us who we are, and if done correctly could give us the confidence to keep moving forward. That’s why failures are awesome, it’s the fuel to success.

Baseball gives you a healthy heaping of it almost every day, and for that I am forever grateful. It molded and taught me more than I could ever ask for not only about life, but about myself. I am a lucky man.

Connor Walsh works in warm ups as a member of the High-A Dash in 2016

The minor leagues are a phenomenal teacher. I’ve had the opportunity to see how some of the current greats in this game operate, on the major and minor league stages and it has been eye opening. It’s funny seeing a guy I think I know off the field, show a completely different side of himself on the field.

Work ethic, confidence, and competitiveness are just a few traits among many others that distinguish these freaks of nature from the rest of society. These players live under a spotlight at all times, live a completely isolating lifestyle away from family and friends, and still find ways to establish fulfilment in their lives.

One thing I was always grateful for in my off-seasons was stability. Not financial stability; I’m talking about fulfilling stability with impacting relationships and not living out of a suitcase, or being on my phone all the time.

Although my playing days are over, I’ll always carry the gratitude of walking into a home that’s in the same spot every day, and seeing/hearing from family on a daily basis. I loved my experience and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I don’t know how I got so lucky to learn such important lessons so early in life.

I obviously have to give thanks to the White Sox for being a great platform for me to compete and learn the last 6 years. I’ve met some awesome individuals, players and coaches alike, and have the utmost confidence in saying that organization as a whole is going to surprise a lot of people very soon. They’re on their way to being an extremely exciting team to watch, and I can’t wait to super glue my old, nasty spring training hat to my head and root on my life long friends.

The White Sox also gave me the opportunity to experience the Latin American culture which is, by far, one of the most fun loving cultures I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing. To my Latin American friends still grinding: buenos suerte mis hermanos! Tuve la suerte de tenerte en mi vida.

Finally, to my family and friends that tenaciously supported me through thick and thin: no words can describe how fortunate I am to have your love. To the coaches who helped me throughout my career: I’ll always be appreciative of your discipline and impact you’ve made on me. Lastly, to the card sharks who bought my cards that are now worth zilch…my bad.

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