October 12, 2000

As the cold of winter rapidly approaches, even in Arizona, the end of the season is coming into focus. For me, this year seemed much longer than a normal 365 days, and if I looked back to 365 days from today it is hard to believe what I was doing and how far I have come. The instructional league is almost over with rain coming in buckets and only two games to play. This is my last journal of the year and I decided I should write about what a lot of the players do in the offseason.

There isn't much of an offseason anymore because the competition for spots and jobs on teams is much more competitive. Most players in the minor leagues will work out extensively year-round. Some guys move to places where the weather is warm all year and others will live in the gym trying to improve aspects of their body that were previously considered weak links.

Since this is my first pro offseason, a lot of what I do will be changed and tweaked next year, but right now will split up the three main parts to a players offseason program. The first and most important is rest. Most players have been to work every day for the last eight months. Sure, baseball is a game but sometimes it can feel like work. The mental burnout wears on players and this time is definitely used in order to combat the burnout. Most guys would recommend a wide variety of ways to relax and take your mind off baseball, but let's be honest you could just imagine how 18- to 21-year-old kids would relax. After getting the required rest, most players find it necessary to get a job.

Everyone in the Cactus League talks about what they will be doing to make money in the offseason. They will work at restaurants or tend bar, others will get certified to be physical trainers or give pitching lessons. These jobs will keep guys busy and keep money in their pockets.

I will be busy with a lot of offseason activity. I plan on taking about nine hours of class in various intermesters at the University of Dallas as I have less than a semester to go, while working as an intern in an Internet or communications company. In addition, I hope to convert my ranch to board horses and thus start my first business. Actually I really just want to be like Nolan Ryan and do everything the same as him. He had a ranch and so will I. Thus it would follow, Nolan Ryan threw seven no-hitters and so will I. You see, I don't need anymore college, that logic is impeccable. Anyway, these activities will give me a welcome break from baseball and allow me to start my workouts and next season refreshed.

I will only be taking two weeks off before I begin some form of working out again. The Diamondbacks have an elaborate offseason program that plans out everything we should be doing for every day before spring training. But even with all the days planned out, I will still put a personal touch on a lot of the workouts. My early workouts will involve swimming in the pool and strengthening my hands and shoulders in a bucket full of rice, two activities that are completely different than what I do in the season. It is important to change everything up once and a while because your body adapts quickly to specific exercises. I would guess that I will spend about an hour a day in the gym to start and slowly move up to about three a day. But on December first every year, I begin what is called Rocky IV workout mode. For anyone who has not seen the movie, it is a classic Stallone movie where he trains in Siberia in the cold, snowy weather to prepare to beat the dreaded communists.

Every time I watch the training scene before the big fight I want to go workout. He runs in six-foot deep snow. LET'S GO ROCKY. Anyway, I grow out the full beard just like him and really get after my workouts. It is amazing the effect that a beard can have. I always say that I grow out the beard so I can concentrate on baseball and girls will leave me alone because they don't like the beard. But obviously that would never work. So for the next month to a month and half I will be working out very hard in the weight room and begin throwing a baseball.

At this point it is important to point out that hard work alone will not guarantee success. I have learned a lot about taking my care of body and pitching arm from Tom House and Marty Stajduhar. Working hard is important but so is working smart. I will get my arm back into shape in Arlington under the watchful eyes of Mike Bacsik. By the time spring training rolls around the beard gets shaved and I will be ready to pitch for the upcoming year. Hopefully, I will write more journals next year. It has been very fun to hear from everyone and I hope to keep hearing from you in the offseason.

Will

You can contact Will Rosellini at Rumi54@aol.com.