Jord for Christmas

Does anyone have the hardest time shopping for the man in their life? I feel like my husband always says he doesn't need anything or he doesn't want anything. But where is the fun in that?! I love gifting and I love seeing people's reactions! But this year I think I really nailed it with a unique gift that the husband will love. And I know what you are thinking, why are you telling us his gift before Christmas? Well lucky for me we opened gifts early since we were travelling so I can give you a last minute idea for your dude. You guys. WOOD WATCHES! Have you ever seen them? They are amazing. And he loves that they are unique watches. And I love that they have them for women.

Alright. So let's talk about these men's watches. Adam travels a lot for baseball, and lots of times when they are out traveling he needs to dress nicer. That is why this watch was perfect for him. It gives him an upscale and trendy look without too much effort. And this Conway watch is AMAZING!  The Conway is JORD’s first chronograph watch for men. Which, did you know chronograph watches were originally invented and used for tracking astronomical objects in the sky? This one has a traditional display watch with a stop watch option, which is great for a man always finding new ways to compete with his guys.

Chronograph watches are now popular in aviation, racing, diving, and most athletics where precise time-tracking can be utilized. Many fashion chronograph watches on the market, don’t actually work! They just have the chronograph look on the face, but JORD’s Conway is a true operating Chronograph watch and uses the Citizen Miyota 0S10/0S1A movement. How cool is that? A watch that actually does what it says it will! 

So if you are tapped out for Christmas - then don't even worry about it! JORD has great watches all year long. So now you are one step ahead for the next gift giving time. And you can even get a free gift card by heading here - it just has to be used by February 28th.

Wooden Wristwatch

Big League Spring Training

Another big baseball announcement for Adam means another set of questions from all our friends and family. I love sharing our baseball journey with all of you - and honestly these posts after big announcements are some of my favorite to write. Because that means that people are asking questions about what we are going through and they want to learn about life in the baseball world. And more than anything, it means they care about what is happening with my sweet husband, Adam! Last week I shared this post on Instagram and I have received even more questions - once again - so I wanted to fill you in on all the details of what it means to be invited to Big League Spring Training.

Since the Diamondbacks officially announced it I guess I can too! After three minor league seasons, five different teams, three All Star selections, two instructional league invites, one Arizona Fall League invite, and 16 months spent apart from my husband we are extremely pumped that Adam got an invite to Big League Spring Training! It's been a great adventure so far and I cannot wait to see what comes next. Congratulations @skinnymill!

A photo posted by Deidre Miller (@deidreemme) on Jan 11, 2016 at 5:05pm PST

A photo posted by Deidre Miller (@deidreemme) on Jan 11, 2016 at 5:05pm PST

Didn't he already go to Spring Training?

Yes he did. Adam goes to Spring Training every year before the season starts. So this will be his third time heading down to Arizona to get ready for the season ahead. The first year was really great because we were in Arizona when he went but last year and this year Spring Training adds a little extra time to our length apart. The last two years Adam got invited to what is called early camp - which is an invite only pre-spring training camp. Usually the organization sends their potential prospects that weren't invited to Big League camp there. But basically - everything I am saying right now leads to the same answer. Yes, Adam goes to Spring Training every year. It is just part of baseball.

Then what does it mean to go to the Big League Spring Training?

Big League Spring Training is also invite only. There are about 70 men invited to Big League Spring Training - forty of them are current on the Big League roster, or the active 40 man. Then every organization is able to invite top prospects from their pool of players to Big League Spring Training Camp. So in Adam's case - he was one of the prospects invited to the Arizona Diamondbacks Big League Spring Training. He will play with major league players in the major league Spring Training stadium. The whole idea of behind being invited to Big League Spring Training is to give guys an opportunity to play at the higher level - that way organizations can see how they do at that level of play and get an idea of what needs to be fixed and adjusted to move them up eventually.

Then what does that mean for Adam?

For Adam it means he will report a week or so earlier than normal. He will get to be in the Big League locker room, he gets a nicer jersey, he gets to be a part of Fan day - all those sorts of things. Basically he gets a major league player's experience without actually being on the 40 man or 25 man roster. It also means he was one of 23 non-major league players invited to the Big League camp. That is right, only 23 guys not currently on the 40 man were invited in the Diamondback Organization. So it is a huge deal for Adam! It means that he did something this past season that the organization was impressed with and they would like to see him again.

Does that mean he made the Arizona Diamondbacks then?

Technically, Adam is already part of the Arizona Diamondbacks Organization. He was drafted by them in 2013 in the 20th round. So unless he was traded, if he were to make it to the Majors it would be with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Currently he is a minor league players and plays with one of their minor league affiliates. But being invited to the Big League Spring Training Camp is the next step to potentially making the team. However non-40 man players can be cut and moved back to the minor league side at any time during Spring Training. In fact, they make cuts once a week. So we are hoping that Adam's hard work pays off and he stays in with the major league club team as long as possible. If he stays on until they release their roster he has the opportunity to make the official 25 man roster for the Arizona Diamondbacks right out of Spring Training.

Where is Spring Training at?

Spring Training is in Arizona and Florida. For the Diamondbacks specifically it is held in Scottsdale, Arizona at Salt River Fields.

How can I watch him? What games will he pitch at?

This is a great question. There will be some games on TV, some will be just on MLB.com. You could also make the roadtrip to Arizona to watch him live. Which would be awesome! Adam always appreciates support from our friends and family. Generally speaking with guys that come out of the bullpen, like Adam, you never know when they will pitch. You just have to wait and hope they get in on a day you are watching. During Spring Training, they like all the guys to get time pitching live so they will assign them games and innings. Adam will usually find out the day before or the day of that they plan for him to pitch.

How long is he gone for?

Adam will be gone for about 7 months. The first month and a half will be at Spring Training. Then from about the first week of April until Septemberish - give or take depending on his team and their chance at playoffs - he will be in season. So once he leaves for Spring Training he is gone until the season is completely over - he doesn't have any breaks to come home for the most part unless he doesn't make the All Star team. But I always hope he does his best and makes the All Star team, so we will just pretend he doesn't get any breaks.

If I didn’t answer a question you have, feel free to ask! Basically these are the handful of questions I have been asked since the announcement of Adam getting the Big Leagues Spring Training invite. We are taking this journey one step at a time and can't wait to see what this season will offer us! I said it last baseball Q&A post, but I will say it again. It is crazy to me how much goes into baseball and how many options there are for your regular season – then add in all the off season options and your mind will be blown. I am just excited for the opportunity for Adam and I to work towards our goal to be a permanent part of the Diamondbacks family.

Fall League

Baseball is a world of it's own. There is so much that isn't known upfront unless you have followed the ins and outs of the baseball world for years and years. And even some people I talk to that are die hard baseball people don't know the intricacies of the sport. They know that they love their team and that baseball season lasts from the start of Spring Training and goes until playoffs and the World Series. They know that there is a minor league system with Single, Double, and Triple A. They know that they have prospects... but what about the rest of it? There is so much more. Last week I posted this photo on my Instagram and I have received a lot of questions since then. So I thought I would share with you what the Fall League is all about.

It's an incredible feeling to get a photo from Adam of his very own professional baseball jersey with his last name on it hanging in his Fall League locker. It makes it even better that it is our name on the back of the jersey because becoming a professional player isn't just his dream, it's our dream. And if that means I stay home and work while we work towards our dream, that's okay. And moments like this make it more okay. Small wins and small victories on our way to the Bigs. Now go kick some Fall League booty, Adam!

A photo posted by Deidre Miller (@deidreemme) on Oct 12, 2015 at 5:55pm PDT

What is the Fall League?

So I am pulling this straight from the Arizona Fall League website, "There are six teams in the Arizona Fall League: the Scottsdale Scorpions, Mesa Solar Sox, Salt River Rafters, Glendale Desert Dogs, Peoria Javelinas and Surprise Saguaros. These club names were picked by Major League Baseball as reflective of the Southwestern desert traditions in the state.

The teams are broken into two divisions, East and West. Each Major League Baseball team sends six top prospects to the Arizona Fall League, 180 players in all. The games are played in the Spring Training stadiums used by the Giants, Mariners, Padres, Cubs, A's, Royals, Rangers, D-backs and Rockies.

How good are the players in the Arizona Fall League? The 2014 All-Star Game in Minneapolis featured 36 AFL alums. Nearly 60 percent of all AFL players make a Major League roster, with an incredible 212 All-Stars, 12 MVPs, four Cy Young Award Winners, three World Series MVPs, 66 Silver Sluggers, 58 Golden Gloves, and 25 Rookies of the Year.

Each August, Major League clubs hold a position draft to determine the players who will go to Arizona. Most are Double-A and Triple-A Minor League players. Each club can opt to send one player considered a Class A player."

So basically to sum it all up - it is an invite only league for top prospects in every organization. Mostly made up of upper level players, you have to be high enough in the ranks to even be considered for a Fall League invite. Once the guys are selected they all come together to create prospect teams that play each other for 6 weeks straight. During that time the guys are able to get a feel for what it will be like to play at the Big League level because all of the guys have what it takes to potentially be in the Majors within the next year or so.

So that is a good thing to get invited to the Fall League?

Absolutely. My favorite description of the Fall League is on their Twitter page, "MLB created the Arizona Fall League in 1992 to serve as an off-season “graduate school” for top prospects." Things like overall health and innings played get taken into consideration when they are selecting, so some of the organization's favorite might not end up going, but overall an invite to the Fall League shows that the Organization has you on their mind. They want to see what the guys can accomplish. And in my opinion, that is a great thing.

Where does he play at?

Adam's team - Salt River Rafters - have their home base at the Salt River Fields. That is where the Diamondbacks and Rockies are for Spring Training. Every year the Salt River Rafted swap between the two organization's big league locker room and this year they are in the Rockies' locker room. They have games at a few other facilities throughout the Phoenix area but his home base is Salt River fields.

How long is he gone for?

He is gone for about 2 months total. Adam left October 1st for practice and training. His games started October 12th. And his final game of the Fall League will be November 21st. Which means I get him home just in time for the holidays.

Does that mean he will get invited to the Big Leagues next year?

There is no guarantee with anything in baseball. But if he does well at the Fall League then there is a good chance he will be heading to Big League Spring Training. And then once again, we will see from there. If there is anything I have learned during baseball it is to always work hard and never get your hopes up. Something can chance in the matter of seconds and you can only hope for the best and plan for the worst. Whatever happens we know that it is because it is supposed to be. Adam works hard and hopefully all the hard work pays off for the move up to the Bigs!

If I didn't answer a question you have, feel free to ask! The Fall League is something I didn't even know existed until last year when Adam mentioned that maybe next he would have a chance to get invited. And here we are in the next year and he is at the Fall League. It is crazy to me how much goes into baseball and how many options there are for your regular season - then add in all the off season options and your mind will be blown. I am just excited for the opportunity for Adam and I to work towards our goal to be a permanent part of the Diamondbacks family.

The Husband of a Blogger

Being the husband of a blogger is an experience I never thought I would have. When I began dating Deidre, my exposure to the life of a blogger began step-by-step, blog post by blog post. I would assist in taking pictures of outfits and activities that Deidre had done. After we got married, in addition to signing a marriage certificate, I also signed a lifelong commitment to one of the scarcest breeds of men…the Husband of a Blogger.

In addition to the normal manly activities that men take part in, the husband of a blogger takes part in many other weekly activities. The experiences, life and benefits of being the husband of a blogger are listed below.

Assisting in picking out outfits. A few times a week, the husband of a blogger is required to assist in picking out outfits for outfit posts. Never before have I been trained in fashion, especially women’s fashion. But, my expertise comes in handy when it comes time for outfit posts.

Never a lack of pictures for social media. Lots of times, regular men struggle to find pictures of their significant other for #WCW or #TBT. A selfie of their significant other may be a little too typical to put on Instagram or Twitter. The husband of a blogger has more than enough pictures to choose from. “Oh, it’s #WCW, let me pick out a picture from 200 pictures that she took this week!” Different outfits, different jewelry options and different shoe options make choosing a picture for #WCW a very fun experience.

Part-time photographer. The husband of a blogger may as well add ‘Semi-Professional Photographer’ to his resume. Taking pictures is no longer as simple as “point” and “shoot”. Once a week, the husband of a blogger throws the camera bag one arm with a bag full of outfit options in the other arm. Thanks to expensive cameras, my sub-par photo taking skills have been complimented by many.

Free food. When was the last time Deidre and I have spent more than $100 of our own money when grocery shopping? Well pretty recently at Costco but that’s because we had no other option than to buy toilet paper, tortillas, chips, cheese and muffins to feed a small army. Besides that, we rarely spend our own money on groceries, and it’s amazing! Campaigns make it so we get to try new foods and new recipes, all while we are getting paid to eat them! It’s one of the best win-win situations I’ve come across.

Trying new things. Many people struggle to find new things to do. The monotony of going to dinner and a movie gets old. Not a blogger and her husband. A few times a month we are trying new restaurants, plays, and other events and getting paid to do it. Just last month we went to a whole-in-the-wall comedy theatre and loved it! Very rarely do we not have new things to try out.

Free clothes. During the offseason, I would open the mailbox, peer inside, and see two packages for Deidre. The next day, I would peer inside and see one more package. And the weeks continued of receiving packages. The best part is what was in the packages. Free clothes! All that has to be done is take a picture and post it on the blog. For most girls, spending money on clothes may come as being the biggest monthly expense. For a blogger, “Buying clothes? Who does that anymore?”

Late night blog sessions. One of the more stressful realities about blogging are the deadlines. Similar to finals week, ‘Blog Crunch Time’ is a thing. Most Sunday nights are spent sitting next to my blogger, supporting her while she frantically creates blog posts for the coming days. I ask if I can help but my expertise are in the wrong industry.

Being the husband of a blogger is no simple task. It requires a skill set only learned through experience. Would you recognize us if you came across us in the street? Probably not. Do you wish you had a wife that was a blogger? Probably yes! And as the days, weeks, and years pass, I will always be the husband of a blogger.

Skinny Mill Update

I figure it is high time I share another update about Mr. Skinny with you all. A lot of people are really confused when I say things like, "I don't do much because I am home alone." Or maybe something like, "I have all the time in the world because Adam is gone - so give me a call!" Because over the last month or so I have been posting photos with him. Well. That is because he was home for about a month. If you didn't know. Adam is a minor league player in the Diamondbacks Organization. I guess that is where this whole thing needs to start for the new readers, right?

Traditionally the summer baseball season goes from April until September. So every year Adam will be shipped off to some far away - sometimes not so far - town in Indiana, California, Alabama, or Nevada. This year he has been playing in South Bend, Indiana for the South Bend Silver Hawks. He left at the very end of March with plan on returning at the end of season. Well, as we all know, plans change. On May 15th Adam was up to start - he is a pitcher and was in the starting rotation so every 5 days he opened up the game. The few games before he had been telling me how his arm felt weird, but he was still rocking and rolling so we figured it was just season deadarm. Then in the 2nd inning Adam said he felt a "pop" and his entire arm started to throb. I cannot explain to you the anxiety and fear while you wait to hear from your husband as he gets pulled from a game due to an injury. After meeting with the trainer he took a few minutes to call me. And while I cried a lot it was good to hear from him and hear what was going on. Over the next few days they worked on his arm, did some strengthening, and waiting for some pitching swelling to go down to they could do an xray. It looked clean but his arm wasn't 100% so they sent him to Arizona for a little R&R - rest and rehab. And also for an MRI because they were thinking he tore his labrum.

Needless to say, I was SO happy to have my husband home. And without having to pay for his flight. It was like a gift. And something I really needed. I missed that kid. After a week of rest he got an MRI and we waited anxiously for results. He was ALL CLEAR! He just had some inflammation but nothing was torn. What a blessing. When he called to tell me that I could not stop smiling. What a huge weight was lifted from our shoulders. But then we still have a month of rehab coming after that rest. So for the next month I got my baseball husband home and he got to strengthen his arm here at home. After a few weeks in a program and then being moved to the bullpen for a few games he was back to Skinny Mill. And he struck out six guys in only three innnings while playing in the AZL league.

At the beginning of July he got sent back to South Bend. And that is where he currently is - unless the team in on the road. They left him as a bullpen guy so he pitches one or two innings every three days instead of six or seven innings every five days now. Since getting back out there he has pitched 8.1 innings with 6 strike outs and a 0.00 ERA. I am really hoping that I didn't just jinx him by typing it all out, but I am a proud wife! He is working hard and I am missing him terribly. But I can't wait to see what comes from this season of hardwork. And I am looking forward to going to visit him next month!