so when I started out my career uh 2003 I was 19 years old um which was young for me and uh um I got kind of thrown into the fire I didn't know what to expect um I was leaving home I knew that I was 19 years old I had a little bit of cash in my pocket but I had no idea what the hell I was getting into what I was going to do what I was going to face um but to this day I'm thankful to be brought up in this organization this city and this state um it was it started out a little tough for me at 19 years old uh walking into a house I had no idea who I was walking into uh apparently in proall when you get there you live with host families and my eyes lit up and I was like what um yeah host family that was my first experience in uh Aberdine and I tell you what it was very eye open in experience um the love the uh the acceptance that you felt in the community um I live with two host families one in aine and one in Buoy and uh I have nothing but fond and great memories from that experience um you know as several ball players retired guys in in this room um you know as well as me um minor league life is not a the most the best experience uh among sporting events the uh the travel hotels my God I don't know how we stayed in some of the hotels we stayed in the uh just the travel the grind minor leue 18-hour bus rides bus rides from up here Down to Georgia South Georgia um it's just a it's it's a grueling experience and uh I can't remember if it was my uncle or my dad was probably both of them um I called him up I was like I can't do this I'm done I'm done this is uh not me this is not what I want to do this is uh um I like being home I like being around the family and uh you know there just like give us some time give us some time don't rush anything just uh go about your business do your thing and and you know see how it goes and in this whole process I truly believe um the comfort from Community the fans on a daily basis I was fortunate enough I didn't play in any other state besides Maryland so I played in abine I went to Del Mara and then I played in Buoy and that was it so I was I was a marylander as far as I was concerned and the love and support throughout the years um it grew on me and it all came down to it the end of that season I went back home and I said man that was probably the best decision I ever made was just to stay put and give it a chance and uh you know it was it was it was pretty it it was a tough road but the the the tight-knit community the fans it was just a uh overall great experience um I had a great minor league experience all the way up to the big leagues throughout my career and uh it was a uh just an eye openening experience for a 19-year-old kid and then uh you know after that first season it was the rest was history