11 years ago, I was pulled off of the field in my hometown in front of all my family and friends, while warming up before the sixth inning. Confused, I jogged off the field and was handed a cell phone at the bottom of the dugout steps.
On the phone was the
@BlueJays
GM letting
15 years ago, I made my first Opening Day start for the Toronto Blue Jays at the ripe age of 21 years old. I will never forget the energy of 50k Blue Jays fans absolutely rocking the Roger Center as I rounded the bases on my first home run of the season.
For the month of April
Returning to Toronto always stirs up a lot emotions from my 6 years in the
@BlueJays
organization.
At the top of that list, is gratitude. I am grateful for all of the people in the organization who supported me throughout the many ups and downs. From the field crew, to the
What an incredible experience coming back to this beautiful city. I spent the majority of my time here struggling with the pressures and anxiety of being a
@mlb
baseball player for the
@BlueJays
. Here is a thread on a few of my take aways.
Excited to fly back to Toronto today to celebrate my old pal
@JoeyBats19
getting inducted into the Ring of Excellence! It was honor to play with this
@BlueJays
legend early in my career and witness all of his hard work and preparation to achieve what he did!
People sometimes ask me.. What is it like to play "Pro Baseball"?
Retirement has brought up a lot of different emotions and memories for me. It's given space to think.
16 seasons in professional baseball. Here is a thread on where it has taken me..
In August 2017, I was traded to the
@Mets
AAA team and back in my old stomping grounds of Las Vegas. Their MLB team was very thin on outfielders and I had put together a solid bounce back season. I was told by a club employee I had made a short list for potential September
About a year ago, I was diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). At the time, I had no idea what that even meant. I only knew PTSD as something soldiers experience after surviving the horrible realities of war.
I have tried to be open throughout my career
18 years ago today, the Blue Jays called to inform me they were selecting me with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft. I will forever be grateful for the Blue Jays Organization for giving me my first chance to play professional baseball and achieve my dream of
Grateful to be standing on Double Day Field with my Grandfather’s glove wearing the
@BlueJays
uniform. I know he and my pops are smiling down!!
#baseballfamily
Absolutely blown away by the response on this post. The most rewarding part of was seeing the deep introspection from so many fans. Compassion and understanding are not the norm on this platform, but you guys killed it on this one. I am truly grateful 🙏
10 years ago (yesterday), I was fortunate to be a small part of
@Pirates
history. For 20 years, Pirates fans suffered through loosing season after loosing season. Pittsburgh is a city that absolutely loves their sports teams, but at this stage disappointment and heart break had
I cannot wait to get back up to TO this weekend for the
@mlb
wild card series. It will be very special to watch the
@BlueJays
, the team that helped me achieve the dream of playing in the
@mlb
, take on the team who inspired that dream, the
@Mariners
.
#playoffs
#octoberbaseball
Been a while since I have seen that Air Canada plane ticket in my e-mail! Excited to be heading back to the six for the
@JaysCare
Golf Classic. Let’s go
@BlueJays
!!
#alumni
Im grateful for baseball as my life's vehicle, but I am no longer defined by stats.
No more hitting streaks or hitless games. Just an opportunity to share my stories.
And hopefully, positively impact more lives with each day I am given.
Sports parents.. do you really think we are doing the best by our children starting them on “competitive” travel sports team at ages 6-8?
Do you enjoy driving 45-90+ minutes around the state just so they can play against some “better competition”?
To all the HS players out there posting your stats after every weekend, I get it.
We as the adults have failed you. We have lead you to believe that this is the path to “success”. To get recruited, drafted, and/or receive love from your friends and family.
Let your game speak
21 years ago my whole world was flipped upside down. I had just finished my freshman season playing varsity football, and my life seemed to be on an upward trend. My family and I were spending Thanksgiving at my Aunt/Uncles house a few hours east. Our Turkey Bowl squad had
Excited for John Schneider to get a shot at the helm for the
@BlueJays
. He went from organizational catcher with a big mouth (great story) to Big League Skipper. Congrats John good luck to you and the boys! Hard work and being a pro has paid off!
There have been a lot of great conversations about mental health in sports. It’s a difficult egg to crack and put into words but let’s keep finding away to normalize this for the next generation. Inside and outside of sports, we’re just a bunch of humans.
I know a lot of kids out there are struggling with the pressure to achieve. JV, Varsity, Summer Ball, D1, D2, D3, JC, draft pick. Maybe this is your last summer, or maybe you will play for many more summers.
Just remember, you are lucky enough to play a sport you love, as long
Who do you guys like to win this weekends
@BlueJays
and
@Mariners
series? Pitching is going to be key for the
@Mariners
to hold off the
@BlueJays
big bats. 20+ year playoff drought meets a packed stadium of hungry Jays. This weekend is going to be electric.
There are few feelings that compare to clinching a playoff birth with your teammates. Properly celebrating the moment is crucial, because it reminds you what you spent the last 10+ months fighting for.
In the regular season, you get programmed to stay even keeled. When you
15 years ago I received my first call up to the
@MLB
to make my debut at the ripe age of 20 years old. At the time, I was the youngest position player in the
@MLB
and second youngest player the legend behind
@ClaytonKersh22
A few days prior, I was told by an Assistant GM that I
Who You Are vs. What You Do.
That’s a deep one.
As a retired
@MLB
player, I have been labeled as “the baseball player” for most of my life by friends, family, and fans. Being a “baseball player” has brought me many blessings and challenges, and I am truly grateful for them
How have youth sports changed in the last 20 years?? We have pushed the “competitive” narrative onto our kids at far too young of an age, before they can really handle it. We have sold our parents on the idea that “if your kid is not playing year round, or for our club team, they
Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this life journey. Specially the people in this city who did their best to give the younger, wilder version of me the best chance to succeed. I got to see a lot of you this trip and I am forever grateful for our experiences together.
Im grateful to the
@JaysCare
for inviting me up here to support a great cause and raise money for the kids. I didn’t realize this trip was going to be so important for healing all the little kids I have carried around inside of me.
On this day in 2018, I thought I had laced the spikes up for the last time as a professional. A lot was happening at home and I was called upon to be apart of something bigger than…
What did 2023 mean to me? I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD, which I had no idea even existed. I was aware I had experienced somethings in my life, but I didn’t realize how many of those experiences affected my conscious and subconscious world.
Mental health to me is gaining a
How do the
@MLB
owners allow Rob Manfred to continue? Bargaining in good faith has never been his strategy. Incredibly proud of the
@MLBPAA
and all the players continuing to fight for a fair negotiation. This should have started back in December!!
#freebaseball
#firemanfred
@TOStevefor3
@BlueJays
Not the fans fault! You guys make the game special. We love passionate fans. It’s on us to quiet all of the noise, and it’s easier said then done.
Am I safe? Am I loved?
Two basic childhood needs that often go overlooked when it comes to youth sports.
The culture of youth sports has become focused on records, stats, titles, national and player rankings for 8U athletes. 8 YEARS OLD.
There are companies out there have
So much of my identity and the love I received was tied up in being a really good baseball player. I couldn’t articulate it the time but I was completely lost. I was scared. I had a lot of shame when I started to struggle and after getting sent down I would never be the same.
Kids out there getting ready to wrap up the summer baseball season.. take some time to write down the things you did really well on the field and in your preparation this season. Include the specific work you put in that helped you execute these at a high level.
Then, create a
So many of those story lines were created by my ego and what I felt like I needed to do to survive. We all have that battle going on inside of us Shame, Guilt, Fear are a real part of being a human. Even if you’re the best in the world at a sport, or business, or whatever.
Unpacking the years of negative energy I have carried with me from my time here has been a journey in its own. I spent so much time worrying about getting sent down and blaming other people when things didn’t go my way.
I felt like I had let the organization, the fans, my family, my teammates, down every time I had a bad stretch. I buried that shame with a lot of different vices and distractions. I battled that til last game I wore a uniform.
Pretty epic behind the scenes tour at the
@baseballhall
. Got to hold Lou Gehrig’s Bat, see Clemente’s 3000th hit hat he wore under his helmet, and Jackie Robinson’s debut scorecard. What an experience! Thanks to all of the staff who made it so special.
I have felt on top of the world. I have felt all alone.
1st Round Pick. A top 10 prospect. 20 in the show. Parts of 8 MLB seasons. 10+ MiLB Seasons. 33 in AAA.
Called Up. Demoted. Injured. Broken. Rebuilt. Recalled. Reassigned. Traded. Traded again. Designated. Released.
9 years ago my wife and I were getting packed up for Spring Training when my agent called to inform me I was being traded from the Pirates to the Orioles..
It was a little different than first time.. Not in the middle of a game/season, in front of my family and friends, against
I announce with a heavy heart it’s time to say goodbye to my first love.. we made some amazing memories together. You were the most reliable thing in my life, until I met my wife
@isaSnider23
😘 I can only imagine how many pounds of meat we shared together, and how many family
10 Organizations. 20+ teams, 100s of coaches, 1000s of teammates.
2 Countries, 38 States, 100s of cities, and 100,000's of fans.
2+ years of my life have been lived inside a hotel room out of a couple suitcases.
Co-workers making 10s of millions, some living pay check to pay check with 1000s in debt.
Men in their 30s with families. Boys in their 20s still being taken care of by their families.
Superstars and potential hall of famers, to guys you will never hear about.
A Rookie and a Vet. Ego Driven and Spirit Driven. A Leader and a Policeman.
Celebrated and traumatized. Loved and Hated. Locked in and lost in slump.
The best player on the team, to the last guy on the roster.
If you are a baseball person please join the challenge of posting a baseball photo. Just one picture, no description. Please copy the text in your status, post a picture and look at some great memories/pictures.
Missing baseball so very much. Greatest game in America!
Into some of the most brilliant minds in professional sports.
To witness some of the hardest working human beings in any arena.
Teammates, Coaches, and Trainers that come from all over the world.
14 year MLB vet Andrew McCutchen on what the HERO experience was like for him as a father of 3. Pick up a copy of the interactive parent guidebook written for youth baseball, softball, and soccer now at the 3A Athletics website linked in the bio.
#youthsports
#youthbaseball
I don’t think the casual fan watching the World Series understands how bad it hurts to foul a ball right off your shin.. Definitely one of the things I am not missing in retirement!!
Welcome to world Tyce James Snider!! Born 5/29 weighing in at 6 lbs 15oz of chubs and love! I am so grateful I could be home for this.
@isaSnider23
was an absolute rockstar and I could not be more proud of my wife.…
I witnessed a 7u flag football coach yesterday telling his team “don’t talk to them, they are the enemy” after one of their players said hello to one of our players before the game. He was actually serious.
Then, he proceeded to not play his player’s equally because it was the
Travis Snider came to the
@BaseballHall
of Fame Classic with his great grandfather’s glove. Head curator
@TShieber
is going to research it for him for details.
Six months ago I didn’t think I would have another opportunity to play in front of my family and friends at home. Thank you to everyone who grinded out that Seattle traffic to get down…
The dog days of August are real.
@MLB
teams are going through one of the toughest months of the season right now.
It’s the 5th month straight of playing almost every single day. Physically, the aches and pains are real and likely to remain until the offseason. Mentally, you
Imagine your on a golf trip with 7 of your boys
@BandonDunesGolf
playing an 8 some at the Preserve Par 3 course. You walk up to the
#6
tee box, 130 yard pin with a hill about 7 paces behind it. You hit a knock down 9 iron about half way up the hill on a perfect line. It spins