I Just Had The Toughest Phone Call of my Career

I just had the toughest phone call of my career.  

As of November 1st, 2022, I will no longer be an employee of the Oakland A’s.  

I’ve coached with the A’s for five years and learned more in those five years than I can summarize.  From the x’s and o’s of coaching to relationship building to living away from home.  I learned how to travel, how to meet new people and at the end of the day, I learned how to grow up.  

I was a poor student.  I struggled with work ethic, consistency, and attentiveness.  Constantly, I was reminded by teachers that my effort was lacking in their eyes.  

They were right. 

I’ll never forget my first Spring Training.  I was so nervous showing up as a 24 year old coach, figuring everyone knew 10x more than I did.  

I was right.  

I remember packing over 50 pounds of textbooks as my “safety net”.  I figured if I simply packed my college education with me, my terrible ways as a student wouldn’t show.  Was I ever wrong…  

As the books gathered dust during my 12 hour work days, I spent the majority of my time getting my butt kicked.  Constantly missing with assessment, programming or simple basic anatomy knowledge.  

I got a phone call from my supervisor following my first season that was along the lines of “what the heck were you doing back there” and “you’re screwing up even the most basic of things”

He was right.  

I’m proud to say I adjusted.  I learned how to work, how to learn and how to work with others.  As the years have gone on with the A’s, I can easily say that I am a far better person now than I was back in 2017 signing my first contract.  

The years have led me to owning a gym, building a life with my partner, Jess and our phenomenal cat, Gracie.  It’s time that I take a little time to be home in Vermont.  To learn from the people near and dear to my heart and maybe pass on a little of what I’ve been blessed to have been given by my department with the Oakland A’s.  

My interest in baseball is as passionate as ever.  Watching 180+ games every year for 5 years didn’t crush my love of the sport.  I still get nostalgic with the smells and sounds and still have ambition to coach ballplayers.   

I’ll miss coaching with the Oakland A’s and I hope to return to the dugout soon.

Thanks for reading