Some months ago I got a opportunity that i thought I would never get for a very long time. When a good friend of mine was accepted to play minor league baseball for the Houston Astros organization, I thought that as a friend I would help him the best I could. I was able to publish two articles on him, one was a article on his past and present with baseball and him as a person. The other was the big announcement to when he finally became an astro and finally made his dreams come true. On that note of dreams coming true, when an opportunity came true for me to finally get my name noticed outside the state of Florida, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Besides writing, I have tried to move into the world of photography and take photos that I wanted for the respect of their quality and authenticity. I was able to do such and a local newspaper in Connecticut wanted me to send one of my photos to them showing this such friend and baseball player. This paper that asked me was The Hour, this baseball player/friend was Brett Phillips, and the photo posted below is the photo that was published out of state. Check it out I will also have the article posted as well.
Photo courtesy of Brad Richardson/Seminole Beacon
Bloodlines and Baselines -- Player with familial connections to Norwalk looks to make it with the Astros
Posted: Sunday, July 1, 2012 9:45 pm
By BOB BIRGE
Hour Correspondent | 1 comment
Welcome to rookie ball, kid, baseball's version of boot camp.
Arrive at the ballpark at 6 a.m., practice until 10, followed by a nine-inning game at noon and arrive home at 4 p.m.
That is the daily routine that Brett Phillips -- whose father Brett James Phillips grew up in Norwalk and still has relatives in the city -- has encountered since joining the Kissimmee Astros, Houston's team in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.
And he is loving every minute of it.
"It's definitely something I'm going to have to grind out and get used to," said the 18-year-old Phillips, who was chosen by the Astros with the first pick in the sixth round of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft out of Florida's Seminole High School. "Other than that, it's been awesome. It's always been something I wanted to do and it's been a dream of mine."
That dream came true when he signed with the Astros on June 11. Phillips, who reported to Kissimmee the next day, received a signing bonus of $300,000. A clause was written into his contract stipulating that the Astros would pay for his future college tuition.
After a slow start, Phillips went 3-for-3 in a 3-1 loss to the Marlins last Thursday and was second on the team in hitting (.295), first in slugging percentage (.581), second in hits (9), first in total bases (12) and first in walks (8) through 11 games.
By BOB BIRGE
Hour Correspondent | 1 comment
Welcome to rookie ball, kid, baseball's version of boot camp.
Arrive at the ballpark at 6 a.m., practice until 10, followed by a nine-inning game at noon and arrive home at 4 p.m.
That is the daily routine that Brett Phillips -- whose father Brett James Phillips grew up in Norwalk and still has relatives in the city -- has encountered since joining the Kissimmee Astros, Houston's team in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.
And he is loving every minute of it.
"It's definitely something I'm going to have to grind out and get used to," said the 18-year-old Phillips, who was chosen by the Astros with the first pick in the sixth round of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft out of Florida's Seminole High School. "Other than that, it's been awesome. It's always been something I wanted to do and it's been a dream of mine."
That dream came true when he signed with the Astros on June 11. Phillips, who reported to Kissimmee the next day, received a signing bonus of $300,000. A clause was written into his contract stipulating that the Astros would pay for his future college tuition.
After a slow start, Phillips went 3-for-3 in a 3-1 loss to the Marlins last Thursday and was second on the team in hitting (.295), first in slugging percentage (.581), second in hits (9), first in total bases (12) and first in walks (8) through 11 games.
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