So Close, Yet So Far Away- By Phils Prospect Jake Borup
The following is a PhoulBallz.com/PhilliesNation exclusive guest post by Phillies pitching prospect Jake Borup. From time to time, Jake, who was selected in the 23rd round of the 2010 amateur draft by the Phillies out of Arizona State University, will join us to share his thoughts on his life as minor leaguer. To check out my previous interview with Jake, click here.
It’s January 10, and spring training is less than 2 months away. It feels like yesterday I was in Williamsport, getting my first experience as a pro, with guys like Eric Pettis, Garret Claypool, Cameron Rupp. Now as the season approaches I’m excited to get back to Clearwater and be around baseball again. It’s been almost three months since I was last around a clubhouse, a field, or any sort of baseball. My life for the past few months has consisted of working part-time at a nearby golf course in Arizona, golfing, hanging out with family, and enjoying college football and the NBA (Go Suns). And with a great deal of anticipation, I can say that I’m ready for baseball season to start already!
That being said, I still feel like I have a ton to get done. Everyone knows that Spring Training, especially for minor league guys, is a huge competition. For me, I look at it as a competition against myself. I need to be in the best possible shape I can be, so that I can perform and prove that I can pitch. Many of you might not know, but I threw close to 160 innings combined with ASU and Williamsport last year. That is 152 more innings that I had the previous year. Needless to say, I needed a long break to let my arm recover from the burdens of a long year. My plan was to start throwing on December 16th, 2010, but after further evaluation I decided it would be best to wait ‘til after the new year to start throwing. This past week was the first time since October 16th that I threw a baseball. I definitely have a long way to go. If I stick to my daily schedule then I should be good to go by spring training. The best words of advice I have ever received regarding baseball… “It’s a marathon, not a sprint”. As spring training approaches, that is how I’m treating it. I treat every day as a small stepping stone to get me to where I wanna be.
I am very excited to head out to Clearwater and get things going. I got a little taste during the Florida Instructional League in the fall and I enjoyed every second of it. I feel like I have learned so much over the past year and am excited to learn so much more from not only big league guys, but minor league guys who have been around for a while. Pitching is my life. There is no greater feeling than toying with a batter and knowing that you are in control of the at bat. I look forward to building upon my short year last year, with the Crosscutters, and hope all the fans will enjoy watching me pitch. If any of you want to get in touch with me, follow me on twitter @JakeBorup or submit them here. I enjoy responding to questions and if you have one, feel free to ask. Talk to you guys soon. Go Phillies!
