Rising Stars All-Star Game Recap
I played in the Arizona Fall League’s Rising Stars Showcase on Friday night at Surprise Stadium. It was a very exciting and intense game. We got off to a good start when we scored four runs in the second inning – Josh Reddick (OF/BOS) and I each hit two-run home runs off Phil Hughes (RHP/NYY) to give our team an early lead. Our starter, Tommy Hanson (RHP/ATL), continued his dominance in the desert – he had seven strikeouts in three scoreless innings. Ultimately, we lost the game 7-6 with the National Division winning on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 9th inning. Regardless of the outcome, I enjoyed getting to know more guys from around the league and it was a great overall experience. Thank you to everyone who came out to the game – heard there were close to 3,000 fans in attendance.
Well, we start Week 4 tomorrow. I cannot believe we are almost halfway done with the Fall League. I am really enjoying the AFL and am just going to try to finish the season strong and use the remaining time I have out here to work on my game. This is the most I have ever played in a single year, but I feel good physically and mentally and am in no hurry for the season to end. There will be plenty of time to rest after the Fall League before I start to get ready for spring training. In the off-season, I will live and workout in Houston, TX. Houston is home, my parents and one of my older brothers still live there and several major and minor league players living in or around the area work out together just north of Houston at the Tomball Sports Medicine Center – the program is led by a guy named Dennis Fay and he is great at his job.
Well, that’s about all I have for now. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like for me to talk about anything in particular – ideas are greatly appreciated because even great bloggers like myself (joking) experience writer’s block every now and then.
Take Care,
Chad
Padres in the AFL 
Since you brought it up Chad, what does your offseason workout program look like? Do you focus on cardio or strength training (or both), and what kind of exercises do you do? Thanks!
-Melvin
My San Diego Padres blog
We definitely do both strength and cardio training every off-season. We work on our core strength, quickness, speed, agility – every off-season we are basically trying to get bigger, faster and stronger.
If you have spare time, what do you like to do in Arizona?
Kaybee-http://kaybee.mlblogs.com
In my spare time, I like spend time with my teamates in a more relaxed and social atmosphere. After day games, we usually just go eat at one of the many fine restaurants in Peoria or North Scottsdale. I definitely try to watrch football on t.v. on the weekends and many players like to go to Fashion Square Mall in Old Town on Sunday.
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog each week – thanks for the insight into your experience playing in the Arizona Fall League. My question is … how are the pitchers different (or what do they do differently) in the upper levels of the minor leagues compared to A-ball and even the pitching you saw in college?
The pitchers in the upper levels and in the Fall League are definitely better overall. Specifically, they have sharper breaking balls, more sink and cut on their fastballs and they all seem to have greater command of all their pitches – they are not afraid to throw any pitch in any count.