Sad to Say Goodbye, but everyone has to!

Cut day just occurred all over Minor League Baseball, it wasn't the first day of cuts, and it won't be the last. It's not a fun day for anybody, because no one ever knows who's going to be next.

You think that because you were taken in the draft the year before you should probably get a pass, but that isn't the case, no one is ever safe.

I'll now take you on the majestic journey, known as my cut day, which was bad but also good.

As I got to the clubhouse their was a different feel to the day. Guys were excited about finally leaving for their assignments (remember we had been practicing and scrimmaging since regular Spring Training, without pay, before we reported to short-season teams). The guys who were driving up to Kingsport, TN were allowed to leave early that day, because it took roughly 6-7 hours to get there.

I was one of those guys (the Mets gave everyone who rode in the car a boatload of money for gas, and I wasn't passing up a chance to get 300 dollars for riding in a car), everyone who was driving, even the passengers, had directions in their lockers. Mine was empty, not to worry right, nah I was real worried. Professional organizations don't mess something up like that, I knew my time was coming to an end.

I professed to everyone in the locker room what was happening, in a somewhat happy tone. Then I got called into the office by Mike Defelice, and I knew what was coming. The Field Coordinator was their and he tells me to shut the door. I expected this day from the day I was drafted, but it always seemed in the distance, not this early!

"Doug, this is the toughest thing someone has to do, but the organization has decided to release you" the entire time this is happening Difelice is shaking his head (Mike was in my corner for the short time he knew me, he loved me, I loved him). They ask me if I have anything to say (I told them that it would be good if Adam Wogan, the Minor League Director, would have had the balls to release me, and they understand my anger), after I thank both of them for everything, I begin to lightly cry. This baseball thing just might be over for me. How I have disgraced my family, friends, and town, I felt like a failure.

I leave the office, and my teammates already know what happened. Most of the American Guys aren't around (because their hitting in the cages) so it's mainly latin guys. I was touched over how many of the latin guys approached me to tell me good luck (It sounded like Goo Luakk).

The American guys begin to funnel back into the clubhouse and they understand what happened. One by one, they pay their respects to my short pro career, remembering stories of the times we spent late nights in alcoholic social situations, we never reflect on any of our playing memories (because pro players just don't talk about that stuff, do you talk about your job to other employees at your work, when your outside of work, I hope not).

This getting released thing sucks, but my morning is chugging along. I say bye to the training staff, especially Ryan, his magical hands kept my 40 year old man body, pristine (not that way people, he gave good massages, umm..that still came out bad). I make my way out of the clubhouse with my cell phone in hand, to make the phone call home, informing my parents I would be home that night.

It was terrible, my mom and dad both started crying over the phone and that made me tear up a bit more. Not fun, you go from the best day of your life being the day you got drafted, to the worst being the day you get cut, it sucks. As I sit outside and watch all my friends go back on the field for one more workout before they leave (the guys flying had to stay and practice one more day), every coach who was left down there came up to me and gave me their contact information in case I ever needed anything. I still talk to most of them regularly. Each one came up to me and told me, that I shouldn't have been one of the guys to be cut, because I had more years left on my engine.

My stuff was packed and I was ready to leave St. Lucie, Florida behind. I turned in my uniform to our equipment manager, and he gave me some parting words that have stuck with me "If you love this game enough, you can go down a view different roads to get back into it or give back to it. This might be the last day with the Mets, but it's the first day of the rest of your life as Doug McNulty, former Met, and future???" He was right, very right.

I left the locker room but noticed I left a pair of batting gloves hanging up, as I went back to get them, I noticed Timmy Smith, pitcher from North Carolina shaking his head at me. "You take these Timmy, keep them until your day comes, then pass them on to somebody else." Timmy just passed those batting gloves onto another player because he was released Tuesday.

On the plane trip home I vegetated with my I-Pod on and listened to some hurting music, trying to feel sorry for myself. I really felt like a failure, because I lasted one actual playing season and two years with the Mets.

As I greeted my parents at the airport I could tell they were very upset, but I gave them a funny story and I showed them that I was ok. My cell phone began to blow up with people calling and texting about how proud they were of me for what I did, but I still felt like a loser.

A few days later I played an Indiana County League game and the epiphany of a lifetime dawned on me. My equipment manager was right, I was happy around baseball no matter what level it was. A few days prior I was practicing with the future of the Major Leagues, on this day I was playing with misfits and rejects (I myself one of those), but I was still happy.

Seems the recent cut day that occurred in the Mets organization will bring me, and my friend Timmy Smith, back together, because Timmy is playing for the Washington WildThings of the Frontier League. Crazy how things work out, isn't it?

Who knows, not this summer, but maybe next summer, you'll see old Douglas J. back in a professional baseball game, until then just remember this.

It's sad to say goodbye, but everyone has to!

P.S. THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE MOST EMOTIONAL POST EVER...TAKE THAT TO THE BANK!