FOR NICK - Weekly Motivational Piece - April 19, 2012

Greetings Nick!

In the last few weeks, one person’s baseball career almost came to a screeching halt for insensitive remarks (Ozzie Guillen) while another (Matt Bush) has seemingly ended. The message behind this piece, fellas, is to encourage you to take care of yourself. Your actions by words or with the company you keep can derail your career in a matter of seconds. You have been blessed with precious gifts and an opportunity to create a legacy that history will forever cheer about and reap many financial rewards as a result - that if invested wisely and behaved responsibly - your future family and your kids future families, will never have to work a day in their lives because of the person you became!

For those not aware, Matt Bush was once Major League Baseball’s No. 1 overall draft pick. The year was 2004. The San Diego Padres chose their hometown star. A shortstop primarily and as a pitcher, Bush could reach speeds of 99 mph off of the mound. The Padres chose Bush ahead of Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver and Stephen Drew and gave him one of the richest bonus contracts at the time ($3.15 Million).

Just 18, Bush celebrated his new-found wealth by quickly purchasing a new Mercedes CLS, a Range Rover and a Bentley. He even blew $1,100 on a backpack. Every new purchase gave him a high he couldn’t find anywhere else not even on the baseball field.

However, within two weeks of becoming a pro, Bush was arrested following an incident at a bar and charged with three misdemeanors, felony aggravated assault and cited by police for underage drinking. The Padres took the situation seriously, suspending Bush and considered legal action to void his contract but ultimately refused to let free such a dynamic talent based on one incident.

Bush got off to a very poor start in his pro career – both at the plate and in the field. Soon, he battled injuries that would eventually take two years away from him as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. While rehabbing, trouble continued to followed him. He was arrested from a drunken incident in which he assaulted two San Diego high school lacrosse students and was nabbed by police as he drove away.

Fast forwarding, Bush somehow seemed to get a grip on his personal life. He checked himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center in Clearwater, Florida for a period of time – the same place Texas Rangers’ star Jeff Hamilton found help. Still, because of his relatively young age (24), the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization was willing to give Bush a chance to redeem himself on the field as long as he passed testing for alcohol that the club would administer on a regular basis. He did and in 2010, took to the mound in rookie ball again and quickly climbed up to the AA level in Montgomery, Alabama. During those two years, he struck out 97 hitters in 63 total innings on the hill. That body of work was enough for the Rays to place Bush on their 40-man roster for the 2012 spring camp.

What makes this story so tragic is that Bush was seen as a prospect on the rise and quite possibly would have been the first call-up to the big leagues this summer if he got off to a good start at the Rays’ AAA affiliate. He was just given the assignment in late March to report to Durham, NC, when literally a day or two afterwards he broke his sobriety, got behind the wheels of one of his teammates SUV – still with a suspended drivers license – sought a return to alcohol and proceeded to get into three separate accidents – striking a non-moving car and a street pole before crashing into a 72-year-old motorcyclist. He was arrested with a blood alcohol level of .18 after fleeing the scene of the accident. He remains in a Florida jail today to face multiple charges and possibly years of time in jail.

Matt Bush’s dreams for a big league career are now over and with just $2,000 left in his bank account. Meanwhile, his Rays’ training camp teammate that lent Bush the SUV on the day of the accident, will now have to worry about his future earnings as well. Both he and Bush are subject to a potential civil lawsuit from the injured motorist, who is reportedly seeking millions in damages from both ballplayers.

I am not trying to preach because you need to have fun and enjoy life while experiencing your career dreams. But do be careful. You are – or soon will be – a businessman playing the game of baseball. You are a “brand” and “investment” to a major league organization. One spoken word or one stain can end the dream and siphon away your entire life’s earnings.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND MY FRIEND! MY BEST ALWAYS!

Jim Loria

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“Humanity is the keystone that holds nations together. When that collapses, the whole structure crumbles. This is as true of baseball teams as any other pursuit in life” – stated by Connie Mack, Hall of Famer and longest serving and winningest manager in Major League Baseball history (3,731 wins)

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“Make it a point to be around those with positive energy – people who want what’s best for you, people who understand your goals and priorities” – stated by Rebecca Lobo, one of the all-time greats in Women’s College Basketball

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“It's not about having the skill to do something. It's about having the will, desire & commitment to be your best” – stated by Robert Hernandez, former baseball player

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“Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got” – stated by Janis Joplin, singer-songwriter from the 1960s

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Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com