Intro: What is Inside the Lines?

Welcome to Inside the Lines. Put simply, this is one college baseball player's attempt to present our day-to-day lives as student-athletes. From the grueling offseason workouts to the stresses of conflicting games and tests to media pressure to the joy of competing in front of strangers, over the next year I plan to chronicle my own personal journey through these highs and lows.

I have two reasons for starting this project. First of all, for much of the public, college athletes are but transient carriers of school colors and tradition. College teams are followed because of the connection the fans feel to the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back. Every year, the seniors graduate, the new freshmen carry the gear, and the cycle of renewal begins again for the players; the fans, however, maintain their focus on the program, and recent graduates immediately fade out of the consciousness. While there are many aspects of this system that are positive, it seems to me that it has a dehumanizing effect on the athletes themselves. They are transformed from unique individuals into faceless uniforms. If we were exposed to the athlete's side of the story more often, I think we would do a better job of remembering that those colors that we cheer for and yell at and support and boo are worn by people.

The second reason is far more selfish. I'm about to embark on something that I don't want to forget about, and this will help me to preserve this story for my own sake. Chances are this will make for interesting reading someday.

Furthermore, my personal history should provide an interesting perspective on this experience. You see, I've graduated already. I've been through this whole process; I've been a gear-carrying rookie, a solid team component and role-player, a team captain, the face of our media guide, and a graduated senior. I have a deep appreciation for the life cycle of the college athlete, an unwillingness to play my last inning, and a loophole that has allowed me one more shot.

I did not play my freshman year because of a throwing injury that eventually required reconstructive surgery on my right shoulder. That left me three more years to play, since non-scholarship-supported college is expensive. I decided to attend graduate school, at a new institution, which leaves me eligible to play for one more year. So here I am, a rather unlikely breed: a 22-year-old walk-on freshman/grad student.

For purposes of personal and institutional privacy, I won't mention names of schools or people. My old school was a very highly regarded academic institution with Divison III athletics, and our baseball program is a perennial Top 25 selection. I majored in engineering, and in doing so averaged writing about a paper and a half every year. I apologize if my writing is overly analytical or sequential; I'm afraid that's often how my mind works. I am continuing in engineering in graduate school, a school with Division I athletics that made the NCAA Tournament last year. I suspect I will often comment on the differences between these two programs, since they are my only reference points.

I'm sure I've forgotten several important points, but I will include them as they become relevant (and as I remember them). Read on and enjoy.

--Your Loyal Baseball Scribe