The Matt Hillman Story: Part Two

By: Gavin Ewbank 

For most athletes, the offseason is a time for rest, training and preparation for the next upcoming campaign. For Matt Hillman, he did all of those things, but in his own special way.

When we last met Matt back in May, his team had just finished up it's season, while his had ended a long time before that with one lone nine pitch outing.

Matt told me before the summer that his offseason plans included some "running here and there, and some golf." He also told me that he was planning to take a family trip to Texas.

But as you would expect, Matt wasn't as much of a man of his word.

"Before I left for Texas, I sat around all day." he said. " When I was in Texas, I did some occasional long tossing with my cousin, and some throwing off the mound. When I came back [to Florida], I continued to sit around all day."

While sitting around might not sound like much, for Matt, sitting around on the bench during games was something he was use to last season. Luckily for Matt, he's got a sense of humor about his long, boring season, saying, "I might bring my own seat pad this year. You know, it'll say 'Matt's Pad' on it."

Matt's nine pitch outing may not be something he'll ever be able to forget, but he's still moving forward, preparing himself for the 2014 spring season. He's even got his target goals set.

"I'd like to officially record an inning pitched. I don't want to have to play an inning in the outfield, get a pinch-hit at-bat, or pinch-run on the bases. Any stiff like that."

He reiterated to me that all he wants to do is pitch. But then again, any playing time is a desired playing time he said.

When I asked him how he plans on achieving his goal of getting more playing this season, in what will be his final season as a high school baseball player, he said he plans to "work hard this fall, just like I did in my sophomore year."

But what if all of his hard work doesn't pay off and Matt doesn't make the team this spring? "If I get cut -- which it's already happened my sophomore year -- I'll just take it and walk away."

In the same sense, Matt said that if his playing time doesn't come near the nine pitch outing he endured last season, he's willing to walk away for good.

"If I haven't played by the spring break tournament" he said, "I'll quit. That's in all seriousness."

Well, a lot like Alex Rodriguez, there isn't much certainty about Matt Hillman's future as a baseball player at Flagler Palm Coast High School. But whatever happens, you can count on Matt having a plan to get himself through it.

For part one of The Matt Hillman Story, click here.

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