Blue Wahoos Host Family Program

[jamisea]

Hey everyone,

 

I am the volunteer coordinator for the Host Family program in Pensacola. Currently, we have more host families than we have ever had, which is great. But of course, we could always use more.

If you live in Pensacola and would like info. on becoming a host family, please click on the link below and fill out your contact info:

https://tinyurl.com/BW-Host-Family-Form
 

When the rosters are closer to finalizing, players will contact me and I'll set them up with a place to live.

Thanks a ton! My husband, Randy and I are really looking forward to a great season!

WAHOOOOOO!!!!
Jami Sanderson

[ashbury]

Later on, I hope you follow up and let us know whether you find someone this way. It would be cool to know if folks around Pensacola are following the big club.

[goulik]

 

Hey everyone,

 

I am the volunteer coordinator for the Host Family program in Pensacola. Currently, we have more host families than we have ever had, which is great. But of course, we could always use more.

I live in Minnesota so unfortunately cannot host but sometime, when you have more time, I think many of us readers and fans would love to know more details about how the host family system works there especially from a volunteer insiders perspective.

Thank you in advance. 

[jamisea]

Hi, well first ya'll should know is that I am totally new to the Twins! With the affiliate change this season, I've got a whole new set of rosters to learn. On that note, I also don't know if the other Twins affiliates located host families the way I do, but once the guys are placed in homes, I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

In Pensacola...Summer is our high tourist season, so players are competing with condos on the beach which rent for crazy amounts, and every other guy and his dog putting their spare living spaces on Air BnB. That has made it a little harder than most areas to find player housing.

The Blue Wahoos and myself put out social media asking for hosts. When folks say they want to host, I send them a brochure which lists most of the questions one might have. (I'll attach it here so everyone can see). Then I speak with them, check out their home, get photos and a short brief about the family. I also do a little checking out of the host family to make sure they are on the up and up. Pensacola is a small area and lots of people know each other.

Once the person wants to host, I compile a Google Map with all of the host families locations/bios/photos included on the map. This helps me and others know what and where housing is available.
​
Near the end of Spring Training, I'll send the coaches a link to the map that they can forward to players, along with my phone number. As players are named to the roster, I ask them to text me the answers to several questions...mostly, if they will a car have a car here, if they want to room with another player, if they are allergic to pets. 

I reply to the player with the contact info of the host families I think will best suit their needs, or the places they have seen on the map. They contact the potential hosts directly. The host family can decide after speaking with the player if they think they're a good match. Most are. But the host family has the ultimate say-so on who comes into their home.

In our area there are several free places, but most charge a fee of some sort, whether it's a utility fee or monthly room rental fee. There are a few players who want to be (and can afford) a place on their own and I usually have a few of those places as well. 

So the players hit town.

 

If the player was staying at the team hotel after arrival, the host family can go there to meet or the player could come to their home on their own.

The players begin practice the next day at the field, do some meet and greets, press ops, etc. then the games start.

Can I be honest? I hardly see the players! We have usually 2 in an attic apt. and one in a bedroom downstairs. Their hours are such that I'm gone to work when they get up "at the crack of noon." I go to a ballgame, then come home and am usually asleep before they arrive. They eat and shower at the stadium for the most part.

I see them on the weekends some—especially if a player asks me to help him with a Western Union, Bank or Walmart run. Weekends is when I get to see them cook too. They use our kitchen and I've learned to make a few DR and VZ recipes. I am able to make both the Dominican Arepa and The VZ Arepa, and they are very different!

Some host families act more like "parents" to them, while others the guys are just renters. My hubby and I are more on the parent side. We've helped them with taxes, getting them rental cars, having their families to dinner, babysitting, sending care packages, etc. My husband has had to give the "dad" speech at times on personal responsibility, etc. We've become well-versed on Venezuelan politics and have packed mass care packages to send home with the players.

Mostly it's pretty hum-drum...same day in and day out schedule when they are in town. 

In the past 3 seasons, we've hosted 15 players in our home and only one has been a real jerk. We had to tell him adios... He was with us for 2 days. Every now and then a host family will call and ask a question about something but normally everything is good. I do think that most folks would rather see their players more, but it's the nature of their schedules and the game.

When players move to another  team, they leave really fast...sometimes within hours. The worst is when a player gets send "down," cut or traded. It's pretty sad, and it happens more that we would like. Most of them know it's the nature of the beast.

The best part is when you get a 1 a.m. phone call telling you he's made the Majors!

We've enjoyed it all really. And I see just about every game! FREE!

Please feel free to ask questions, and if you do live near any minor league team, consider hosting a player. You'll love it.

Jami

Here's a link to the brochure that potential host families can look at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h6XvwuB7HS-JMiAQftZH3WL2ZVxKDy4w/view?usp=sharing

[goulik]

 

Hi, well first ya'll should know is that I am totally new to the Twins! With the affiliate change this season, I've got a whole new set of rosters to learn. On that note, I also don't know if the other Twins affiliates located host families the way I do, but once the guys are placed in homes, I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

In Pensacola...Summer is our high tourist season, so players are competing with condos on the beach which rent for crazy amounts, and every other guy and his dog putting their spare living spaces on Air BnB. That has made it a little harder than most areas to find player housing.

The Blue Wahoos and myself put out social media asking for hosts. When folks say they want to host, I send them a brochure which lists most of the questions one might have. (I'll attach it here so everyone can see). Then I speak with them, check out their home, get photos and a short brief about the family. I also do a little checking out of the host family to make sure they are on the up and up. Pensacola is a small area and lots of people know each other.

Once the person wants to host, I compile a Google Map with all of the host families locations/bios/photos included on the map. This helps me and others know what and where housing is available.
​
Near the end of Spring Training, I'll send the coaches a link to the map that they can forward to players, along with my phone number. As players are named to the roster, I ask them to text me the answers to several questions...mostly, if they will a car have a car here, if they want to room with another player, if they are allergic to pets. 

I reply to the player with the contact info of the host families I think will best suit their needs, or the places they have seen on the map. They contact the potential hosts directly. The host family can decide after speaking with the player if they think they're a good match. Most are. But the host family has the ultimate say-so on who comes into their home.

In our area there are several free places, but most charge a fee of some sort, whether it's a utility fee or monthly room rental fee. There are a few players who want to be (and can afford) a place on their own and I usually have a few of those places as well. 

So the players hit town.

 

If the player was staying at the team hotel after arrival, the host family can go there to meet or the player could come to their home on their own.

The players begin practice the next day at the field, do some meet and greets, press ops, etc. then the games start.

Can I be honest? I hardly see the players! We have usually 2 in an attic apt. and one in a bedroom downstairs. Their hours are such that I'm gone to work when they get up "at the crack of noon." I go to a ballgame, then come home and am usually asleep before they arrive. They eat and shower at the stadium for the most part.

I see them on the weekends some—especially if a player asks me to help him with a Western Union, Bank or Walmart run. Weekends is when I get to see them cook too. They use our kitchen and I've learned to make a few DR and VZ recipes. I am able to make both the Dominican Arepa and The VZ Arepa, and they are very different!

Some host families act more like "parents" to them, while others the guys are just renters. My hubby and I are more on the parent side. We've helped them with taxes, getting them rental cars, having their families to dinner, babysitting, sending care packages, etc. My husband has had to give the "dad" speech at times on personal responsibility, etc. We've become well-versed on Venezuelan politics and have packed mass care packages to send home with the players.

Mostly it's pretty hum-drum...same day in and day out schedule when they are in town. 

In the past 3 seasons, we've hosted 15 players in our home and only one has been a real jerk. We had to tell him adios... He was with us for 2 days. Every now and then a host family will call and ask a question about something but normally everything is good. I do think that most folks would rather see their players more, but it's the nature of their schedules and the game.

When players move to another  team, they leave really fast...sometimes within hours. The worst is when a player gets send "down," cut or traded. It's pretty sad, and it happens more that we would like. Most of them know it's the nature of the beast.

The best part is when you get a 1 a.m. phone call telling you he's made the Majors!

We've enjoyed it all really. And I see just about every game! FREE!

Please feel free to ask questions, and if you do live near any minor league team, consider hosting a player. You'll love it.

Jami

Here's a link to the brochure that potential host families can look at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h6XvwuB7HS-JMiAQftZH3WL2ZVxKDy4w/view?usp=sharing

Thank you, This is an incredibly insightful response letting us see into the other side of things. The attachment was incredibly cool to read and see how the process is handled. Thank you for including that as well! I do not have questions at this time as I think you covered all of them already! Welcome to Twins Territory!

[jamisea]

 

Thank you, This is an incredibly insightful response letting us see into the other side of things. The attachment was incredibly cool to read and see how the process is handled. Thank you for including that as well! I do not have questions at this time as I think you covered all of them already! Welcome to Twins Territory!

Thanks! I was able to meet Rusty Wells and Devin Smeltzer at the Twins Caravan that was held in Pensacola on Jan. 31. I also met Thad Levine, Jeremy Zoll, plus Ramon Borrego and Justin Willard.  There were a few actual Minnesotans in the crowd as well, as we are sort of a snowbird destination here. Hard to believe because it's like 40° outside, but I guess there's no white frozen stuff.

If any of you are headed to Pensacola this season for some baseball, please send me a message and my hubby and I will be happy to help you find your way around and show y'all some "locals" spots. I will be coming up north to Lake Geneva, WI...trying to figure out how to make the scooter rally we're attending include a baseball stop @Target Field...not sure about that one, yet. 

[ashbury]

On that note, I also don't know if the other Twins affiliates located host families the way I do, but once the guys are placed in homes, I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

We used to have a member from Elizabethton, "Madre Dos", who gave us stories of many of the players who are now on the major league squad (and some others who have moved on). I was sorry to learn not long ago that she had passed away. She developed what she felt to be close relationships - she followed them in the seasons afterward just as though they were her own. Madre Dos indeed! It's kind of amusing to look back and re-read her comments about Miguel Sano's weight, and her descriptions of other players were generally spot-on to what we believe about them now.

 

At spring training two or three years ago, I happened to sit near some people who turned out to be from Cedar Rapids, and listened to them work out some of the arrangements for their plans to host players at single-A the coming season. I was a little surprised at how casual the process was - the major league team didn't play a very direct role for a lot of it. This was later in the spring than now, and presumably the assignments of players to teams was just happening, or about to. I don't recall any of them posting here, I just mention it to say things seem similar in many ways.

 

It's an understatement to say that neither of these towns is quite the tourist destination that Pensacola is. Much more challenging for you, I imagine.

[jamisea]

 

We used to have a member from Elizabethton, "Madre Dos", who gave us stories of many of the players who are now on the major league squad (and some others who have moved on). I was sorry to learn not long ago that she had passed away. She developed what she felt to be close relationships - she followed them in the seasons afterward just as though they were her own. Madre Dos indeed! It's kind of amusing to look back and re-read her comments about Miguel Sano's weight, and her descriptions of other players were generally spot-on to what we believe about them now.

 

At spring training two or three years ago, I happened to sit near some people who turned out to be from Cedar Rapids, and listened to them work out some of the arrangements for their plans to host players at single-A the coming season. I was a little surprised at how casual the process was - the major league team didn't play a very direct role for a lot of it. This was later in the spring than now, and presumably the assignments of players to teams was just happening, or about to. I don't recall any of them posting here, I just mention it to say things seem similar in many ways.

 

It's an understatement to say that neither of these towns is quite the tourist destination that Pensacola is. Much more challenging for you, I imagine.

Oh...I have stories...LOL

Last season, one of our players (Luis) asked me, "Mami...you know somebody I can play golf with?" I told him I thought my boss would take him. I asked him if he played golf before and, "oh yes, I looooove golf."

So...I speak with my boss. He says if it's ok for a Saturday 7 a.m. tee-time, he'd do it. My boss says, "Hey, has Luis ever played golf before?" I replied that he had.

I tell Luis he's got a golf date at the country club—and that I had never been to the country club...and Luis told me he could get up for me to take him to the CC at 7. (I was understandably skeptical.) The night before (after the BB game), Luis got some wardrobe advice (ripped skinny jeans with zippers wasn't cutting it) and on Sat. a.m. he was up and dressed.

I take him to the Country Club and my boss is there...I introduce them. 

All you really need to know is that apparently, Luis charmed every woman at the club and I found a golf ball in front of my house...I'm 1/4 mile away from the CC. My boss later told me that he had a blast with Luis but that Luis told him his golf experience was at "Top Golf." He also hits a golf ball like a baseball.




Yes, the process of getting host families is kind of loosy-goosy, at least in Pensacola. Housing falls in outside the responsibility of the affiliate and the local "team." Host Families help players have a place to call home and not worry about extra bills, leases and the like. I understand that some MLB orgs actually pay hotel rooms every night. One of the players we had in 2017, got traded to the Nationals and said that the Nationals paid for a hotel room every night. That sounds like HELL.

One of my compadres in Dayton, OH (A-Dragons) told me that up there they have a waiting list to become a host family. I hope that's the case in Pensacola soon.


 

[Sarah]

I also live in Minnesota but this was really interesting to read! 

[NumberThree]

Oh...I have stories...LOL

Last season, one of our players (Luis) asked me, "Mami...you know somebody I can play golf with?" I told him I thought my boss would take him. I asked him if he played golf before and, "oh yes, I looooove golf."

So...I speak with my boss. He says if it's ok for a Saturday 7 a.m. tee-time, he'd do it. My boss says, "Hey, has Luis ever played golf before?" I replied that he had.

I tell Luis he's got a golf date at the country club—and that I had never been to the country club...and Luis told me he could get up for me to take him to the CC at 7. (I was understandably skeptical.) The night before (after the BB game), Luis got some wardrobe advice (ripped skinny jeans with zippers wasn't cutting it) and on Sat. a.m. he was up and dressed.

I take him to the Country Club and my boss is there...I introduce them. 

All you really need to know is that apparently, Luis charmed every woman at the club and I found a golf ball in front of my house...I'm 1/4 mile away from the CC. My boss later told me that he had a blast with Luis but that Luis told him his golf experience was at "Top Golf." He also hits a golf ball like a baseball.

Yes, the process of getting host families is kind of loosy-goosy, at least in Pensacola. Housing falls in outside the responsibility of the affiliate and the local "team." Host Families help players have a place to call home and not worry about extra bills, leases and the like. I understand that some MLB orgs actually pay hotel rooms every night. One of the players we had in 2017, got traded to the Nationals and said that the Nationals paid for a hotel room every night. That sounds like HELL.

One of my compadres in Dayton, OH (A-Dragons) told me that up there they have a waiting list to become a host family. I hope that's the case in Pensacola soon.

 

LOL ... I’m assuming Top Golf is miniature golf. Good thing your boss took it in stride and that the golf ball you found wasn’t inside your house after going through a window.

[lamiwe21]

The never understood the distance from the stadium rules with being a host family. My in laws applied in 2015 and were told 16 miles was to far from the stadium. On a good day, they can be from their house to the stadium in 14 minutes. It’s all highway.

[AZTwin]

LOL ... I’m assuming Top Golf is miniature golf. Good thing your boss took it in stride and that the golf ball you found wasn’t inside your house after going through a window.

Top Golf is like a bowling alley of driving ranges. You have multiple levels. There are different huge holes for people to aim towards. Each “hold” might have 12 holes like a dart board. One game you can select is who gets in every hole for that one target. Bunch of other games you can play on the screen. Was going to link a picture to it but doesn’t look like I am able to. I’ve been to Top Golf in Arizona and it’s awesome. They are all over the country now though too

[NumberThree]

Top Golf is like a bowling alley of driving ranges. You have multiple levels. There are different huge holes for people to aim towards. Each “hold” might have 12 holes like a dart board. One game you can select is who gets in every hole for that one target. Bunch of other games you can play on the screen. Was going to link a picture to it but doesn’t look like I am able to. I’ve been to Top Golf in Arizona and it’s awesome. They are all over the country now though too

Ah, they don’t have that where I am up north. My assumption was a funnier scenario. Still, pretty funny.

[rdehring]

Long time Twins minor league fan here.  Thank you, Jami.

 

You will love Lake Geneva.  It is truly one of those beautiful spots.

[jamisea]

 

LOL ... I’m assuming Top Golf is miniature golf. Good thing your boss took it in stride and that the golf ball you found wasn’t inside your house after going through a window.

Top Golf is a driving range...I had no idea either!

[jamisea]

 

The never understood the distance from the stadium rules with being a host family. My in laws applied in 2015 and were told 16 miles was to far from the stadium. On a good day, they can be from their house to the stadium in 14 minutes. It’s all highway.

Hi there...about the distance...IMHO that's not too far at all. This is my 4th season. I will add that when the Reds were in Pensacola, 1/3 of the roster was international players and most of them didn't have a car.  Also quite a few of the US players didn't have cars. Because of the distance and time when coming off a road trip we try to save the players precious time. 

With the Twins, there are not nearly as many international players and because Spring Training is closer, most players will have cars.

Also sometimes a FREE host family, even 30 minutes away is better than rent!

If your in-laws are in Pensacola, I'd be happy to have them host! We could use 1-2 more! Contact me at jamisea@yahoo.com

[ashbury]

With the Twins, there are not nearly as many international players

That by itself is an interesting observation to this Twins fan. I don't suppose you have any insight further than that about the Reds organization - are they heavier than average on international signings, or are we lighter, or both?

 

Probably we don't want to mess up your thread by discussing this tangent too much, though.

[rdehring]

 

Hi there...about the distance...IMHO that's not too far at all. This is my 4th season. I will add that when the Reds were in Pensacola, 1/3 of the roster was international players and most of them didn't have a car.  Also quite a few of the US players didn't have cars. Because of the distance and time when coming off a road trip we try to save the players precious time. 

With the Twins, there are not nearly as many international players and because Spring Training is closer, most players will have cars.

Also sometimes a FREE host family, even 30 minutes away is better than rent!

If your in-laws are in Pensacola, I'd be happy to have them host! We could use 1-2 more! Contact me at jamisea@yahoo.com

The comment about International players surprises me.  Just took a look at the Fort Myers roster which has 11 International players on it as of today.  When I look at last year's Miracle team, I see 8 foreign players with significant playing time.  So my guess is that this year's AA team will have somewhere between 8 and 11 foreign players.  

 

Expect this will vary from year to year as I recall some years where the GCL team has seemed to be mostly International players.  How many did the Reds normally have at AA?

[lamiwe21]

 

The comment about International players surprises me.  Just took a look at the Fort Myers roster which has 11 International players on it as of today.  When I look at last year's Miracle team, I see 8 foreign players with significant playing time.  So my guess is that this year's AA team will have somewhere between 8 and 11 foreign players.  

 

Expect this will vary from year to year as I recall some years where the GCL team has seemed to be mostly International players.  How many did the Reds normally have at AA?

 

Last year 60 percent of the roster was foreign though out the year:

 

Jose Adames – RHP
Rafael De Paula – RHP
Vladimir Gutierrez – RHP
Ariel Hernandez – RHP
Robinson Leyer – RHP
Keury Mella – RHP
Carlos Navas – RHP
Jesus Reyes – RHP
Domingo Tapia – RHP
Chad Tromp C

Alberti Chavez
Alfredo Rodriguez
Aristides Aquino
Gabby Guerrero

Victor Payano

Jose Siri

Luis Gonzalez

Narciso Crook

 

[goulik]

 

That seems to be a significantly different ratio....

[jamisea]

 

That seems to be a significantly different ratio....

I counted the final rosters from both the Miracle and the Lookouts, vs. Tortugas and Lookouts as they stood at the end of the season, mostly so I could look for more Spanish speaking families if we needed them. I thought the Reds affiliates had many more Int'l. players.



 

[amjgt]

It's possible that more of the Twins foreign players have picked up English and might not feel it is necessary to put on an application that they want Spanish speaking. Also, it's possible that the Reds really do have a lot more Spanish-speaking players. 

 

This is an interesting topic.

 

For the sake of argument let's say that the Reds really do have more Spanish-speaking players at AA than the Twins. Why would that be?

 

They must roughly have the same number of foreign players entering the lower levels of their organizations. The Reds and Twins both have one Dominican summer league team (some orgs have 2). The Reds look like they have one more Rookie level affiliate, but I'm not sure how that might matter. If anything, with how the Twins have focused early in their drafts on Puerto Rican players, I would almost think they might start with slightly more.

 

Do a higher percentage of Twins draft picks (mostly english speaking) rise through the system compared to the Reds having more success with foreign prospects? Would that be from better international scouting by the Reds? Better organizational support by the Reds for foreign players? Better domestic scouting by the Twins?

[lamiwe21]

Long term it doesn't really matter. The Twins have more DR players in their system then the Orioles and the Yankees have more then the Twins. Just different philosophies on how you want to accrue warm bodies. I personally think you want a balance like the Rangers and Braves. 

[amjgt]

You know that chart that shows organizational strikeouts for the year and it's color coordinated by the level (AAA, AA, Rookie, etc).

 

This would be a really interesting chart. Country of birth for all players in the organization (maybe Low A and higher). Color coordinated, by country. 

[AlwaysinModeration]

You know that chart that shows organizational strikeouts for the year and it's color coordinated by the level (AAA, AA, Rookie, etc).

 

This would be a really interesting chart. Country of birth for all players in the organization (maybe Low A and higher). Color coordinated, by country.

I think I speak for all of us that we look forward to seeing it when you finish.

 

(Also, Jamie, thanks for coordinating the host program and posting here. Really interesting information on the program and about your experience. Please post more during the season about the Wahoos this year. Hope you get enough volunteers!)

[Rosterman]

It is so good that this still exists in minor league towns. Most players really only need a sleeping room space, and the possibility of laundry and some cooking. But the life of a minor league player does revolve around the stadium, which is a healthclub in some ways (shower and locker facilities), fresh air on the playing field, and hopefully relaxation space.

 

The other pain of minor league life is that you don't need a place for half the season when you are on the road. And it is nice to have the ability to pack up and leave when a call comes (up or down) and not have to worry about complicated leases and such. I'm also sure most players do contribute something to the host family budget.

 

Yo always wonder about cars. In this day and age, having a place to park can be complicated, let alone what happens when you suddenly get called from Florida to Rochester. How do you move the car. 

 

[jamisea]

Here's an update for everyone. It's been a busy weekend but looks like most of the players and coaches have places to stay. We actually have 2 host families that do not have a player (yet). This is because at the older age, most of the guys wanted to share an apartment rather than live with a family.

Big welcoming ceremony tonight for the team...

For the shipping cars question. There are services which pick up the cars and either ship them on an auto transport truck or have a person do it. Many of the players get a family member to take their car.

 

Shipping a car is $$$.

 

When my hubby and I were in Ft. Myers weekend before last, we saw a huge transport vehicle loading up the MLB players vehicles. Believe me, you could tell. Not a lot of Toyotas if you know what I mean. Last season, a player bought a beater car here and my husband bought it for the players to use this season.