Dakota Watts

Well everyone, spring training is finally upon us! With only a few days to go, I sit back and critique myself. Did I prepare to my fullest ability? Did I out-work everyone else when there was nobody looking? Could I have done more? These are all questions that run through anybody that did prepare. There may be a sense of panic for the guys that didn’t. Overall, there is a great excitement to get the ball rolling this year. With report date tomorrow, I’m looking forward to seeing all my past teammates, along with future ones. All will check in to the team hotel. (A side note to those who do not know, yes, they actually put the entire minor league group in the same “Team Hotel” which always makes for some great late night card games!) [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Although it is a packed hotel, it does allow us to get to see each other before and after each day at the park. It is always great to see the guys the night before our actual start date because it’s a good measuring stick to see their physical appearances compared to your own after a long off season lay off. This year I feel bigger, stronger, and faster than ever which gives me confidence before day one ever occurs. Like any ballplayer, playing this game, especially at this level, you have big hopes, dreams, and goals. My goals are set for this season already. As a guy that comes down early every year, it’s been a great close to my off season. Getting to enjoy the Florida sun while throwing and conditioning everyday at the complex is great. It is definitely a great thing that we get to do, plus throughout about a month before we start, some big leagues guys such as Mauer come down and work out with us. It is awesome to get a chance to see someone like that go about their daily routine. All in all, I am super excited for this spring training. After a not-so-good season last year, I feel an obligation to myself to prove that I belong and can play at any level. With that said, I will check in again to update you all on how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in. Dakota Watts signing out! Download attachment: DakotaWattsCard.jpg Click here to view the article

Well, as Week One winds down and games have now started, Spring Training is in full swing. From the fans that gather around the complex, to the roster moves, it is clear that Opening Day is now right around the corner. These next three weeks are going to be critical for a couple reasons, first and foremost, to make a team. With competition this high and talent levels up and down the system higher than ever, just getting a uniform to wear is a privilege. Next is to use these weeks to get dialed in and prepared for day one. We want to win and do well from the get go, and mentally and physically preparing everyday is key to success. With games under way, from what I have seen the talent level of this spring training compared to past years, has increased. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Everyone seems to be more focused and prepared, knowing that at any time guys will start losing jobs, a decision I would never want to make with so many good guys. That, I think, is the worst part of spring training, seeing good quality guys with good talent let go to make room for others. Baseball is a long season, and it is a crazy lifestyle not always meant for everyone. We as a team become very close over the course of a season (and seasons) with one another, and saying good bye to some guys is always tough. Reality kicks in a little when you see a close friend and teammate go. Every day is a challenge to separate yourself. Personally, I am trying to continue with my offseason work habits this spring training and this season as well. Starting on the AAA work group this year, I got to meet some good free agents, a couple with big league time and got to hear some good stories. It is always good to hear about guys that have made it and their paths. For me, this spring training I have got three innings of work, and I feel they have gone pretty well. It’s always tough trying to make a roster while preparing for the season. Developing pitches and working counts while still trying to compete and get outs is sometimes tricky, but it’s the guys that get it done that stick around. These are all things to think about as a fan, walking around checking out different work groups and snapping occasional photos or grabbing a quick autograph. The guys they are watching are all competing for a job to get a shot to play a full season, to be able to strap it on for 147 games. It is definitely a commitment from day one but we love every minute of it. I will try and keep you guys posted on the next week or so and how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in. Download attachment: DakotaWatts2.jpg Click here to view the article

Hey everybody, Seth Stohs turned me on to this site. I am going to try my hardest to make sure to get on and blog about the daily life of a Minor Leaguer playing in the Twins organization. I will write as much as possible, hopefully once a week. I’d like to start off my introducing myself and giving you all a little background on me. I’m Dakota Watts. I was born and raised in Oroville, California, the son of Buddy and Brenda Watts, and I'm currently 24 years old. First, a little baseball background. As a child, I was extremely blessed. Starting at age 5, I was introduced to the game by my father. I was also fortunate enough to grow up in a 2-3 year time frame when there was about a dozen other families as passionate about the game as we were in our community. This made playing baseball super competitive.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] My father also played professional baseball, signing as a free agent out of Cal-Berkley. Although he enjoyed only a short-lived stint in pro ball, I was able to get a great grasp of the game and learn more than most children get to. I did very well as I got older, posting great numbers all through high school before I made the decision to go to Feather River, a local junior college. What a year we had! I was our number two starter, and we were the first team in the Golden Valley Conference to post an undefeated 25-0 record! When my coaches decided to leave the following year to coach at Delta Junior College, I followed. It was there that I got the only bad taste in my mouth caused by baseball, the “Yipps.” For those of you who believe they don’t exist, they do! I could not throw a strike to save my life. Even worse, I couldn’t play catch every day. I went from being our number one in the fall to not throwing an inning in the last 3 weeks of games. I had to mentally toughen up as a pitcher and person to get over it, which I finally did that summer playing for the Humboldt Crabs. I posted outstanding numbers and worked my way to our number one starter role. I committed to DII California State University-Stanislaus. Working harder than ever with a great coaching staff and group of guys, I was determined to become a draft prospect. I heard from a lot of teams throughout the year, but on day two of the 2009 first-year players draft, I was selected in the 16th round by the Minnesota Twins. Which leads me to now. After playing at every level up to AA, I have had the chance to get to know a bunch of great guys, life friends. Just as much as it is about baseball, I have realized that these days only come once, and getting to know so many other players and creating memories on and off the field is all part of the experience. Hopefully, I will get the chance to play in the big leagues for many years with them! So there is the introduction to myself. I will try and keep you guys updated on how things go this next year. One thing I can tell you guys is how hard I am preparing mentally and physically for this long season. Download attachment: Dakota Watts.jpg Click here to view the article

Well, as Week One winds down and games have now started, Spring Training is in full swing. From the fans that gather around the complex, to the roster moves, it is clear that Opening Day is now right around the corner. These next three weeks are going to be critical for a couple reasons, first and foremost, to make a team. With competition this high and talent levels up and down the system higher than ever, just getting a uniform to wear is a privilege. Next is to use these weeks to get dialed in and prepared for day one. We want to win and do well from the get go, and mentally and physically preparing everyday is key to success. With games under way, from what I have seen the talent level of this spring training compared to past years, has increased. Everyone seems to be more focused and prepared, knowing that at any time guys will start losing jobs, a decision I would never want to make with so many good guys. That, I think, is the worst part of spring training, seeing good quality guys with good talent let go to make room for others. Baseball is a long season, and it is a crazy lifestyle not always meant for everyone. We as a team become very close over the course of a season (and seasons) with one another, and saying good bye to some guys is always tough. Reality kicks in a little when you see a close friend and teammate go. Every day is a challenge to separate yourself. Personally, I am trying to continue with my offseason work habits this spring training and this season as well. Starting on the AAA work group this year, I got to meet some good free agents, a couple with big league time and got to hear some good stories. It is always good to hear about guys that have made it and their paths. For me, this spring training I have got three innings of work, and I feel they have gone pretty well. It’s always tough trying to make a roster while preparing for the season. Developing pitches and working counts while still trying to compete and get outs is sometimes tricky, but it’s the guys that get it done that stick around. These are all things to think about as a fan, walking around checking out different work groups and snapping occasional photos or grabbing a quick autograph. The guys they are watching are all competing for a job to get a shot to play a full season, to be able to strap it on for 147 games. It is definitely a commitment from day one but we love every minute of it. I will try and keep you guys posted on the next week or so and how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in.

Well, as Week One winds down and games have now started, Spring Training is in full swing. From the fans that gather around the complex, to the roster moves, it is clear that Opening Day is now right around the corner. These next three weeks are going to be critical for a couple reasons, first and foremost, to make a team. With competition this high and talent levels up and down the system higher than ever, just getting a uniform to wear is a privilege. Next is to use these weeks to get dialed in and prepared for day one. We want to win and do well from the get go, and mentally and physically preparing everyday is key to success. With games under way, from what I have seen the talent level of this spring training compared to past years, has increased. Everyone seems to be more focused and prepared, knowing that at any time guys will start losing jobs, a decision I would never want to make with so many good guys. That, I think, is the worst part of spring training, seeing good quality guys with good talent let go to make room for others. Baseball is a long season, and it is a crazy lifestyle not always meant for everyone. We as a team become very close over the course of a season (and seasons) with one another, and saying good bye to some guys is always tough. Reality kicks in a little when you see a close friend and teammate go. Every day is a challenge to separate yourself. Personally, I am trying to continue with my offseason work habits this spring training and this season as well. Starting on the AAA work group this year, I got to meet some good free agents, a couple with big league time and got to hear some good stories. It is always good to hear about guys that have made it and their paths. For me, this spring training I have got three innings of work, and I feel they have gone pretty well. It’s always tough trying to make a roster while preparing for the season. Developing pitches and working counts while still trying to compete and get outs is sometimes tricky, but it’s the guys that get it done that stick around. These are all things to think about as a fan, walking around checking out different work groups and snapping occasional photos or grabbing a quick autograph. The guys they are watching are all competing for a job to get a shot to play a full season, to be able to strap it on for 147 games. It is definitely a commitment from day one but we love every minute of it. I will try and keep you guys posted on the next week or so and how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in.

Well everyone Spring Training is finally upon us! With only a few days to go, I sit back and critique myself. Did I prepare to my fullest ability? Did I out-work everyone else when there was nobody looking? Could I have done more? These are all questions that run through anybody that did prepare. There may be a sense of panic for the guys that didn’t. Overall, there is a great excitement to get the ball rolling this year. With report date tomorrow, I’m looking forward to seeing all my past teammates, along with future ones. All will check in to the team hotel. (A side note to those who do not know, yes, they actually put the entire minor league group in the same “Team Hotel” which always makes for some great late night card games!) Although it is a packed hotel, it does allow us to get to see each other before and after each day at the park. It is always great to see the guys the night before our actual start date because it’s a good measuring stick to see their physical appearances compared to your own after a long off season lay off. This year I feel bigger, stronger, and faster than ever which gives me confidence before day one ever occurs. Like any ballplayer, playing this game especially at this level, you have big hopes, dreams, and goals. My goals are set for this season already. As a guy that comes down early every year it’s been a great close to my off season. Getting to enjoy the Florida sun while throwing and conditioning everyday at the complex is great. It is definitely a great thing that we get to do, plus throughout about a month before we start, some big leagues guys such as Mauer come down (and work out with us). It is awesome to get a chance to see someone like that go about their daily routine. All in all, I am super excited for this spring training. After a not-so-good last year, I feel an obligation to myself to prove that I belong and can play at any level. With that said, I will check in again to update you all on how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in. Dakota Watts signing out!

Well everyone Spring Training is finally upon us! With only a few days to go, I sit back and critique myself. Did I prepare to my fullest ability? Did I out-work everyone else when there was nobody looking? Could I have done more? These are all questions that run through anybody that did prepare. There may be a sense of panic for the guys that didn’t. Overall, there is a great excitement to get the ball rolling this year. With report date tomorrow, I’m looking forward to seeing all my past teammates, along with future ones. All will check in to the team hotel. (A side note to those who do not know, yes, they actually put the entire minor league group in the same “Team Hotel” which always makes for some great late night card games!) Although it is a packed hotel, it does allow us to get to see each other before and after each day at the park. It is always great to see the guys the night before our actual start date because it’s a good measuring stick to see their physical appearances compared to your own after a long off season lay off. This year I feel bigger, stronger, and faster than ever which gives me confidence before day one ever occurs. Like any ballplayer, playing this game especially at this level, you have big hopes, dreams, and goals. My goals are set for this season already. As a guy that comes down early every year it’s been a great close to my off season. Getting to enjoy the Florida sun while throwing and conditioning everyday at the complex is great. It is definitely a great thing that we get to do, plus throughout about a month before we start, some big leagues guys such as Mauer come down (and work out with us). It is awesome to get a chance to see someone like that go about their daily routine. All in all, I am super excited for this spring training. After a not-so-good last year, I feel an obligation to myself to prove that I belong and can play at any level. With that said, I will check in again to update you all on how things are going. Thanks again for tuning in. Dakota Watts signing out!

Hey everybody, Seth Stohs turned me on to this site. I am going to try my hardest to make sure to get on and blog about the daily life of a Minor Leaguer playing in the Twins organization. I will write as much as possible, hopefully once a week. I’d like to start off my introducing myself and giving you all a little background on myself. I’m Dakota Watts, born and raised in Oroville, California, son of Buddy and Brenda Watts, and am currently 24 years old. A little baseball background. As a child, I was extremely blessed. Starting at age 5, I was introduced to the game by my father. I was also fortunate enough to grow up in a 2-3 year time frame when there was about another dozen families as passionate about the game as we were. This made playing baseball super competitive. My father also played professional baseball, signing as a free agent out of Cal-Berkley. Although he enjoyed only a short-lived stint in pro ball, I was able to get a great grasp on the game and learn more than most children get to. I did very well as I got older, posting great numbers all through high school when I made the decision to go to Feather River, a local junior college. What a year we had! I was our number two starter, and we were the first team in the Golden Valley Conference to post an undefeated 25-0 record! When my coaches decided to leave the following year to coach at Delta Junior College, I followed. It was there that I got the only bad taste in my mouth caused by baseball, the “Yipps”. For those of you who believe they don’t exist, they do! I could not throw a strike to save my life. Even worse, I couldn’t play catch every day. I went from being our number one in the fall to not throwing an inning in the last 3 weeks of games. I had to mentally toughen up as a pitcher and person to get over it, which I finally did that summer playing for the Humboldt Crabs. I posted outstanding numbers and worked my way to our number one starting roll. I committed to DII California State University-Stanislaus. Working harder than ever with a great coaching staff and group of guys, I was determined to become a draft prospect. I heard from a lot of teams throughout the year, but on day two of the 2009 first-year players draft, I was selected in the 16th round by the Minnesota Twins. Which leads me to now. After playing at every level up to AA, I have had the chance to get to know a bunch of great guys, life friends. Just as much as it is about baseball, I have realized that these days only come once, and getting to know so many other players and creating memories on and off the field is all part of the experience. Hopefully, I will get the chance to play in the big leagues for many years with them! So there is the introduction to myself. I will try and keep you guys updated on how things go this next year. One thing I can tell you guys is how hard I am preparing mentally and physically for this long season. You can comment on this article here!

Hey everybody, Seth Stohs turned me on to this site. I am going to try my hardest to make sure to get on and blog about the daily life of a Minor Leaguer playing in the Twins organization. I will write as much as possible, hopefully once a week. I’d like to start off my introducing myself and giving you all a little background on myself. I’m Dakota Watts, born and raised in Oroville, California, son of Buddy and Brenda Watts, and am currently 24 years old. A little baseball background. As a child, I was extremely blessed. Starting at age 5, I was introduced to the game by my father. I was also fortunate enough to grow up in a 2-3 year time frame when there was about another dozen families as passionate about the game as we were. This made playing baseball super competitive. My father also played professional baseball, signing as a free agent out of Cal-Berkley. Although he enjoyed only a short-lived stint in pro ball, I was able to get a great grasp on the game and learn more than most children get to. I did very well as I got older, posting great numbers all through high school when I made the decision to go to Feather River, a local junior college. What a year we had! I was our number two starter, and we were the first team in the Golden Valley Conference to post an undefeated 25-0 record! When my coaches decided to leave the following year to coach at Delta Junior College, I followed. It was there that I got the only bad taste in my mouth caused by baseball, the “Yipps”. For those of you who believe they don’t exist, they do! I could not throw a strike to save my life. Even worse, I couldn’t play catch every day. I went from being our number one in the fall to not throwing an inning in the last 3 weeks of games. I had to mentally toughen up as a pitcher and person to get over it, which I finally did that summer playing for the Humboldt Crabs. I posted outstanding numbers and worked my way to our number one starting roll. I committed to DII California State University-Stanislaus. Working harder than ever with a great coaching staff and group of guys, I was determined to become a draft prospect. I heard from a lot of teams throughout the year, but on day two of the 2009 first-year players draft, I was selected in the 16th round by the Minnesota Twins. Which leads me to now. After playing at every level up to AA, I have had the chance to get to know a bunch of great guys, life friends. Just as much as it is about baseball, I have realized that these days only come once, and getting to know so many other players and creating memories on and off the field is all part of the experience. Hopefully, I will get the chance to play in the big leagues for many years with them! So there is the introduction to myself. I will try and keep you guys updated on how things go this next year. One thing I can tell you guys is how hard I am preparing mentally and physically for this long season. You can comment on this article here!