Sicker Than Sick

Back from the florida road trip. Hit Sarasota,Tampa,Clearwater and Ft Myers. I got food poisoning early saturday, somehow pulled it together to go to work at night, and have been sick since. Ill be fine im sure, theres work to be done after all. Im waking up early to make about 100 phone calls tomorrow then tuesday probably headed to Viera to see the nationals guys. Finished an indy league deal today for a much loved client who was tragically released yesterday. Thats never a fun part of the job but it's a necessary evil The indy leagues are not where affiliated players want to go if they can avoid it but.... but.. once there I will say it is usually a pleasant experience all things considered. Negotiating an indy league deal is not what any agent wants to be doing either rest assured but it is what it is.

Did another interview the other day. Im getting better. Really.


John Buccigross finally has his donruss/pannini card coming out in may. Thank god.

Hopefully something interesting happens tomorrow

mahalo

J

Im Not Living Im Just Killing Time

Traveling Traveling Traveling. Covering florida now. Clearwater,Tampa,Dunedin,Sarasota and Bradenton. Then Viera,Jupiter during the week. I did another interview on the great Michael Brantley the other night. Fighting to stay sane. Assuredly not letting my personal life seep into my day job. I hear so many things from so many people out there on the trail it can be difficult to figure out whose on my side and who isnt. Are there even sides???? Is it just one big mess? Is it just a game? Is it just a business? Is it both? Can it be both?? Lots of questions with not a ton of answers.... It's frustrating having so many people against me that dont even know me but it's just part of the process and at the end of the day either Ill still be there at the end of the showdown or I wont. Thats not the truth though. I know Ill be there at the end because I know how good of a job we do here. I know Im not like everyone else and there is a real market and appeal for what we do. I dont think that, I know it. Everyone else out there can keep up their indistinguishable act. It's tired. It's the same. It isnt me.


Mahalo

J

I'm Afraid I Can't Help This

Back from my 10 days in Arizona. We had a 3 pm flight from Phx to Atl sunday then of course our flight runs late, we miss the connected flight in ATL by about 5 minutes after sprinting from terminal B to terminal A. We rebooked our flight for 9 am monday at the airport then headed to a god aweful hotel in atl to kill 9 hours..... made the flight this morning and now I'm finally home.

The ten days in Arizona were ten days well spent. We saw everyone we have out there and met with guys every night we were there. Lots of good work got done, lots of meetings, lots of phone calls, and even some endorsements got finalized. It was a beautiful thing watching some of the guys we have play in big league games. The same guys that we have scouted since HS. I wish everyone could experience that part of this process. It's a sharp reminder on why we even work in this game to begin with.

I learned not everyone likes me in this game. Im not for everyone and that is fine by me. The guys who get me, well, they get me completely. The guys who dont get me will never get me and thats just the way things are.

It was an amazing watching JC Sulbaran, Kenley Jansen and Dennis Neumann play for the Netherlands in the WBC and beat the DR twice. What a great story and it couldnt happen to three better kids.

Thats about it. Back to work in florida.

So it goes.

J

Lets Start This Off Without Any Words

Another crazy week in Arizona. Got to see Jeremy Jeffress pitch a 2 innings in a sim game today. 6 up 6 down with one shattered billy hall bat to top it off. He's going to be something special. Had dinner again with lots of the guys while periodically watching the WBC. We represent 3 kids on the dutch team that have really made a name for themselves this week. Kenley Jansen, Denis Neuman, and JC Sulbaran. It's been an exciting time for them and I cant wait to see how they do the rest of the tourny. Working the phones and the usual stuff as usual. Hopefully have time to post more later.


All in all

J

You Think You Can Just Steal From Me And Get Away With It? Yeah.

Since I started this blog about a year ago I have gotten all sorts of feedback from both ends of the spectrum. Some people love what I am doing here and other people well.... not so much. Professionally I have always taken criticism for doing this blog but the vast majority of people warning me of the potential dangers here are missing the true aim of what Im doing here. This isnt a marketing tool and it isnt a gimmick. This is just a stream of consciousness that helps me keep sane in a tremendously insane industry. It's so hard to make sense of all the evil people in this industry it could become easy to fall victim to the ills of this career. I think if anything writing here has kept me tremendously grounded. I have absolutely nothing to apologize here for and I have absolutely nothing to hide. The jokes, the pop culture, the obscurity, everything here is exactly who I am. I am not good at pretending to be something I am not so I completely gave up on that years ago. Many years ago.
Years ago I did everything the "normal" way. I tried it to the very best of my capabilities and failed completely. My best players fired me and I wasnt going anywhere. You know why? Because I wasnt myself. Players know when you arent being sincere and sincerity is what I believe helps separate me from the rest of the bunch out there. One of that bunch evidently is a fan of my blog, so much so that he took the time to read all 100 or so blog entries that I have posted. I am beyond thrilled and honored such a prestigious member of my profession would take such a rabid interest in my career so much so that he would forgo spending time working for his own clients in order to not only read about little old Joshua Kusnick but to email me personally as well! Now to be fair, I knew this person was a fan far earlier than this since he has called me on several occasions but to have this revolutionary figure take the time to learn all about me.... to be honest Im just honored he even knows my name. He's such an inspiration to me I cant do anything but hope to follow in his giant footsteps. Forever in debt to your priceless advice.
Still in Arizona, long day and long night but rewarding on both ends. Had dinner with Trayvon Robinson, Josh Bell, Omar Aguilar and had really great conversations with TJ Warren, Mike Durant and Zach Kroenke the latter 3 being in florida. Got to watch a couple of our other guys throw in big league games today and I am headed to a bunch more games tomorrow. This is the life I have chosen.

Come as you are


J

Another Day Just Breathe

12 hours until Im up in the air and headed to arizona for 9 long and exciting days of work. Lots of baseball, lots of talking, some fighting I would imagine, and hopefully some fun. ST is honestly the best part of the year because I actually get to see everyone in one place at one time as opposed to globe trotting during the year seeing maybe 2 or 3 guys at a time. Its going to be a good week I would imagine.

Watched a high school game last night, spent tons of time with scouts and family members alike. I have another one to attend tonight which is literally just going to be much more of the same. It is what it is and if I dont do it someone else will and that is a very very dangerous thing.

Might see the watchmen tonight if I get any time after the game. I also finished packing 2 fucking suitcases full of stuff for the trip. I have 10 dress shirts and 9 ties from express and I swear I will be the most colorful person out in Arizona.

Ceamr Odse Nto Exits

You Better Look Out For The Looking Glass Girl Cause She's Gonna Take You For A Fall

Headed to ft lauderdale stadium to see Carlos and Kroenke throw. Zach pitched in a WBC game the other day, walked a guy gave up a run, nothing too extensive. JC Sulbaran tossed 2 scoreless against the reds in his first WBC appearance while Dennis Neumann pitched a scoreless inning the other day for the dutch team. The WBC is a great experience for the guys involved but one of the minor things that gets overlooked is the openings it creates for other guys not in the WBC. Lorenzo Cain was added to big league camp yesterday because a couple of players were hurt/in the wbc. So thank god for that.

Went to a juco game about 50 miles from my office yesterday. The drive was horrible, the game was horrible and the weather was horrible. The game couldnt end fast enough then in I believe the 5th inning mild validation was substantiated when the guy I came to see homered. Got to talk to him after the game for a second, so hopefully that goes well. The draft is only 3 months away, go figure.

Off to Arizona 4 am saturday. The flight is going to suck, packing sucks, leaving my friends and family behind sucks but at the same time there is nothing that I love more than actually going out and working in the field especially in Arizona. I grew up in Florida so while Im working in florida it still kind of feels like home. Arizona actually feels like work, which isnt really a bad thing.

Peace Love Empathy

J

Spring Is Here Again, Reproductive Glands

Spring training is in full effect. Have several players in big league camp, Clevenger,Brantley,Browning,Pena,Kroenke,Martinez,Montz,Aguilar,Periard to name several, while other guys like Cain and Brewer have gotten the proverbial cup of coffee. Its an exciting time of year where I work like hell but at least in the mean time I get some sense of accomplishment. I get to see the fruits of my labor up close and personal all at once. Its almost as if I go into sensory overload this time of year but that can be a very good thing. I feel productive and I am productive. Its a good feeling. Other agents call my players with clockwork regularity but thankfully we've got a good enough program going here that nobody has left. We've even signed a couple of new guys (Blake Billings as earlier noted and Robert Lara of the padres) which is very exciting. We have really been selective on who we have added the last couple of years but we really believe in the new players we have landed or we wouldnt have agreed to represent them. The funny thing is that both players actually found us which was a nice change.

Personal life is as chaotic as ever. Nasty breakups are never fun but god, sweet god, am I happy (actually happy) to be single. Really. Really Really. Really Really Really.

Brent Brewer homered in his big league game which goes to show how much hard work and dedication can actually pay off. Brent is going to have a huge year.

Now that top chef is over I am totally addicted to Nip/Tuck (aside from conchords and eastbound and down) Soon there will literally be no time for tv which is same as it ever was for me.

Sorry for the few days off leaving for Arizona in a few days

Mahalo

J