Estimates are that 1% of High School ballplayers will make some sort of professional baseball team however most of that 1% won’t make the major leagues.  It’s for that reason that most ballplayers do get their college degrees and really try and get a good one, because the grueling life in the minors is tough and, more often than not, that’s where the careers go to die.  As we sat yesterday watching the New Britain Rock Cats (AA Minnesota Twins) thoroughly thrash the Reading Fighting Phillies (AA Philadelphia Phillies) it became clear to me that many of the guys we were watching were really struggling to live out a dream.  It got me thinking, when do you stop fighting for your dream?  How do you encourage others to live out their dream?  When is it okay to dream?  When is it okay to give up your dreams?   There’s a lot of deep and corny stuff in these thoughts but that’s part of the overall charm of this blog so you’ll have to indulge me.  As I sat and watched Cooper call for the ball from the seats I watched as he was dead serious in telling the Phillies 1st baseman, Jake Fox, “Frow Ball, me!” He was clearly dreaming about playing ball.  As it turns out, Jake Fox has been dreaming since 2005 and has had a few stints in the majors with the Cubs.  He continues to do the thing that makes him the happiest… good for him.  I think most of us eventually let our dreams subside and we refocus on new ones.  That’s certainly what I’ve done.  I used to dream of being the President of the United States.  Now?  Well, now I dream of Coronas on the front porch of our beach house in Florida when I retire…that’s when I’m not at the summer lake house in the Adirondacks.  That’s my dream.  If Cooper gets his dream I’m pretty sure mine will become a rounding error for him.  Of course, Jenn and I are saving just in case his dreams change.   So, here’s to all of our dreams…as often as they change and as hard as they may be to achieve… I hope you’ve got one.