Hello From Down Under
Happy New Year everyone.
It’s been a while since I graced the pages of Prolebrity, I’m not going to make excuses, I have had very few opportunities to get on the computer and fill you guys in. I needed to write something positive after my lash out at Virgin Airlines on the airport floor!
Was nice to get some great comments feeling my pain of bagagge fines, I’m over it now but still waiting for a personal apology from Richard Branson. (not holding my breath) Like always some really positive coments from everyone who checked out what I had to say.
A few of you have asked me where I stand on the WBC and how I see Team Australia doing. Well, priority number one for me is to be healthy and ready to be in the rotation come opening day . So I need to really work hard up until and during spring training to give myself the best chance of that happening .
Would be a massive honor to represent my country in the WBC , but honestly, if it gets in the way of my preparation with the Mariners, I will have to let it pass and watch my buddies surprise a bunch of people without me.
So with that said, I still haven’t made a decision. I’m going to wait and see what’s best when it approaches, but for now, I’m working towards a big year in Seattle for a big 2009 .
On a lighter note, I did get a new board for Christmas, the type of shape I got is known as a “fish” little shorter and fatter than the conventional board, also it has four fins instead of the regular 3 , used mainly in smaller waves . Such a fun little board and as you can see , with my favorite TV character on the bottom of it!
So besides hanging out at the beach, I had a pretty full on off season. My girlfriend came to Australia for the first time. Doing all the touristy stuff really made me appreciate how cool of a place Australia really is!
Also I had both my sister’s back with their significant others so it was family overload , which was great.
Speaking of how cool Australia is, K Smith asked me if I was going to see the movie ‘Australia’. I finally ended up going to the cinemas and checking it out , and regardless of how bad the reviews were (apparently), i loved it. It was great to see scenes from Australia that you would never get to see. I think critics were expecting a history lesson or something, to me I just enjoyed the story and the scenery. Give it the thumbs up! go check it out if you haven’t seen it ,take it for what it is, a fictional story, not a documentary.
So in my last couple weeks in Australia, I’m really working hard getting in shape but also spending some down time with my best friends and my family. Have to be honest though, I cannot wait to get back to spring training and get 09 going ! So if any of you are coming to Peoria, make sure you say hi if you see me walking around.
I’ll check in soon. P.S I have answered your questions below -
Cheryl Ann- How are you, thanks heaps for coming with your daughter to the signing at DJ’s I will be in Peoria the entire spring training , and probably only be with team Australia for less than a week . So make sure you say hi if you make it down .
Jenny- I haven’t done the full on Scuba diving, snorkeled if that even counts, I can’t believe I live here and never done it . I don’t know if I could handle the cold water in Seattle though!
Brett – Yes I have been to hawaii a few times, I actually fly through there on my way back to Seattle every year. I love it. It’s fun to ride the little waves at waikiki on a long board and relaxing before I hit the cold mainland. I actually met a guy last year working at the hotel who was a big Mariners fan, dont think he recognized me but he was into the Mariners!
Ramona- As much as I would love to do appearances back home, it just doesnt happen. I would love to go hang out with kids who play baseball in Australia because I know what its like being a youngen and being a minority. If I’m able to do some stuff back home I will let you know .
Alex- The best tips I have for you to get to pro ball in the states is to just enjoy it and don’t listen to the negativity because people have an easy time telling you how you’re not good enough.Or when you have Aussies who aren’t into baseball questioning your sport choice . Ex – why you playing baseball ? why don’t you play footy or cricket ? I’m sure you have heard that once or twice. Or when people in baseball have no idea how it works try to tell you how it is, or how it’s impossible to get amongst it here. I’m a big believer in people hate about other people what they hate about themselves. With that said, you will have 100 people tell you you’re not good enough, just because they never made it themselves. Block that stuff out, believe you’re as good as that kid who just signed a contract. Just enjoy the game , respect it , and it will happen if you want it bad enough.
Tom in Olympia – I got into baseball after seeing it on at 1am on TV and watching my sisters play softball. No, I never played cricket, everyone seems to think i did. Well I did make my cricket debut in High School. Some of my teammates know how my bowling went! Not too good. I have known of a few pro cricket players playing baseball as a kid.
Shane- Looking forward to hearing my commonwealth buddies play on turn back the clock day ! I’ll see what I can do but let me know if you are playing that day.
Bryan- Hey mate about the facebook page, I don’t actually have a Facebook account , there is actually a fan site of some sort of me where some of my ex school mates have written comments thinking it is me, but I have no idea who runs it!
Tristan G – Mate, no claxton shield this year and I’m on the northen beaches quite a bit, my Dad lives down there .
OK, that’s it from me, I will check in soon.
Ryan
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Great to see another post from you Ryan, and that things are going well for you. You had an amazing end of the year last year and if it carries over to ‘09 the Mariners will be in a much better place. I really hope that due to large contracts they have been carrying you dont get unjustly pushed out of the rotation, that would not be good for the club as a whole, so I wish you the best of the luck with the season and the classic if you choose to do so.
Cheers and best wishes,
J Cretella
Speaking from experience Australia (and Fiji too) are phenomenal places to dive..even snorkel. The Puget Sound is cold, but using a drysuit helps (I don’t though).
I don’t want to get too long winded but I did have a question. Is it strange to think that people admire you just as you admire other baseball (and sports) players?
~Jenny (with the shirt)
Great to hear ou are having a productive and fun time off. I think I speak for everyone when i say WE CANT WAIT TO SEE ROWLAND-SMITH OUT THERE ON THE MOUND ! Go champ! yeooow!
Hey Ryan, hope you’re having a great off season. I was wondering, have you talked to Jack Zduriencik at all about what your role will be next year?
It seems like the Ms have an overload of starting pitching right now, but I’d hate to see you get pigeonholed back into the pen after they finally got you starting last year. He’s kind of been left holding the bag on all these giant contracts Bavasi gave out to over the hill veterans, and now the young talented guys like you and Morrow (and now Heillman) are stuck behind big black holes of money.
Whatever happens now, you know you have the goods.
The starting spot you have earned aleady-Mariners’gain. Enjoy spring training and WBC if you take part.Behind you all the way
Good to hear from you! Good to see you are enjoying your SUMMER down in Australia. Musta been fun catching some waves with your new toy! Did you get Andra to try catching a couple waves? I am curious how she liked Australia! You missed one of our biggest snowstorms…even Seattle got snow-covered. This now marks one year since my trip to down under and I am quite jealous of you now!
I am sooo wanting to see you in the starting rotation this year. You proved a lot at the end of last year. How many other M’s pitchers had eight consecutive quality starts? Doh… I think you deserve it, I hope you can prove it to the “big guys” during spring training! Would love to see you get the chance to play for Team Australia in the WBC as I hear you’d be their “ace”. I hope that works out too!
I too enjoyed the movie, “Australia.” I would love to really go into the outback sometime…I stayed on the east coast during my last trip.
I am really hoping I will be able to catch spring training (NEVER been…sad huh) AND some games before I leave for my new job.
What kind of workouts are you doing to prepare for the season? A lot of running or weights? Have you been able to put surfing (or snowboarding when you come back here) into your workouts or is that just for “play”? Do you change you diet much from off season to now getting ready and during the season? Just curious as I read a lot of pitching books and general sports books and every one seems to say something different!
Thanks for the update!! Can’t wait to see ya back in action!! It seems like it’s been forever but I’m sure the much-needed break was refreshing. They supposedly (politically) say America is for “change”. I could deal with a change from 2008…dream big….pennant?
-Kirsten (Kiri) Smith
[...] January 20, 2009 by section331 Ryan Rowland-Smith has recently updated his blog. [...]
Hey Ryan,
Good luck with the Aussie team. Are there many other big leaguers playing with you?
Can’t wait for the start of the baseball season. A rotation with you, Morrow, Felix, and Bedard would be extremely exciting to watch night-in and night-out. Here’s to hoping things work themselves out that way!
Cheers,
Steven
Thanks for the update, Ryan. Too bad you won’t be at FanFest at Safeco this weekend, but I hope to make it to spring training and say hi then. Happy Birthday on Monday!
Sweet board, Ryan! So I bet you’re making a stop in Hawaii in a couple weeks then. Have you been to Matsumoto Shave Ice? It’s my favorite place to go after a day on the North Shore. Or Waiola’s is good too if you’re staying more near Waikiki. Hope the weather’s good cause it was pretty stormy when I went back for Christmas.
Your dedication to this team is awesome Ryan. Really looking forward to going to Safeco to watch you this season. Fresh start.
Thanks for all the updated info, Ryan!
If you do choose to play in the WBC for Australia, then best of luck to you. Your professionalism and preparation seems to be top-notch, and I was one of many fans in Portland, Oregon who were very excited to see you get some well-deserved starts in 2008. We all look forward to what you can do with a full season at your disposal.
Sweet board – it’s a little short for me, though, as I’m not too savvy in the waves and need what my buddies call the “Banana Boat”. It’s an 8′-6″ yellow squaretail, so it’s aptly named. If you ever get out to Westport, Washington for some surfing, stop by and say “hi” – you can’t miss us, as we’re all wearing yellow full-body drysuits with a “Perfect Wave” logo on the front and back.
Later, man… enjoy the rest of your offseason!
- Kaipo
I’m super excited for spring training to start up again! If you ask me, it’s the best time of the year down here in Phoenix. Can’t wait!
I noticed on the spring training schedule that in the beginning of March the Mariners are playing an exhibition game against Australia…so who knows, you could be playing for or against the Mariners at that game! That would be pretty funny.
Good luck getting ready for spring training, and i look forward to seeing you pitch a few games!
Hope you are having an incredible off-season Ryan. Stopping by to wish you a Happy Birthday today. I’ll see you this year with my “Rowland-Smith” jersey on.
Happy birthday Ryan!!!
Thanks for the update! Glad you’re having a great time back home.
Can’t wait to see you once the season starts! Hoping to make it back to spring training with my Dad again this year. My girl friends and I had a ball (no pun intended) with my dad drinking cold beer in the hot sun and watching you and the rest of the guys play last year. I’m not sure how he put up with us, but hopefully he’s up for it again this year
Hey Ryan!! Sorry for writing twice on the same blog…I don’t like doing that….but had to wish you a happy 26th birthday. In the United States anyway. I should’ve remembered the time difference sets you ahead a day since I was there about this time last year! Hope you had a good one!! Have a safe trip back to the U.S. soon…I read somewhere that pitchers are called to Spring Training around 2/15. Went to Fanfest on Saturday, dropped some change on memorabilia for my RRS/Morrow shadowbox
It is hard to find cool pitcher stuff though. You can always find bats of hitters but never gloves (or something like that) since you have the same one like forever. Also heard some great (funny) stories involving you when I was talking to employees and such. Enjoy your last few days surfing and eating meat pies while you still can 
A couple of us diehards head to Spring Training each year to check out the squad. It seems like a lot of positive changes are in the works and we’re especially looking forward to this year’s trip. I’ve chosen you for this year’s trip t-shirt. It’s similar to this linked Andre the Giant t-shirt http://blogrivet.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/andre_the_giant.jpg. Just wanted to let you know that Ryan Rowland-Smith has a posse as well.
Hope you had a great birthday, Ryan. We’re getting really excited for the start of Spring Training. I would imagine you’re getting anxious to get back to work, as well. We have our tickets to come down to Peoria to see you guys, but not until the very end of March. We only get to come to the last four games, so I hope I get to see you pitch. My daughter and I will be watching for you, for sure!
Really looking forward to this season Ryan.Can’t wait to see you out there starting.As a matter of fact, seeing you anywhere out there is fine with me.
In the Safeco window is awesome.Takes my breath away!
Enjoy Spring training and WBC (if the timing is right for you.)
You are the best!!!!
Well, Ryan, I’m sure you’ll come to spring training ready to compete. It’s a different team you’re returning to, that’s for sure.
From where I sit, you’ve earned a right to start, given a decent spring. In fact, from my perspective you’re the number three starter behind Felix and (a healthy) Bedard. But I’m not the decider here.
How’s your attitude coming in? Do you feel challenged, or confident, or…?
I don’t know a single Seattle fan who isn’t pulling for you. Hope you feel that.
Hey RRS, I am really pulling for you to make the starting rotation instead of one of those bums(Washburn and Silva). It looks like there will be a lot of competition considering Olson was acquired from the Cubs. Would you be open to becoming the closer if you get snubbed as one of the five starters?
Keep working hard and hopefully I will be watching you start when I hit up the Safe in April!
Hey Ryan, was reading Geoff Baker’s blog and I gotta say that I am really more than irritated at how it’s sounding like (due mostly to awful huge salary numbers) he doesn’t see you getting a fair shake out of spring training, If you end up back in the bullpen after the job you did last year that’s going to pi$% me off royally. I want you to know that in the painful losing days of august and september the only thing that got me excited about watching the Mariners was seeing you come into your own and Morrow flash his potential. To me, after the job you did last year, a spot in the rotation should be yours no question. I know that other fans (and sports writers!) agree that you were one of the lone bright spots to come out of ‘08. All that being said, if they are unfair because they want to trot out their over-paid guys as trade-bait, I don’t see you out of the rotation long. All the best come spring. And know that we’re all pulling for you….you’ve earned it.
This has little to do with baseball, but how are you and your family doing with the fires? A family friend of mine in Adelaide has apparently packed a bunch of their home up and are ready to leave if they have to, I guess their home is surrounded by dry bush. I saw some photos online today, it looks terrible!
Ryan i dig the board! family guy is the greatest. that being said you be careful riding that thing! your one of my favorite players on my favorite team! haha. anyways im gonna come watch you pitch this year, im out of walla walla so its a drive. i better get an autograph!