Player Journal: LaPorta's first impressions

• Send Matt an email

Hello Everyone,

Welcome back to another journal from Matt LaPorta. As always, I appreciate the time you guys take to read this journal and send me your emails. I had a chance to return a few emails personally from the past few weeks, and some of the responses are at the end of this journal.

I am writing to you from Jackson, Tenn., where we are playing a five-game stand against the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. Last week, we played the Mississippi Braves, who are a very talented ball club and will do well this season. We took five games from them and were 5-0 for the start of the season.

I feel that our team played very well together and I believe we are just going to get better as the season goes on. We have some great players on our team, such as Matt Gamel, as well as many others. I have enjoyed playing out in right field for the last five games, but I just wish that it was not so wet from the rain! I felt like I was playing in a swamp with all the bad weather that was sweeping across the country.

That seems to be all that I have for you this time. I am sure my next journal will have more in it due to the fact that we will have played more games by then. Thanks again for reading the journal and sending all the emails. It is a great feeling to have the support of the fans from this game.

Verse of the Week:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

Now for some of your emails:

I'm just a high-schooler up in Wisconsin and a die-hard Brewers fan. It's awesome to see you getting involved with the Minor League Player journal. We as fans enjoy getting updates on how you and other prospects are doing. I'd just like to let you know that everyone I come across in person and on various internet message boards and fan sites thinks you are a genuinely good guy, as well as one heck of a baseball player. And it's nice to see that you're comfortable with your religion and willing to share that with others. I look forward to following your season this year, and hopefully the organization will make you a starter in the Majors next season. You know you're good when there's talk of moving Ryan Braun off his position to make room for you. Best of luck this year at Huntsville and hopefully Nashville. You have tons of supporters in the Brewers fan base, and we'll be looking forward to your Major League debut. And next year, if you're in the Majors, that lineup is going to be crazy good. --Jordan M.

Thank you for your email. I would like to apologize -- I would have responded personally earlier, but I haven't had internet access for about two weeks. Thank you for the encouragement and the support that you are giving. Take care and remember with God everything is possible.

Best wishes for your 2008 campaign. Just wanted to let you know that I took you in my fantasy league's college supplemental draft with the second pick last summer. I think I got a steal. Glad to see the Bible verse too. I hope you can be a shining light for some of your teammates and coaches by sharing your faith. Hope to see you in Milwaukee by September! Have a great year. Romans 8:28. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Translation: Keep your head down, see the ball and trust those hands that God blessed you with. --Austin C.

I hope all is well and I want to thank you for the encouraging email. I appreciate it, as well as the bible verse. Thank you again and take care. I think you also did get a steal! Ha-ha.

Congragulations on being a Milwaukee Brewer! Hopefully you get called up soon, because we could really use your bat up here. Milwaukee is the most blue-collar town in the Midwest, so all we expect is that you give 99 percent. You seem to have a great personality, which will be highly respected. Your love in God is a great thing for this team, because it will add a lot of good swagger. You will love Milwaukee, because it's an actual team. Everybody on the roster has started where you are now, unlike the Yankees or Red Sox, who just trade away their young talent for some 35-year-old star year-in and year-out. Good luck in Huntsville and Nashville, and best of luck following the path that turned Prince, Ryan, J.J. and Corey into stars. --Zack B.

Thank you very much for the email, and you have my word that I will give 100 percent.