To every young hitter…pay close attention to Sam Antonacci and how he is thinking “hard hit hustle double” out of the box. Not settling for his base hit and making a lazy turn at first base. Play the game hard. Play the game the right way, and never take the game for granted.

Team Effort: Front Office Executives, Amateur Scouting, Pro Scouting, Player Development, R&D, Bio Mechanics, ect..

Connor McKnight: “Sam it's your first big league season. You're headed to the playoffs. If I would've told you that 4 months ago would you have believed me?" Sam Antonacci: Yes. McKnight: Why? Antonacci: Winners win!

Thank you, Coach Neiman! It was an honor to spend time with you on Straight Lines. Appreciate the impact you’re making on so many.

Friday September 25, 2026 “Finish The Work” By Kevin Burrell “I have brought You glory here on earth by [finishing the work] You gave Me to do.” John 17:4 Coaches and Scouts You've spent your career evaluating talent; Bat speed. Barrel control. Arm strength. Pitches. Athleticism. Fielding. Speed. Power. You know how to identify a prospect. But here's a harder question, and it's the one this devotional is for: what are you actually building in the people God has put in your dugout, in your locker room, or in your territory? Jesus didn't run a program. He built disciples, and He did it through four intentional environments. Pay close attention to how Jesus strategically moved people from “Seekers to Servants.” “Come and See" = Invitation “Come and you will see." John 1:39 Before Jesus asked for commitment, He extended an invitation. No pressure, low commitment, no demand upfront, just "come and see." That's it. That's the whole ask. “Come and Follow"= Commitment "Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 Bigger commitment? Yes. However Peter and Andrew didn't get a full syllabus from Jesus. They simply dropped their nets and followed Him. They began doing daily life with Him. Trusting the training would come later. “Come and Remain" = Training "Remain in Me, as I also remain in you." John 15:4 To get stronger and build physical muscle you must spend time in the weight room. The same is true building spiritual muscle for growth and maturity. This is the phase most coaches skip, honestly — the slow, unglamorous work of staying rooted. Development isn't a single at-bat or a single showcase. It's reps, over and over and over for months — and even years that nobody sees. It took Jesus 3 yrs to train and develop His disciples in this environment. And it will be for you as well. Don’t quit! “Come and Go Out"= Commission “Now, Go and Make Disciples.” Matthew 28:19-20 Every scout knows the goal of player development is to transform Minor League prospects into Major League players. Jesus ran His ministry the exact same way. He poured into twelve men for three years with the focused, explicit intent of sending them out to the playing field to do exactly what He'd done for them. This is the piece that should unsettle you a little: you were never called to “your field, your territory, or your program” simply to draft talent or hang a championship banner. God placed you where you are right now — to disciple athletes, coaches and scouts who will then go out and make disciples themselves. That is your ministry. That is your calling. Listen Closely — Please don’t miss the following. You've been called to something far bigger than the job description on your business card. God didn't put you in scouting or coaching by accident — He planted you there as a “disciple maker in disguise as a coach or scout.” That is you why. The wins matter. The signings matter. But they are not the mission. Baseball is the platform, the vehicle, to drive the mission. Take an honest inventory. Who have you invited to . . “Come and See” “Come and Follow” “Come and Remain” “Come and Go Out” Who is following your lead? That's the real scouting report God is running on our life. Because one day, when we stand before Christ we will give an account. Make sure you can say the same words Jesus said: “I have brought You glory here on earth by [finishing the work] You gave Me to do.” Love God. Love People. Live Sent. Be Worth Being, Kevin

pure joy

Let’s Go!

#ChiSoxNation 🙌🏻

More is lost with “indecision” than with “wrong decision.” Nothing in life will ever be the “perfect time” to make a decision. Make the decision — and move forward.

Heavy news! Such a stable coach in our organization for over three decades. He will be greatly missed.

“You will never be criticize by someone who is doing more work than you. You will only be criticized by someone who is doing less.” Don’t let the opinions of critics distract you. Stay true. Stay focused. Surround yourself with people who tell you the truth. Keep moving forward!

Wednesday September 23, 2026 “Humility—Silence—Surrender” By Kevin Burrell “Then Job replied to the LORD, “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.”Job 40:3-5 Coaches and Scouts In baseball, coaches trust their gut to make the call. Scouts sit with their stopwatch, radar gun, or Trackman trying to see what others missed. You're paid to have answers, and after enough years, it's easy to believe you always should. Then something happens no scouting report could predict. The player you bet your reputation on gets injured. The season falls apart. The door you worked so hard to open closes. Job knew that feeling better than anyone. He lost all his children, his health, his livestock and his livelihood — and asked God the same question we ask today: Why? God answered, not with an explanation, but by reminding Job who was running the universe. Job's reply is short, but powerful. Don’t miss it. I encourage you to apply the following three principles to your life. • Humility You've built a reputation for having answers. You've been right enough times that people listen. But the game humbles even the sharpest eye — the can’t miss prospect flames out, and the passed-over player becomes an All-Star. Job hit that wall with God and simply said, "I am nothing." Not self-hatred — but an honest look at how small we are next to a God who sees and knows all things. There's freedom there. You were never meant to have every answer. • Silence Coaches and scouts talk for a living; reports, building your case, opinions, defended calls. But Job says, "I will cover my mouth with my hand." He goes quiet, ready to listen. Some of the most important moments in your faith won't come while you're building your case. They'll come when you stop talking and let God speak. • Surrender "I have nothing more to say." Job lays down his case — not giving up, but trusting: You are God, and I am not. You can't control the injury, the trade, or the season that slips away. Do your work faithfully, then release the results to the One who sees the whole field. When you surrender your will to His, that's when God opens doors no man can shut. Listen Closely — Ask yourself… Where am I trying to have all the answers? What would I hear if I got quiet before God? What do I need to surrender over to God? Exercise — Humility, Silence, and Surrender. Then watch God move on your behalf. Love God. Love People. Live Sent. Be Worth Being, Kevin

“Then Job replied to the LORD: I know that You can do anything and no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:1-2 Reminder Today— God holds your future. You don’t. His power, His plan & His purposes for you cannot be thwarted. When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

Monday September 21, 2026 Who Are You Reproducing? By Kevin Burrell “Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is [fully trained] will become like the teacher.” Luke 6:40 Coaches, Scouts, and Athletes A Major League Baseball organization isn’t measured by how many players it drafts, signs, and develops. It’s measured by how many of those players make it to the Major League team and help win a World Championship. There’s a lot of truth packed into that statement. The same principle applies when it comes to developing fully trained, disciple-making leaders. Most churches throughout America today pour tremendous time, energy and effort into getting people through the doors and into the seats. But very few prioritize discipling, training, and developing fully trained, disciple-making leaders who will go on to reproduce and multiply what they’ve received. Let me be clear: “discipleship” and “disciple-making” are not the same thing. Now let me ask the harder question. We’re all busy. Practices. Games. Film. Data. Analytics. Travel. Recruiting. Training. Evaluations. The calendar stays full, the pace stays fast, and there always seems to be something else demanding our time and attention. But are we busy about the right things? Are we giving our best hours and our greatest energy to what will matter most in eternity when it’s all said and done? Because a full schedule isn’t necessarily a fruitful one. If Christ’s mission is to reach the whole world—including sports teams, locker rooms, athletic fields, courts, and weight rooms—then something has to change. And it starts with us. Coaches: Are you developing people, or simply managing a roster? Scouts: Are you finding talent, or are you also investing in the lives behind that talent? Athletes: Are you chasing a career, or are you also building a legacy that will outlast it? Listen Closely — Do not miss the following. A coach, scout, or athlete who has a heart after God’s own heart should be making disciples—and then helping launch those disciples as fully trained leaders. Because if no disciples are being made, no leaders are being sent into the world of sports. But when fully trained disciples are being made, something powerful happens. Leaders begin stepping onto teams, into programs, and into places where they can have tremendous impact and influence. That’s multiplication. Let’s stop “being busy” and start “being fruitful.” Let’s make fully trained disciples of coaches, scouts, and athletes—and send them out to lead, serve, and make disciples throughout the world of sports. “Go and Make Disciples” Matthew 28:19-20 Love God. Love People. Live Sent. Be Worth Being, Kevin

SAM ANTONACCI WHAT A PLAY🔥

SAM ANTONACCI DOING IT ALL FOR THE WHITE SOX A 2-run double makes it 3-0🍿

Over the past 2 years I have written down countless prayer requests from people asking for prayer, placing them in this “prayer bowl” with my morning coffee. One of the best acts of service we can do for one another is to pray. Because ‘Iron Sharpens Iron’ 🙏

Friday September 18, 2026 “Beware of the Three D’s” By Kevin Burrell The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 In baseball, coaches and scouts are always looking for the "5-tool player" — someone who can hit for average, hit for power, run, throw, and field. When a scout spots all five tools, he knows he's found something special, a player with the potential to really impact the game and his organization. There's a similar kind of evaluation happening every day — not on a baseball field, but on the spiritual playing field for our souls. Scripture calls him "the thief." His name is Satan, and he's been running the same game plan since the beginning of time. He relies on “three tools”… and they can be deadly. Distraction, Deception, and Discouragement. 1. Distraction pulls our eyes off God. He fills our lives with busyness, entertainment, lust, social media, success, power, money, relationships, and worry — until there's barely any time left for prayer, Scripture, or the things that actually matter. 2. Deception gets us to believe things that aren't true. Jesus called Satan the "father of lies," and he'll whisper things like, "It's not that big a deal. Everyone else is doing it. You deserve this. God won't mind." Small lies, believed long enough, add up to big consequences. 3. Discouragement shows up when distraction and deception haven't worked. This is where Satan tries to convince us to just give up. "You've failed too many times. God can't use you. You're not worthy. You'll never change." He wants our failures to define us instead of God's grace. Picture a player with five impact tools who stops working hard because he's distracted, listening to bad advice, and battling discouragement in the midst of an 0-for-25 slump. His talent hasn't gone anywhere — but discouragement is wearing him down. The same thing can happen to us spiritually. Satan doesn't always take someone out with one big, dramatic attack. A lot of the time, he just slowly chips away — distraction, deception, discouragement — one day at a time. His goal is still the same: “steal, kill, destroy,” so he can drag as many people to hell as he can. That's why Peter tells us to "be sober-minded, be watchful” (1 Peter 5:8). We have a real enemy, but we also have a far greater Savior. Listen Closely — Guard your eyes against Distraction. Guard your mind against Deception. Guard your heart against Discouragement. • Stay in God's Word (The Bible). • Stay close to Christ. • Stay connected to His people. • Stay in spiritually healthy environments. And when the enemy comes — because he will — be ready. Keep your guard up. Keep your eyes open. Keep your head on a swivel. Because the goal was never just to have the tools God gave us. The goal is to stay faithful and actually use them to defeat the enemy. Love God. Love People. Live Sent. Be Worth Being, Kevin

80 Grade Arm #JoseGuillen

A call to Coaches and Athletes all around the world to leverage your influence right where God has planted you. “Coach and Compete with Impact” coaches.impactdisciples.com piped.video/K-uk6vWY2wg