Matt Addis has turned his life around and is now pitching for the Sinclair Community College baseball team.
Addis had been trying to make the Tartan Pride for a couple of years, but the lifestyle he lived prevented him from being able to join.
Sinclair baseball coach Steve Dintaman said Addis had tried to walk on at Wright State University, but they didn’t have a spot open, so they sent him to Sinclair. Dintaman said Addis was ineligible to join the team because of his grade-point average and sent him home.
Dintaman said Addis tried out again last spring.
“I had no idea he was enrolled, I could have cared less,” he said. “The kid’s not even in my program, but he showed up to the tryouts again.”
Addis only knew about the tryouts because of a mass e-mail sent out by Dintaman.
Addis said he had been making a string of poor decisions for at least two years. He was living in an apartment with two other guys and would wake up around four in the afternoon and not go to bed until seven in the morning.
“I was playing online poker for money,” Addis said. “I wasn’t doing anything productive with my life and I wanted to play baseball.”
Addis said he was about to sign up for classes at Miami University in Middletown when he got the e-mail to come try out for the team.
“I saw him on the mound and saw his name and thought it was ridiculous,” Dintaman said. “He’s like Happy Gilmore.”
Dintaman said he pulled Addis back and told him he wouldn’t be able to play. That is when Addis told him that he turned his life around and had a 4.0 GPA, according to Dintaman.
At first he didn’t believe Addis, but when Dintaman was shown proof he put Addis on the roster.
Along with Chuck Calhoun and Brad Yinger, Addis is part of Sinclair’s version of the nasty boys, a reference to a trio of former Cincinnati Reds relief pitchers Rob Dibble, Norm Charleton and Randy Myers. In 12 innings, Addis has allowed one hit with two wins and zero losses, as of April 2.
“I’ve never been part of a team before where I get along with everybody,” Addis said.
Addis said that he is a much better teammate now compared to in high school when he was arrogant. He said he feels he brings a good attitude to the team and supports all of his teammates.
“It’s like a family, plain and simple,” Addis said.