Tim Ellsworth

After several years in the minor leagues, New York Yankees first baseman Andy Phillips is finally enjoying his first full season in the big leagues. Phillips played college baseball at Alabama, and in an interview with BamaMag.com, he talks about his playing days with the Crimson Tide, as well as his journey to the majors.

From the interview:

APS: When you were being moved around within the farm system, how did you persevere and have the confidence to believe that someday you would play major league baseball?

AP: For me, I felt that this is exactly where God had me. There was a trust there that as I continued to pray about it and seek what God wanted me to do in my life, he just kept continuing to open up doors in baseball and I never felt that He was moving me out of that direction. With that and continuing to have success, I just kept understanding that ultimately God was in control of what was going to happen with my career. And that was the only thing I held onto.

Phillips has been involved with Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Fla. Here’s a story I wrote about him a couple of years ago.