http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWN8pxGlx1s

Well it's Valentine's Day and we don't want to get all sappy on you, but around JustBats.com we all share a few things in common; a love for our customers, a love for what we do and of course a love of baseball. JustBats.com wants to hear from you and what you love about baseball. It could be a love for a favorite bat, a great baseball/softball memory you have had, an awesome play you made or anything you can think of related to baseball and softball. Write up your story, attach some photos and if we love what you have to say, it will probably get published! From all of us here at JustBats.com we wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

To submit your story email it to Joey at jgross@justbats.com.

Website:
www.Slugger.com

Every Monday we’d like you to meet someone new around here at JustBats.com. Get to know us a little better! Meet Nick! Nick is our UX Designer and makes sure that everything works when you visit JustBats.com! Here is what makes Nick tick.

1. How long have you worked here at JustBats.com?
I've worked at JustBats.com for about 8 months.
2. How long have you been a web developer?
Well I've been designing and building web site's since 2002, so roughly 10 years.
3. I hear you are pretty good at racquetball, how often do you play?
I don't know about that, but I try to play a few times a week. I've improved quite a bit since I first started playing 6 months ago, but I still have a long ways to go to get better.
4. Any tips for someone just starting to play racquetball?
Aim low & practice, practice, practice!
5. How do you know if someone has what it takes to become a web developer? What is it you look for?
That's a great question. I think it takes someone with good problem solving, patience, and communication skills because they are absolutely critical when working on a team. Being able to figure out what is (or isn't) working with everyone's code can be challenging and sometimes it just take's a little patience and time to figure out. If you're like me, and focus more on the presentation and functional aspect's of web development then it's also critical that you are also knowledgeable about design, composition, and layout. Having experience working with Photoshop & Illustrator (or any desktop publishing applications) are also going to be very helpful for any web developer.
6. So you're a big KU fan, give us the top three reasons KU is #1 in your book.
Yeah, I make it pretty clear that I'm a KU fan. I don't know if I have a top 3, but here goes.
1.) I grew up pretty close to KU, and have always loved watching them dominate the Big 12 (in basketball at least).
2.) Most of my family is actually K-State fans or graduates, so it makes for some interesting "discussions/jokes" at family get togethers.
3.) Although I did not attend KU, I have been on campus many time's and it's a beautiful place to take photo's and attend a basketball game.
7. What kind of stuff do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Free time? What is that?? Just kidding, I've got two wonderful children who keep me pretty busy building Lego's, drawing, playing with dolls, etc... Other than that, I enjoy watching & playing sports, outdoor activities (guns & 4-wheelers), and the occasional video game or two.
8. Web development can be exhausting work, what do you do to stay focused and on track?
Normally it's just a matter of throwing on the headphones, figuring out what exactly need's to be done and attacking it! If I need a short break, I'll check out a few web site's for inspiration or to keep up on trends in the industry.
9. What do you love about working at JustBats.com?
What's not to love about working here? All of the employees, leadership, free meals, workout facilities, comfortable atmosphere, and other benefits make this truly one of the most amazing places to work in Kansas City.
10. If you run into an issue when developing a website whether it be with code or anything else that might cause problems, what's your process for figuring out the issue?
Well considering that's open-ended and I deal with all sorts of problems I'll try to generalize... I would normally review the code that's in question and make sure I didn't make any mistakes. Once you isolate the problem, rewrite the code and try again! Google and StackOverflow can also be very useful when dealing with difficult errors or problems as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTwwbT5SWFg

When I think of America's favorite pastime, automatically rugged images of baseball's legends come to mind. It is like a montage of heroes that now only exist in black and white mix matched with George Brett running out of the dugout, screaming and spraying spit in the face of an umpire. Baseball has elements that are so true to its core that if you would strip the grass stained jerseys and dirt rubbed hands you might have a glass half empty. Pine tar coated bats are a staple in the realm of baseball imagery. Check out this salvaged Marucci CAT 5. As authentic as the ball player that swings this bat, somehow baseball's elements find a way to live strong in the modern era.

Web-Site:
www.Rawlings.com

Every Monday we’d like you to meet someone new around here at JustBats.com. Get to know us a little better! Meet Adam! Adam is our graphic designer and insists on making sure you have pretty things to look at when you open your emails from us and go to our websites! Here is what makes Adam tick.

1. How long have you worked here at JustBats.com?
I have been working at JustBats.com for a little over a year now.
2. Who are you listening to right now?
Some of the bands I have been listening to a lot lately are: We Were Promised Jetpacks, This Will Destroy You, Banner Pilot and Cold Cave.
3. What keeps you inspired to keep making and designing great work?
I do a lot of research to understand what trends are popular with a lot of our clients. Without understanding the trends going on in the advertising/design world, I would be a huge step behind. I also have a great team that helps critique my work on a weekly basis.
4. So rumor has it you like horror movies, can you give us your top 3 favorite horror films?
Where are you hearing these rumors hmm?
In no particular order, I would have to say 1. The Shining (Kubrick is a genius) 2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original obviously) and 3. The Evil Dead
5. Give us a couple of your favorite designers?
Two designers that I love are David Carson and Art Chantry. Whenever I feel I have a "designers block", I go back and look at their works to find inspiration.
7. You have seen a lot of bands play, are there any concerts that stand out from the rest?
Once I drove three hours to go see Andrew W.K. When I arrived at the venue, I saw two great big words that almost brought me to a tear: SOLD OUT. After much waiting and talking to the bassist from his band, I was let in on Andrew W.K.'s guest list. I sweated, I sang, and I lost a contact. Best night ever.
8. What do you like most about working at JustBats.com?
I love everyone that I work with. I am so blessed to be working at a company that cares about their employees and goes out of their way to make sure everyone has the best experience when walking into the building.
9. Have you been in any bands?
I used to be a vocalist in a punk band 5 years ago, called Crooks. We were a band for about a year, recorded about 5 songs, and played around 15 shows.
10. What's your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I like to paint, collect vinyl, and venture to new food/beer places around the metro area.
11. What is your favorite sport and team?
My favorite teams are Sporting Kansas City, KC Royals, KC Chiefs and Liverpool F.C. I would say that soccer is my favorite sport, however there is nothing like going out on a summer evening to see the Royals play at Kauffman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EomgTU60v5s