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Family matters: How life works when you're a minor leaguer, a husband and a father

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ben Heller can't fathom having children at this juncture in time.

The 24-year-old pitches in small Midwest towns from April to September and trains at the Indians' facilities in Goodyear, Arizona the rest of the year. His wife, Martha, is a teacher in the Phoenix area. She spends her summer break with Heller on the road. Fitting a child into the family portrait isn't an easy accommodation at this point.

Convenience is one thing, though. Necessity is another.

For some minor leaguers, life's list of obligations extends far beyond baseball and whatever off-season job a player works to attract a few extra bucks.