Braves player Sean Rodriguez speaks about crash in Miami in which a stolen police car struck his SUV

(WSB, CNN NEWSOURCE) An Atlanta Braves baseball player is speaking for the first time about the accident that changed his family's life.

Sean Rodriguez is an infielder who signed with the Braves in November.

Last month, he was driving near his Miami home with his wife and two young sons when a stolen police car plowed into his SUV.

Rodriguez's wife suffered several broken bones and the children were hospitalized as well.

But Rodriguez is grateful. "I'm here. My wife and my kids are alive. I get to kiss them and say good night to them, and I still love them every day, so for that I'm just grateful and blessed. I mean it's hard to look at any of the negative or the bad stuff with that still being a factor. You definitely stare into your kids' eyes a little more, and into your wife's eyes. Definitely bask in that moment the more you get to see them and play with them and kiss them. It's definitely a level of appreciation you can't deny."

The person driving the stolen police car was killed in the crash.

As for Rodriguez, he suffered a torn rotator cuff and other injuries in the accident.

He's expected to miss at least the first half of this season.