Not much of a change from yesterday... Guys that did'nt throw yesterday tossed for 12 minutes today and it was the last day of drills... they have 5 different stations with different fundamentals we work on... and you spend 15-20 minutes with your group going over things likecovering first, bunts to first and third and pick-offs... it is real time consuming stuff... but there is something to be learned... every organization teaches something a little different... and that is why you need to pay attention... I have heard the the same speaches 1,000's of times but there is always something different, and that is where you can learn..
I had some feelings of envy today... I see these young arms... 19 year old guys with rocket arms... they throw and throw... but they don't realize that one day you won't throw anymore...They are young and not well versed in the business end of baseball.. where organizations love you when you are healthy and winning but tend to forget about you when you are hurt or struggling... It is something all guys know of but won't speak openly... We are all one pitch away from retirement... that makes for a sense of respect every player has for another...
It goes a little deeper with veterans... they have been through the wash and have some war stories... and each is as unique as the player himself. I talked to Scott Anderson this evening after a nice round of golf.. and he talked about going over to Japan for 2 years... again, it is another game to the Japanese.. they treat Americans well but they bring them into their world with apprehension and the thought that they are lazy and have little respect for the game... Mike Browning is another story.. this guy is 35 and has pitched everywhere... I met him in 1990 while re-habbing in the Astros AA town of Columbus Georgia.. he had a great spring and was sent to AAA to start off the season... well he did'nt pitch and was then sent to AA where he reeled off 18 scorreless innings... but he was too old they said... so they offered him his release or to play for one of their affilliates in Mexico.. well to make a long story short he is now back in the states after 4 seasons there and over 140 saves in 4 years... this guy can pitch!!! and he can play a little golf also...these two guys I have the deepest respect for.. and I can feel they share the same feeling for me...
If it was'nt for bad luck I would'nt have had any at all.. I was on my way to a career in the major leagues but after winning 18 games in 85 and 12 in 87 I felt I was ready for my 'shot' and got in whe I was called up on September 1 1987... I threw in 3 games and did well... I looked forward to the 1988 year... That never happened.. I came into spring and blew out my shoulder in the first week. After arthroscopic surgery in 1988 and a total rebuild in 1989 I was ready to throw again by the middle of 1990... in 1991 I spent the seson between AA, AAA and the major leagues. It was wonderful coming back from a surgery like that but there was this little voice telling me to not get too excited...In 1992 I started in AAA and was spent the season jetting between Houston and Tucson... playing over half the season in the Major Leagues. then in 1993 I cam into Spring again and guess what I blew out my damned shoulder... Go to JAIL and DO NOT collect 200.00... I had one more surgery in April of 1993 and re-habbed with the jaor League club the entire 93 season... after one surgery already I was quite apprehensive about throwing hard again... I tried to come back with the Padres in the spring of 94 but was frustrated and retired in May..And that brings me to here and now... I am making one last trek to my dream and I will not be stopped... I realize the strike could come to an end at anytime and will graciously bow down if playing at the time... these guys are baseball players and they DO want to play... but they do have to remember that now... Basketball and Football have survived under the salary cap... why not Baseball...
Players come and go but the game remains the same... No one player is so big that he will be missed in 10 years... anohter will come along anf take his place...
mallyman
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