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Battling Adversity: Mental & Physical By: Josh Evans-August 8, 2007 Battling injuries, physically and mentally, can be one of the most trying aspects of baseball. I started pitching when I was thirteen years old and arm problems were the last thing on my mind. I was always classified as a “spot guy” or “control pitcher” living in the lower velocity class. For the most part, it used to seem that the guys that threw harder were more likely to have problems than those of my stature. Obviously nowadays, that is far from the truth. I attended James Island High School in Charleston, SC, under Coach Tom Hatley. JI always had a good program, competing for a championship every year. Throughout my five years there, I finished with a solid career overall, earning a few awards along the way. Following high school, I went onto play at Spartanburg Methodist Junior College. As a freshman, my main role was out of the pen on the weekends and a few spot starts during the week. I finished up my first year 6-1 and nothing short of high expectations for myself for my sophomore year. It was shortly after I left school, while working out in the off-season, the bumps in the road for my career began. In June of that summer, I had my first shoulder surgery. Never having any problems in the past that I couldn’t play through, this was all new to me, surely having doubts on what would come of it. I worked hard and followed my physical therapy programs to a tee. It seemed as soon as I started turning the corner, more problems came into play. Constant pain in my elbow would end up leading to yet another surgery, only within two months of the first. I have always worked hard on and off the field; however, I was starting to realize that no matter how hard you work, some things you can’t completely control. There’s no doubt that there is a certain amount of mental strain that comes along with these injuries when you never know how they will end up. I have seen many friends, teammates, etc. who have never made it through just one injury or surgery, mainly because of the mental aspect of fighting through the obstacles. Luckily rehab went well that year with both the elbow and shoulder and I was back in time for my first start my sophomore year. I got lit up like I never had, by a team that had no business being on the same field as us. I had to realize that even though I’d have pain here and there from the operations, that I was going to have to compete like I had in the past and not let the team down. We rolled through the rest of the year straight to the World Series where we captured the school’s first win out in Grand Junction. I ended up 10-1 and yet again, had high hopes for the rest of my career. I had signed with Division I, Elon University who was expected to make a good run the next couple years. I went home and worked out all summer as always. Pain in the arm came and went like always, but never anything major. I got to Elon ready to jump in and help the team, when it came to a screeching halt once again. I tried throwing sidearm, submarine, every possible way I could to avoid the pain, but it just wasn’t going to happen. The end result was that my first shoulder surgery had failed. I was ready to have a third surgery within only about a year of the first two, but this one was different. I couldn’t play the upcoming year. Hearing those words from the doc made me want to jump over his desk at him, but I knew I was at a standstill. I had some decisions to make. Everyone who knows me will tell you I’m as stubborn as they come, so after the news had settled in, the thought of giving the game up wouldn’t be a factor. It was a long, frustrating road back, but with the help of some good people and daily hard work I was back in action. I then signed to play at Charleston Southern for my remaining two years. My first year back was pretty good, but still not what I expected out of myself. I came into my senior year ready to go. Pro day in the fall came and I hit 89 on the gun, which I’ve never done before. I was pumped. The next day I woke up and could barely move my arm. The trainers put me in a sling. I knew I had no time for anymore MRI’s, doctors, or even any extensive rehab. Luckily, after working through it for a couple weeks, we found that some scar tissue had broken up and I was able to get back in the saddle again. My performance my senior year was below par, and the worst of my career, exactly the opposite of what I needed. The odds of me playing after college with my arm history were almost impossible as it was, and a bad last year certainly wasn’t any help. For some reason, I still wasn’t going to settle for not playing anymore. I had a tryout up in Chicago with the Padres in September I had prepared for all summer. More bad news followed, arriving to Chicago that weekend only to see rainstorms all weekend! They gave us an option to go out to Phoenix for another tryout a week later, so I did it. I threw pretty well out there, but didn’t get picked up. I went back home and started working. It was a couple weeks later I heard from Les Lancaster, the manager for the Reno Silver Sox Independent team out in Nevada. He was looking on at the tryout out west …

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Where have you gone Cal and Tony? By: Austin Alexander-August 3, 2007 .Today’s game is full of trades, free agency, baggy uniforms and player’s being given days off. Long gone, it seems, are the traditional athletes who actually placed value in playing hard, playing everyday, playing in one city and playing for the love of the game. .Amid allegations of steroid use, dog-fighting and fixing games, the sports arena has become a soap opera, in some ways a complete disgrace. On Sunday, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn (right)were immortalized in Cooperstown, NY, baseball’s Hall of Fame. Ripken and Gywnn take us back to a time when the game was still pure, back to when hard work, selflessness and being humble was still considered cool. .Batting titles, MVP’s, gold gloves and lots of hits became the calling card of this year’s induction class. Unfortunately, future generations will only be given the opportunity to memorize the statistics of Ripken and Gwynn, not even close to the measure of the men they were. The hours upon hours that Ripken and Gwynn spent signing autographs for young baseball fans is legendary. And just in case you were wondering what they charged for their John Hancock? There was no fee and the moment was usually complete with a handshake, conversation, smile and photograph. .Consider that each grew up, played professionally and still reside in the same city. They are both a true product of the only town they have ever called home. To take it a step further, both have built ballparks and remain very visible in the amateur baseball world. Both guys are fixtures on the clinic circuit and are involved on a daily basis with the future of baseball. .Most of us are not old enough to have seen Joe DiMaggio play but we are well-aware of the way he played and the class that he exuded on and off the diamond. Just like a line in the Paul Simon song said, "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?" When the Yankee Clipper met the musician years later, he asked Simon what that line actually meant. Simon explained that it was used figuratively, wondering where have all the heroes gone. I ask the same question. Where have you gone Cal and Tony? Who is going to carry the torch that young baseball fans can really look up to as a role model? No one did it finer than these two men and I salute them both as the hardware they have accumulated over the years doesn’t even hold a candle to the impact they have had on the game and the people they encountered. Job well done and congratulations on the recognition you both have garnered this week! .

Bonds versus Aaron: A Statistical Comparison By: Austin Alexander-July, 27 2007   One career was marred by racism, the other by performance enhancement allegations. Two power-hitting outfielders separated by a generation have been drawing comparisons all year long, today we’ll take an in-depth look at baseball history and why Hammerin’ Hank’s record is the most revered in all of sports.   Barry Bonds is now eerily close to surpassing a numerical figure that has stood my entire adult life. Seven Hundred and Fifty-Five dingers. Astounding. The homerun record is widely recognized as the biggest number in any sport, American’s have always been fascinated with the long ball and for the past 33 years, Hank Aaron’s name has been the one we associate with it. When Aaron pursued the record in the early 70’s, his chase was surrounded by racism and death threats even landed in his mailbox prior to the April 8, 1974 landmark homer.   Bonds and baseball avoided a potentially embarrassing moment this past weekend as the Giants spent three days in commissioner Bud Selig’s backyard. Milwaukee was also the stage for Aaron’s first 354 jacks and his last 22 as a Brewer. How would fans have reacted had Bonds hit the record-breaker in their stadium? Would they cheer, would they boo, would they litter the field?   With Bonds in the midst of a seven-game homestand and the mark of 755 in eminent danger of falling, a myriad of potential problems face the game. Most of Bonds’ signature homeruns have been hit by the Bay and the Giant hopeful hope two more splash hits land in McCovey Cove this weekend because San Francisco plays 15 of their next 22 games on the road. Aaron has already stated that he will not be in attendance, Selig has waffled on the topic with each inquiry. Either way, a Bonds bomb in a visitor’s uniform could prove to be a black eye for the game.   Bonds does have supporters, as did Aaron during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s record. He also has a host of detractors and most them reside east of the Bay area. What does it do to the state of baseball for the image of a ‘roided up’ Bonds circling the bases to a chorus of boos during #756?   Regardless of one’s opinion of Bonds, a greater understanding of his accomplishments warrants an appreciation. Let’s take a look.   In sports debating, an argument is sure to ensue as soon as era’s crossover and father’s try to trump the opinions of their sons. It is best to compare players against their contemporaries and what they accomplished against their peers. Let’s now take a magnifying glass to two of baseball’s most prolific players of all time.   With the majority of our audience as anti-Bonds folk, we’ll split his career into the pre and post-2001, the period of time that allegations have placed him as a substance user and then beyond. Before 2001, Bonds won three Most Valuable Player awards, finished second twice in the voting and was a member of eight all-star teams. Bonds had homered 494 times, stolen 471 bases and won nine gold gloves. At that time, he was considered by many as baseball’s best player and among the all-time elite. If you’d polled an America that had already fallen out of love with Bonds years earlier, most would have named him a first ballot Hall of Famer.   Then he went a got really, really good. Of course everyone has their own opinion on the matter and I believe the media has more than covered the topic but consider this. The era that he dominated during the next five years was the steroid era whether you choose to believe it or not. Sources much closer to Major League Baseball than me have put the number at over 50 percent, including the pitchers that Bonds tortured between 2001 and 2005.   The ballpark that Bonds calls home has seen the fewest homeruns of any other stadium since its opening in 2000…and that is counting all of the ones that Bonds has hit there. The right-centerfield porch that Bonds takes aim at sits 421 feet away from homeplate with a 25-foot wall to boot.   In today’s game, hitters can face three or four specialized arms in a single game, seldom do they get the opportunity to take shots at a tired arm in the late innings. Though expansion is one argument against the talent level in major league baseball now, the borders have now been opened and players from across the globe make big league jobs more competitive. Plus, scouting has become much more sophisticated than it was 50 years ago, fewer secrets exist and the best of the best play at the highest level.   Let’s just face it, Bonds is good, very good. I have never been a fan of the guy. His personality has always been surly and I am opposed to performance enhancement activity but to deny yourself that we have witnessed the career of baseball’s most prolific hitter is pure ignorance.   In the coming days, Bonds will pass Aaron. Sometime next year he will get his 3,000th hit to make him one of only four players (Willie Mays, Eddie Murray and Aaron) to accomplish that feat. Add in his 514 bags and he is the only 3,000-500-500 guy in the history of our game and you have to take notice. Factor in that his seven MVP’s are more than twice of anyone else (no other player has had more than three in a career) and you have to declare him the most dominant player in the most explosive offensive era that the game has ever seen.   Aaron had a stellar career and should be forever praised for his work as a civil rights activist and power hitter. This forum was not intended to demean the 23 years he spent in professional baseball. Rather, I felt it was …

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