Baseball Guru
03-21-2002, 09:25 PM
By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
March 21, 2002, 5:38 PM EST
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Joey Hamilton, opening day starter.
Sounds strange, doesn't it?
When Cincinnati Reds manager Bob Boone broke the news by phone, Hamilton was overwhelmed. Only a few weeks ago, he was a pitcher without a guarantee.
He came to camp as a nonroster player, trying to prove he still belonged in the major leagues. On April 1, he'll be front-and-center for the final opening day at Cinergy Field.
"I really couldn't conceive of coming out of this as the opening day starter," Hamilton said Thursday. "It's really gratifying for me, considering what I've been through the last three years.
"There were a lot of people who didn't give me a chance not only of making a team, but of getting back to where I used to be. I can't wait to face some of those teams who felt that way."
No one could blame them. It wasn't long ago that the Reds' opening day starter was sizing up other lines of work, figuring his surgically repaired shoulder might never be the same.
Two years of bad outings and rejections will do that.
The Padres' first-round pick in 1991 went 15-9 in 1995 and seemed to be headed for a solid career. Then, problems came.
Hamilton had to miss some starts in 1997 because of a sore shoulder. He got through 1998 and was traded to Toronto, but the shoulder got progressively worse in '99.
By that September, he couldn't go on. He had surgery to repair tears in his labrum and rotator cuff.
He spent the next two seasons trying to get back in form -- he couldn't -- and getting shuffled around. Toronto released him last season after he went 5-8 with a 5.89 ERA in 22 starts.
"It got to the point last year when I got released that I was contemplating trying to find another job," he said. "I wasn't having any fun, I wasn't doing my job. I had many conversations with my wife."
Angie Hamilton listened to his frustrations and gave him some advice: Don't quit baseball just yet.
She was with him around supper time Wednesday when manager Bob Boone called to break the news. Hamilton had pitched the best of the starters this spring -- a 0.69 ERA in four appearances -- and was being rewarded.
"I was cooking some barbecue chicken and ribs," Hamilton said. "He called and said he'd made the decision and announced it, and told me congratulations. And that was it."
Hamilton had noted to his wife that the spring rotation was set up to have him start on opening day, but he knew he was still a pitcher without a roster spot -- until the phone call.
"After I got off the phone, I kind of turned around and she said, 'Let me guess: They purchased your contract and you're starting opening day.' I couldn't really say anything. I was kind of choked up," Hamilton said, getting emotional as he told the story. "I was just smiling. She started jumping around."
What happened to bring this about?
Hamilton's shoulder finally feels normal, and the Reds were so desperate for starting pitching that they gave Hamilton and Jimmy Haynes a chance as nonroster players.
Hamilton pitched four unimpressive games for the Reds at the end of last season, going 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA. He did a lot of throwing and weight lifting in the offseason to strengthen the shoulder, and noticed the movement was starting to return to his pitches.
It showed in spring training. With top returning starter Elmer Dessens struggling, the way was cleared for Hamilton to not only make the rotation, but get the No. 1 spot.
"It's a big deal," he said. "It's very gratifying, coming from where I've been the last three years."
AP Sports Writer
March 21, 2002, 5:38 PM EST
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Joey Hamilton, opening day starter.
Sounds strange, doesn't it?
When Cincinnati Reds manager Bob Boone broke the news by phone, Hamilton was overwhelmed. Only a few weeks ago, he was a pitcher without a guarantee.
He came to camp as a nonroster player, trying to prove he still belonged in the major leagues. On April 1, he'll be front-and-center for the final opening day at Cinergy Field.
"I really couldn't conceive of coming out of this as the opening day starter," Hamilton said Thursday. "It's really gratifying for me, considering what I've been through the last three years.
"There were a lot of people who didn't give me a chance not only of making a team, but of getting back to where I used to be. I can't wait to face some of those teams who felt that way."
No one could blame them. It wasn't long ago that the Reds' opening day starter was sizing up other lines of work, figuring his surgically repaired shoulder might never be the same.
Two years of bad outings and rejections will do that.
The Padres' first-round pick in 1991 went 15-9 in 1995 and seemed to be headed for a solid career. Then, problems came.
Hamilton had to miss some starts in 1997 because of a sore shoulder. He got through 1998 and was traded to Toronto, but the shoulder got progressively worse in '99.
By that September, he couldn't go on. He had surgery to repair tears in his labrum and rotator cuff.
He spent the next two seasons trying to get back in form -- he couldn't -- and getting shuffled around. Toronto released him last season after he went 5-8 with a 5.89 ERA in 22 starts.
"It got to the point last year when I got released that I was contemplating trying to find another job," he said. "I wasn't having any fun, I wasn't doing my job. I had many conversations with my wife."
Angie Hamilton listened to his frustrations and gave him some advice: Don't quit baseball just yet.
She was with him around supper time Wednesday when manager Bob Boone called to break the news. Hamilton had pitched the best of the starters this spring -- a 0.69 ERA in four appearances -- and was being rewarded.
"I was cooking some barbecue chicken and ribs," Hamilton said. "He called and said he'd made the decision and announced it, and told me congratulations. And that was it."
Hamilton had noted to his wife that the spring rotation was set up to have him start on opening day, but he knew he was still a pitcher without a roster spot -- until the phone call.
"After I got off the phone, I kind of turned around and she said, 'Let me guess: They purchased your contract and you're starting opening day.' I couldn't really say anything. I was kind of choked up," Hamilton said, getting emotional as he told the story. "I was just smiling. She started jumping around."
What happened to bring this about?
Hamilton's shoulder finally feels normal, and the Reds were so desperate for starting pitching that they gave Hamilton and Jimmy Haynes a chance as nonroster players.
Hamilton pitched four unimpressive games for the Reds at the end of last season, going 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA. He did a lot of throwing and weight lifting in the offseason to strengthen the shoulder, and noticed the movement was starting to return to his pitches.
It showed in spring training. With top returning starter Elmer Dessens struggling, the way was cleared for Hamilton to not only make the rotation, but get the No. 1 spot.
"It's a big deal," he said. "It's very gratifying, coming from where I've been the last three years."