60.9- Anthony Jones

[chicoruiz]

When that last cutter left my hand, I knew nothing was ever going to be the same.

It felt like someone had ignited a brush fire in my right shoulder, with the pain radiating all the way down to the tip of my little finger. I grabbed my arm and Hollis O’Hara immediately came out of his crouch and motioned to the dugout. The trainer and the manager jogged out to join Hollis and the infield as they gathered around me.

“What’s goin’ on, Onion?” Onion is my nickname.

“Skip, I gotta say… I think my shoulder is shredded. Hurts like a sunovabitch.”

“Well, don’t get too far out over your skis, Onion. You’re not a doctor. Let’s get you out of here and get it looked at.”

Well, I may not be a doctor, but I sure as hell knew what I was feeling, and as it turned out, I was right- my rotator cuff expressed forcefully that it didn’t want me to throw any more baseballs for a long, long time. For the rest of this season and all of next season, I’m going to be watching other people play baseball without being able to pitch in and help.

And after next year...well that’s what makes things even shittier. My contract runs out after next year, and at that point I’ll be a pitcher coming off major surgery, in my middle 30s, and with a recent history of three years of decreasing production. I’ve got a career record of 103-105, and I’d sure like a chance to get it to at least .500, but I can’t imagine the baseball world is going to be exactly beating a path to my door.

As bad as I feel for myself (and I feel plenty bad) I have to spare a little more sympathy for GM Chico Ruiz. Chico brought me into the league way back in the El Paso days, making me the first overall pick on the draft. And then when I fell on hard times a few years ago, he signed me for Atlantic City and gave me a chance in the rotation. And yet, I had my best years pitching for other guys. Sorry, Chico. He’s dealing with demons of his own these days, with the team losing ten of their last twelve, but he tried to put on a smile, pat me on the shoulder and make sure I knew I’d still get paid for next season. He may not be a good GM, but he’s a good guy.

Well, I’m going to go now and practice signing autographs left-handed. On the slim chance that anyone ever wants one again...

[Jwalk100]

Ugh. That's a kick in the nads.

[chicoruiz]

Ugh. That's a kick in the nads.

Yeah…You gotta wear your cup in this league on sim day.

In my case… a titanium one.

[shoeless.db]

Liked for the story... not for the happenings in the story.

[Krathan]

Tough blow.

Good story.