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Tib · 06-19-2004, 02:41 PM

CHAPTER 7:

The Unthinkable Happens

The first two weeks of May the team hovered around .500. I still couldn’t get anything going. Lopez couldn’t either, which is probably why I still had a starting job. But Theo was more upset with our pitching than our bats. In truth we were a good hitting team, but Don Takahiro had not won a game yet and Keith Hart was struggling at the plate. I tried my best to stay up, but it was hard. On the 11th of May I had three multi-hit games out of 35.

To break the monotony, I was out in left field shagging flies one afternoon during batting practice. Hart, Sam Escalona, Ervin Curlee and J.R. were out there, too. Just for fun, I fired one back in to Jose Landeros shagging at second.
“I think this little man is trying to show me up,” said Hart.
“I’m just goofing around,” I said.
But Hart took the next fly ball and threw a strike to Landeros and the game was on. We traded fly balls for the next five minutes, throwing as hard as we could to Landeros straddling second. My arm wasn’t as strong as Hart’s, but it was quicker. I really did want to show up that guy, too. He was always talking about how he was going to get to the big leagues before any of us and how he didn’t feel challenged by A ball. He should have felt challenged; he was only hitting .226. At the gym, he’d spend twenty minutes watching himself do curls in the mirror.

Garner shows up in the dugout, sees what’s going on and yells, “Knock that **** off! We got a game tonight! You two numbnuts think the Generals spend batting practice throwing their arms out?”

I iced my elbow before the game because it was sore, but I couldn’t get to my second at bat. Warming up before the third inning I bounced two balls to first. It felt like someone stuck a knife into the back of my arm. Thad Martinez, our third baseman, came over.
“That didn’t look too good,” he said.
“No,” I agreed.
“Driscoll!” Theo Garner scowled at me from the dugout. “Get your ass in here and let Arthur have a look at you. Lopez! Get out there.”
I spent the next two hours with my elbow in ice, watching Lino Lopez go 2 for 3 wearing my old number.

Arthur, our trainer, suggested I go see Doc Roberts, our team physician. That night Roberts took x-rays and said he’d get back to me tomorrow. When I got home I couldn’t even hold a piece of pizza. I tried to hide it, but J.R. noticed it.
“You OK?” he asked.
“Yeah. Threw my arm out, is all.”
“****, Davey, you’re a worse liar than me. Your elbow. Is it all right?”
“I don’t know. I went to see the doc and he took some x-rays of it. Said he’d get back to me tomorrow.”
“Does it hurt now?”
Yeah, it feels like my arm is going to fall off. “A little, but not too bad. Probably a muscle strain or something.”

It was not a muscle strain. It was not the muscle at all.

March 14, 2003

I have torn a tendon in my elbow. It hurts like hell. If it wasn’t for Vicadin, I wouldn’t be able to write this note. Dr. Roberts tells me if I were ten years older it might have ended my career. He doesn’t want to operate because I’m young and there’s a good possibility I can rehab it. He says without surgery I’ll be out 7 weeks.

7 weeks. That’s a third of our season. I’m sick to my stomach. I haven’t been able to sleep. I wonder if they’ll release me. Told Dad this afternoon via email. Didn’t tell him how it happened. Couldn’t. I can’t believe I was so stupid. Now what am I going to do? Sit on my ass for seven weeks while Lino Lopez takes my job away?

Garner had some choice words for me, too. I just sat there and took it. What else could I do? Mark Kearse said at least I wasn’t in AAA when it happened, like him. Hart didn’t say anything. What a prick.

Stayed in the house until almost game time. Tried to focus on our game. We beat San Bernardino 4-1 to even our record at 18-18. Can’t stand sitting. My whole life I’ve never had to sit. I hate it.

I shouldn’t complain, though. Yoogie’s injury is worse. He honestly doesn’t know if he’ll ever pitch again. I see the emptiness on his face as he sits alone on the bench, like he’s a leper or something. Dex and I are the only ones who talk to him, who try to cheer him up. Good old Dex. He tries to joke around, but I can tell Yoogie’s scared. Every time I see Lopez run out to short I think I know how he feels.

Now began a terrible, depressing time for me. It was made worse by the fact that with Lopez in the lineup, we went on a six game winning streak. By the end of my second week on the DL, Lopez was hitting .343 with 4 HR. He could hit. He could run, field and throw. He was quick, smart and always in position. After a two-week period where we went 8-4, he was hitting 4th in the lineup. Big Steve McCammon was actually hitting in front of him!

Naturally, I was sick. Every day I saw “Lopez” penciled in the lineup I was reminded of my mistake. Every day I vowed never again to jeopardize my baseball ability. I had a high profile and that got me the starting spot over Lopez, but every day Lino was proving them wrong. It was humiliating, but it was one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned. Never take your good fortune for granted, because it can disappear very quickly. There are thousands of excellent ballplayers in the world and one of them just might have your number. Lino Lopez had mine. Literally.

From: Don Driscoll (dondriscoll@familynet.com)
Sent: March 18, 2003 9:06PM
To: Dave Driscoll (ddriscoll@CBPA.org)

Subject:

Dear David,
The team is not going to cut you. Not after one month. What exactly is wrong with your arm? How did you do it? You said only that it was a tendon. If it is a tendon, there are specific exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles around it. Be careful how you work out. Don’t strain the ligament at all. If you want me to call Dr. Bosri, I will. He was the guy who re-did my knee, remember?

In the meantime, DON’T GET DISCOURAGED! It will be OK. Don’t rush things, listen to the team doctors and stay positive. You can still continue with your other workouts. I know it’s going to be frustrating sitting on the bench, but you can still better other skills like reading pitchers, picking up signs and spitting sunflower seeds.

STAY ACTIVE. STAY POSITIVE.

Dad

06-19-2004, 02:41 PM	#29 (permalink)
Tib All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 882	CHAPTER 7: The Unthinkable Happens The first two weeks of May the team hovered around .500. I still couldn’t get anything going. Lopez couldn’t either, which is probably why I still had a starting job. But Theo was more upset with our pitching than our bats. In truth we were a good hitting team, but Don Takahiro had not won a game yet and Keith Hart was struggling at the plate. I tried my best to stay up, but it was hard. On the 11th of May I had three multi-hit games out of 35. To break the monotony, I was out in left field shagging flies one afternoon during batting practice. Hart, Sam Escalona, Ervin Curlee and J.R. were out there, too. Just for fun, I fired one back in to Jose Landeros shagging at second. “I think this little man is trying to show me up,” said Hart. “I’m just goofing around,” I said. But Hart took the next fly ball and threw a strike to Landeros and the game was on. We traded fly balls for the next five minutes, throwing as hard as we could to Landeros straddling second. My arm wasn’t as strong as Hart’s, but it was quicker. I really did want to show up that guy, too. He was always talking about how he was going to get to the big leagues before any of us and how he didn’t feel challenged by A ball. He should have felt challenged; he was only hitting .226. At the gym, he’d spend twenty minutes watching himself do curls in the mirror. Garner shows up in the dugout, sees what’s going on and yells, “Knock that ** off! We got a game tonight! You two numbnuts think the Generals spend batting practice throwing their arms out?” I iced my elbow before the game because it was sore, but I couldn’t get to my second at bat. Warming up before the third inning I bounced two balls to first. It felt like someone stuck a knife into the back of my arm. Thad Martinez, our third baseman, came over. “That didn’t look too good,” he said. “No,” I agreed. “Driscoll!” Theo Garner scowled at me from the dugout. “Get your ass in here and let Arthur have a look at you. Lopez! Get out there.” I spent the next two hours with my elbow in ice, watching Lino Lopez go 2 for 3 wearing my old number. Arthur, our trainer, suggested I go see Doc Roberts, our team physician. That night Roberts took x-rays and said he’d get back to me tomorrow. When I got home I couldn’t even hold a piece of pizza. I tried to hide it, but J.R. noticed it. “You OK?” he asked. “Yeah. Threw my arm out, is all.” “*, Davey, you’re a worse liar than me. Your elbow. Is it all right?” “I don’t know. I went to see the doc and he took some x-rays of it. Said he’d get back to me tomorrow.” “Does it hurt now?” Yeah, it feels like my arm is going to fall off.* “A little, but not too bad. Probably a muscle strain or something.” It was not a muscle strain. It was not the muscle at all. March 14, 2003 I have torn a tendon in my elbow. It hurts like hell. If it wasn’t for Vicadin, I wouldn’t be able to write this note. Dr. Roberts tells me if I were ten years older it might have ended my career. He doesn’t want to operate because I’m young and there’s a good possibility I can rehab it. He says without surgery I’ll be out 7 weeks. 7 weeks. That’s a third of our season. I’m sick to my stomach. I haven’t been able to sleep. I wonder if they’ll release me. Told Dad this afternoon via email. Didn’t tell him how it happened. Couldn’t. I can’t believe I was so stupid. Now what am I going to do? Sit on my ass for seven weeks while Lino Lopez takes my job away? Garner had some choice words for me, too. I just sat there and took it. What else could I do? Mark Kearse said at least I wasn’t in AAA when it happened, like him. Hart didn’t say anything. What a prick. Stayed in the house until almost game time. Tried to focus on our game. We beat San Bernardino 4-1 to even our record at 18-18. Can’t stand sitting. My whole life I’ve never had to sit. I hate it. I shouldn’t complain, though. Yoogie’s injury is worse. He honestly doesn’t know if he’ll ever pitch again. I see the emptiness on his face as he sits alone on the bench, like he’s a leper or something. Dex and I are the only ones who talk to him, who try to cheer him up. Good old Dex. He tries to joke around, but I can tell Yoogie’s scared. Every time I see Lopez run out to short I think I know how he feels. Now began a terrible, depressing time for me. It was made worse by the fact that with Lopez in the lineup, we went on a six game winning streak. By the end of my second week on the DL, Lopez was hitting .343 with 4 HR. He could hit. He could run, field and throw. He was quick, smart and always in position. After a two-week period where we went 8-4, he was hitting 4th in the lineup. Big Steve McCammon was actually hitting in front of him! Naturally, I was sick. Every day I saw “Lopez” penciled in the lineup I was reminded of my mistake. Every day I vowed never again to jeopardize my baseball ability. I had a high profile and that got me the starting spot over Lopez, but every day Lino was proving them wrong. It was humiliating, but it was one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned. Never take your good fortune for granted, because it can disappear very quickly. There are thousands of excellent ballplayers in the world and one of them just might have your number. Lino Lopez had mine. Literally. From: Don Driscoll (dondriscoll@familynet.com) Sent: March 18, 2003 9:06PM To: Dave Driscoll (ddriscoll@CBPA.org) Subject: Dear David, The team is not going to cut you. Not after one month. What exactly is wrong with your arm? How did you do it? You said only that it was a tendon. If it is a tendon, there are specific exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles around it. Be careful how you work out. Don’t strain the ligament at all. If you want me to call Dr. Bosri, I will. He was the guy who re-did my knee, remember? In the meantime, DON’T GET DISCOURAGED! It will be OK. Don’t rush things, listen to the team doctors and stay positive. You can still continue with your other workouts. I know it’s going to be frustrating sitting on the bench, but you can still better other skills like reading pitchers, picking up signs and spitting sunflower seeds. STAY ACTIVE. STAY POSITIVE. Dad Last edited by Tib : 01-03-2007 at 02:41 AM.