Athletic trainers hands-on in Colorado
07/20/2006DENVER -- Before many games, Rockies head trainer Keith Dugger puts down his athletic tape and first-aid kit and picks up a baseball glove.
In a somewhat different ritual, one he believes brings him closer to the players, Dugger participates in baseball activities, activities he considers part of the job.
For example, catcher Yorvit Torrealba needs to play long toss -- a game of catch from 90 or more feet -- before games to loosen a right shoulder that suffered a strain during Spring Training and caused him to miss the season's first two months. Dugger, 40, a former junior college infielder, is Torrealba's throwing partner. The games of catch free a teammate or a coach for other duties, and give Dugger a different point of observation.
"It helps to at least be able to play catch, or at least know what the guys are talking about," said Dugger, who also pitches to rehabbing hitters in the batting cage. "I can say I've never experienced playing 162 games a year, but I do know the difference between pain and soreness from just doing the daily throwing routine with these guys. And in a sense, you gain a little respect from showing that you're coordinated."
It's part of the Rockies' creative use of staff members. Strength and conditioning coach Brad Andress, a former Penn State football player, is valuable as a batting practice pitcher, because none of the coaches with a baseball background throw left-handed. Video coordinator Mike Hamilton hits ground balls to infielders.
Dugger's assistant, Scott Gehret, also picks up a glove -- a catcher's mitt for a left-handed thrower. It's something that the former head trainer, Tom Probst, did during his six seasons in the job before becoming the club's medical operations director.
"Pretty much all of us realized we weren't the best baseball players, but we loved being around the sport," Dugger said.
Getting on the field is not the only way for trainers to gain the respect of players that spend as much or more time around the ballpark as they do with families.
"I don't spend any time on the field besides for the game, [but] I think you have to have the players' trust and respect," Pirates head athletic trainer Brad Henderson said. "There are times when guys take us out to dinner, kind of a thank you. Some of the more veteran guys over the years have enjoyed good wines and good dinners like I do, so they may take you out to dinner and that forms a relationship."
The Rockies staff has company in its more active approach to gaining insights on a player's health. For example, Giants trainer Stan Conte throwing the ball around or a member of his staff running through agility drills with a rehabbing player is a common sight.
Baseball skill is not a job requirement, but the Rockies encourage trainers to be jack-of-all-trades from the lowest levels. Dugger served as a batting practice pitcher and bullpen catcher in the Rockies' system before joining the big-league club in 1998.
"You don't have to, but we encourage all our Minor League guys to at least grab a glove during Spring Training to play catch with the guys that are going through rehab," Dugger said. "When it gets to the point -- especially pitchers -- when they're throwing bullpens and throwing too hard for us, we'll move them on over to a coach or another player.
"We don't want to get hurt."
It's OK for trainers to throw and catch like players, as long as they don't get hurt like them.
Source: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home