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It shows in good times or bad, as a starter or not
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Tuesday, May 20, 2008
CLEVELAND: Perseverance.
It is a term that defines Jamey Carroll of the Indians perhaps more than any other. A term that he sometimes wishes hadn't become so attached to him over the years, but that has made him the baseball player, husband and finally, father that he is today.
Perseverance is what it takes to toil in the minor leagues for seven seasons before finally getting the call — even if it did come via a lucky break.
Carroll, whom the Montreal Expos selected in the 14th round of the 1996 draft, spent all or parts of four seasons at Double-A Harrisburg before finally getting his chance in the major leagues at the end of the 2002 season.
As with most things in Carroll's life, though, his major-league debut didn't come as many would have planned.
''Jamey's just got the most
amazing story on how he got called up,'' said Travis Fryman, a former Indians player who is their roving instructor in the minor leagues. ''During spring training, I asked him to come to a Bible study for the minor-league guys and share it with the young players — guys who couldn't help but be touched and motivated by his tale of perseverance.''
The story goes like this: Carroll had just completed his seventh minor-league season with the Expos, and he had been relaxing at home in Evansville, Ind., for just a week when the Expos called to see where he was.
''Somebody had gotten hurt in the big leagues while (the Expos) where in Chicago,'' Carroll said. ''There was a couple guys they thought of, but since I was the closest geographically, I was the one who got called up.''
The 34-year old has been in the majors since, for three-plus seasons with the Montreal/Washington organization then with the Colorado Rockies for two seasons before the Indians acquired him from the Rockies on Dec. 8 in exchange for a player to be named later. That player became pitcher Sean Smith, whom the Rockies received last month.
Just two months into the season, it's already a swap that favors the Tribe.
Smith was promptly sent to Triple-A Colorado Springs, and Carroll has become a reliable utility man for the Indians. Manager Eric Wedge has turned to Carroll often with shortstop Jhonny Peralta and second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera off to slow starts offensively.
Although batting just .194 (12-for-62) in 26 games, Carroll has hit safely in eight of 18 games and reached safely in 13 of 19 with nine walks and three stolen bases in as many attempts. Six of the hits for a .300 average have come against left-handers.
''He's played a lot and done a good job,'' Wedge said. ''I like what he does when he's out there playing. He puts up quality at-bats, he's a tough out and he's situationally sound.
''You know what to expect with him, and that's half the battle as a manager because you know what you're gonna get from the guy. He understands the game, he's smart and there's a lot of toughness there.''
Wedge also loves the versatility Carroll, at 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, provides.
''He plays a solid second base,'' Wedge said. ''He's fine at third base. We haven't needed him at shortstop, but if we needed to, he could do that. And he could play in the outfield, too, if we needed it in a pinch. To have that kind of versatility out of one player — a championship player — is tremendous.''
Perseverance is making your way in the major leagues with the sometimes unfair ''utility'' label quickly slapped on you before you have had a chance to establish yourself.
''As soon as one day you play one position and then another the next, you automatically get it,'' Carroll said. ''Two years ago I played every day at second base, and yet I was still considered a utility guy.''
Carroll hit .300 (139-for-463) with 23 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 36 RBI and scored 84 runs with the Rockies in 2006, only to lose his job the next season when they acquired second baseman Kaz Matsui.
Although Carroll played in 108 games last year for the National League Champion Rockies, he batted just .225 as the team's utility man.
''It was very frustrating, especially when you're not producing like you used to,'' Carroll said. ''I was coming off my career year; I was excited to have the chance to play every day. Instead, I'm trying so much harder to do it while playing sparingly, and I dug myself in a big hole.''
Perseverance is pushing away the disappointment and instead concentrating on trying to perfect perhaps the hardest job in baseball while finding that fine line of staying within yourself and not pressing.
''You hear everybody tell utility guys to not go out and try to get three hits in one day,'' Carroll said. ''But it's easier said than done when you know you're not going to get in tomorrow and you've done all this tons of extra work. It can be frustrating when you don't get the results you want because you want to contribute so bad. When you get in there you want to do good and prove your worth. And when you don't, then you have to sit on it for a few more days.''
Perseverance is losing your mother and grandmother before either got to see your and wife Kim's now 3-month-old twins, son Cole Patrick and daughter McKenzie Joyce, both aptly middle-named after mom and grandma.
Carroll's mother died two years ago of complications to pneumonia that had caused septic shock.
''It was kind of a circus of events that you can sit back and say, 'Well if this had happened, or that had happened,' '' Carroll said. ''But it is what it is. It happened, and our family has done well dealing with it.''
Just when they had come to a good place, another tragedy hit when Carroll's grandmother — his mother's mother — recently died in a car accident.
''It was hard for us all, but my poor grandpa,'' Carroll said. ''He not only had already buried two of his own children — my aunt passed away 11 years ago of breast cancer — but now his wife. That's something that weighs more on my heart than anything.''
Carroll knows that disappointments, tragedy and death happen to everyone.
''It's life,'' he said. ''Time doesn't wait for anybody. Hearts are still broken, and hearts always will be.''
Yet, it's Carroll's strong faith that has helped him through the tough times — personally and professionally.
''It seems like I've always been scrambling and needing someone to help fight for me,'' he said. ''And I'm finding it's more of a dogfight the older you get.''
Of course, that's when the value of all those years of perseverance kicks in.
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
CLEVELAND: Perseverance.
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