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LAKELAND, Fla. -- Aaron Myette, 30, wanted to pitch. He just couldn't.
Usually his worst enemy, he had such high expectations for himself. He debuted with the Chicago White Sox at age 21. He broke his hand slamming his locker after a difficult spring training outing. And he bounced around to four different major league clubs during a six-year career in the big leagues.
But the big setback came when he pitched in Japan in 2005. Attempting to adjust to his club's pitching program, Myette developed nerve trouble in his pitching arm. He attempted to pitch through it, appearing with the Phillies in spring training in 2006, but never re-gained the velocity from early in his career.
He had only one choice -- wait and see if his arm
Almost two years away from the game, he's back on the mound again with the York Revolution -- trying to come back from an injury that could have ended his career.
Question: When is the last time you pitched?
Answer: It's been two years. In '06 I pitched with the Phillies in spring before I got released. The year before in Japan I got injured. I had nerve trouble. The pain started in these two fingers (index and middle fingers on his right hand), and it went all the way up to (my shoulder). It felt like electric shocks every time I pitched.
I saw a few specialists when I got back home (to British Columbia), and they just figured it was from overuse and misuse. I was throwing a lot behind the scenes in Japan, actually more than I would like.
(During a five-month stay in Japan that was marred by arm trouble, Myette appeared in three games for Tohoku.)
Q: Pitchers work a lot more on their off days in Japan, is that what caused the injury.
A: When I first got there, I'd look at the newspapers and they'd have a picture of a guy throwing a bullpen and it would say '265.' I thought there's no way he threw a 265-pitch bullpen. That's what it was. I'm like get out of here, you're lying. But they were serious.
I threw 60-pitch bullpens (in the United States), and I thought that was a lot. But that's just their mentality. For awhile I tried to stick to my own program but they don't think you put enough work in.
It was tough because here all the pitch counts are regulated. They note how many times you get up in the bullpen to throw. Over there it was different, and after that my arm was just not right.
Q: Did you need surgery?
A: There was nothing wrong (structurally), it just really took me a year and a half to recover.
Q: Why did you come back?
A: I just started to get the itch again. Physically I could feel that my arm was getting better, and then I started doing some throwing and I could tell it was back to what it used to be. I had made a decision and really got serious in the training, and my arm responded to the training. It feels really good.
Q: Did you lose velocity because of the injury?
A: When I signed with the Phillies (in 2006) my velocity was quite a bit down, and since then I haven't been on the radar. I threw an intrasquad game at a local college before I came down here, and my velocity was back very close to what it was before (the arm trouble).
Before I was hurt,
Q: How'd you hear about the Atlantic League?
A: Last year (Revolution Director of Baseball Operations) Adam Gladstone called me about playing. I guess he was working for four different teams at the time, and he needed a starter in three days to (hopefully) throw six innings. I wasn't ready yet. But I still had Adam's number.
Q: What did you miss about baseball?
A: I just missed the game. Watching games on television gives you a different perspective mentally and physically. When you're done with the game you see players who you played with you and against you, and you realize that really was a good gig I had.
I loved being around my family (two brothers and a sister) but I really wanted to return -- especially when I realized I could still do it.
Q: Did you have to take a job outside baseball during your time away from the field?
A: I didn't for awhile, but I actually started framing houses with a buddy just recently.
(YDR: That sounds like some tough work.)
Especially in the Northwest when it's cold and rainy all the time. That was like the final deciding factor. (Laughs.)
Q: When did you feel like you were back in baseball?
A: When I stepped on the field. I felt the sun, and I could smell the grass. Just playing catch again and hearing the crack of the bat. I felt like I was back as soon as I stepped on the grass.
Q: Coming out of college as a first-round draft pick, did you feel pressure to perform and perform quickly?
A: I think I put that pressure on myself. Looking back, the expectations from the organization probably weren't as high as the ones I put on myself. They might have had high hopes, but not high expectations. I was young and really expected perfection out of myself. I think I was 21 when I first got called up and didn't really have success in the major leagues. Being my toughest critic I was really hard on myself, probably a lot harder than any organization would be.
Myette allowed two hits and one run in two innings of work during the Revolution's 12-5 victory against Bridgeport at Mickey Cochrane Field at the Tiger Town complex in Lakeland, Fla., on Thursday.
jseip@ydr.com; 771-2025
