THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407170189
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Rarely have nine pitches meant more to Jeff Ware than they did last Saturday. Nine times that night in Orlando, Fla., Ware took his windup and hurled baseballs toward home plate - for the record.
Not a bullpen simulation. Not a practice game in spring training.
Ware, a righthander from Virginia Beach's First Colonial High School and Old Dominion University, threw one inning and retired all three batters he faced in a true competitive setting for the first time in two years.
Bedeviled by arm woes, Ware admits that he wondered if Saturday would ever come.
``Several times I broke down, not knowing if I was ever going to pitch again,'' said Ware, the Toronto Blue Jays second draft pick in 1991. ``But I was never going to quit. Sometimes you don't know if it's worth it. It is. I think if I ever did quit I would regret it the rest of my life. But it was tough. Real tough.''
Ware had watched his pro career slip by since July of 1992, his first season, when he was shelved with shoulder inflammation.
It turned out to be a tear in his rotator cuff that required arthroscopic surgery in November of 1992. Ware hoped to return last season, but when his shoulder responded slowly, an examination revealed further tears.
Ware, 23, had more surgery last September. Nearly healed from that in spring training, Ware then strained an elbow ligament.
The incredible pox on his health didn't stop. Targeted to return by June, Ware next came up with tendinitis in his shoulder, yet another setback.
So until last Saturday, the Blue Jays had received exactly 75 innings in Class-A ball from Ware, who signed for $337,000. His nine-pitch outing for the Double-A Knoxville Smokies pushed that total to 76.
``The guys always said, `I don't know how you can stand it, coming to the park every day knowing you're not going to play,' '' Ware said. ``I got married a year and a half ago, and coming home to my wife, Cathy, made me feel a lot better. She's real positive and tried to keep things positive.''
Whether Ware can be the pitcher the Blue Jays believe they drafted - an intelligent strategist with the potential to reach the big leagues quickly - is the issue Toronto wants clarified as much as Ware.
``We'd like to think Jeff will get back to 100 percent of where he was beforehand,'' said Bob Nelson, the Blue Jays' director of minor league administration, who added that the club has had no problem being patient through Ware's troubles. ``But you can't tell till he actually starts.''
Ware's first pain-free appearance gave the Blue Jays hope, and Ware a new highlight for the season. The previous one had been his brief introduction to a weak-hitting outfielder named Michael Jordan before a Southern League game against Birmingham.
``He's hit about .350 against us,'' Ware said. ``For some reason, he likes our pitchers. It does look like he has a slow bat, but he's got some talent. I'm glad he didn't quit. I'm glad he stuck with it.''
More than once, Ware has said the same thing for himself. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Minor league pitcher Jeff Ware has battled many injuries in his
career.
by CNB