Junior Devin Rich has had more pain in the past three years than most people experience in a lifetime. The 18-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Kalispell Lakers has been injured for most of his legion baseball career, with two arm surgeries in two-and-a-half years — and he has faced disappointment after disappointment over the past 30 months. How has he fought through it? How could someone so young have the will, the determination and the love to endure so much pain simply for the game of baseball? Well, to quote the Beatles: “He got by with a little help from his friends.” And it helps when one of those friends is Texas Ranger star relief pitcher John Wetteland. Rich first met Wetteland during the baseball players’ strike of 1994. Wetteland lived near Rich’s uncle in New Mexico and came to Montana after speaking with Rich via telephone. “He’s one of the nicest guys in baseball,” said Rich. “He showed me what it takes to get there, and to stay there.” But the joy Rich would receive from his friendship with the star reliever would soon be overshadowed by an injury to Rich’s throwing arm. In Rich’s final game in Babe Ruth baseball in 1995, he began to experience pain after throwing an astounding 130 pitches. According to doctors, the loose nature of Rich’s upper body was responsible for the injury. “My arm was falling apart,” said Rich. “The doctors cut the tendons (in my arm) and then overlapped them; it was twice as tight.” What would follow were seven months of intense rehab. For nearly two hours a day, Rich worked with small weights hoping to be ready for the spring season with the Lakers. “There were many times I asked myself ‘why am I doing this?’” said Rich. “I still don’t know. I wanted to do everything I could to come back.” Two years later, Wetteland, then with the New York Yankees, was named World Series MVP as New York beat Atlanta in six games. Rich, who watched the series, was understandably ecstatic. Wetteland even called Rich the day after the win, and according to Rich, “John was still shaking.” Rich still has the final game on tape. “I’ve watched the tape of that so many times,” said Rich. “Seeing John out there, it’s an amazing feeling.” Shortly after, Wettland was criticized for signing a free-agent contract with Texas. Rich, meanwhile, wasn’t done with arm surgery. In December, doctors discovered a hole worn through the tissue in his shoulder. “Now I can only throw one or two innings at a time,” said Rich. “People are always telling me to be careful. It’s been two-and-a-half years. I’m going to find out, and find out now if I can still pitch.” In contrast to Wetteland’s success, Rich was still hampered by injury, and didn’t pitch more than 10 innings in the 1996 or 1997 seasons. “The hardest thing was watching people who don’t stretch very well, people who throw without pain,” said Rich. “I wish the people on the team could know what the pain is like to go through.” Wetteland and Rich still stay in contact. This spring, in fact, Rich stayed with Wetteland during the Ranger spring training in Florida. In Florida, Rich got to experience the life of a major league player. During spring training, Rich and his father, Roger, saw a movie with Wetteland and his wife. Spending time with the Texas closer, Rich came away with a new perspective on Wetteland. “People think it’d be so cool to be that famous,” said Rich. “After a while it’d get so old. We’d walk around and there’d be cameras everywhere.” Meanwhile, Rich’s arm was recovering. This spring, the junior pitched his first game with the Lakers against the Glacier Twins. Pitching through constant pain, Rich still can’t pitch for more than a couple of innings a game. “It’ll take a while to get my velocity and control back,” said Rich. “But I’ll be back at 100 percent really soon. It’s been two-and-a-half years, but I guess it’s worth it.” Rich is tired of rehab. The right-hander even said that if he required another surgery he might “throw in the towel.” But Rich, who has had to fight through more hardship in the past three years than most young athletes, has learned wisdom along the way. The determined Rich, who now enters his final season in legion play, advises other athletes with injuries to keep fighting. “If you really love the game, keep going farther,” said Rich. “Even if it doesn’t work out, you know you gave it your best shot.” |
