The Macon Telegraph from Macon, Georgia • 27

The Telegraph wwwmaconcom SPORTS Wednesday April 10 2002 5C A role reversal Beau CabellThe Telegraph ormer outfielder Alec Zumwalt will get a chance to prove himself on the mound this season for the Macon Braves 1 AaP Sp BCR i ormer outfielder Zumwalt will try hand at pitching this season By Jennifer Wielgus Telegraph Staff Writer 5 ORLANDO la It was riday three days after Sept 11 2001 when the phone rang at the Zumwalt house And a life was changed forever The call had nothing to do with the events at the World Trade Center It was just about baseball But for Alec Zum walt it felt like a real tragedy hit him between the remembers Dick Balder son the voice on the other end of the line surprised the hell out of Surprised? Quite an under statement Balderson the farm director had phoned his young prospect bearing these news: Zumwalt was no longer a professional baseball player He was now a pitcher I had worked for it just felt like it was says Zumwalt 21 flashed right in front of me all the way back to being a little kid carrying a yellow whiffle bat around All ever wanted to do was hit was the worst feeling never Bom to hit To understand feelings that September day you have to understand the magnitude of his passion who was around me in high school knew that I was going to hit all there was to says Zumwalt who was born in Arizona but lived most of his life in Kern ersville near Winston Salem NC missed prom because I went and hit that Zumwalt who stands 6 foot 2 and weighs 190 pounds was blessed with a rocket for a right arm But he pitch much until his senior year in high school And he hated it He thrived on making the guy on the mound look silly He want to be that guy That passion for hitting only grew when the Braves made Zumwalt a fourth round draft pick in 1999 It grew when he hit 207 in the Gulf Coast League during his first year then grew some more when he hit 235 in Danville the follow ing season Last year when Zumwalt platooned in right field for the Macon Braves the passion turned him into a grouch He struggled at the plate his aver age hovering in the low to mid200s and that tortured him all summer long When he finished his third pro season at 209 with six home runs and 38 RBI Zum walt knew he lived up to his full potential But he never expected the call from Balderson sending his career in a whole different direction Taking the bat out of his hands think it would hap pen this Zumwalt says But he did know it might happen When professional scouts first approached Zum walt back in high school sev eral of them wanted to sign him as a pitcher No way Zumwalt thought He wanted to hit So he asked for loads of money scared those clubs away The Braves liked Zumwalt as a hitter but they added an asterisk If things work out at the plate try him on the mound After three years the pf Nick OzaThe Telegraph Alec Zumwalt hit 209 with six home runs as an outfielder last season with the Macon Braves Braves decided seen enough to make a change is a time when kids start having to become per formers as opposed to projec Balderson explains just think his pro jectability as a player was any thing more than where he was He has what we think is an above average arm why we decided not to cut An uneasy transition At first Zumwalt almost wished the Braves would set him free But he talked with his mother Laura and his fiancee Kristen He thought about how his friends would kill to be in his shoes kill to have an opportunity to play baseball for a living Two gut wrenching days after call Zum walt was in his car driving the 10 hours south to Orlando la and instructional league When he officially reported to camp however attitude was anything but positive says Rick Adair the roving pitching instructor Zumwalt deny it Making this transition he says was the hardest thing ever had to do was very says Zumwalt who married Kris ten 22 in November tried to stay as professional as I could but there were times I want to do anything I want to talk to anyone and I But Adair afford to waste time on a kid who didntt want to pitch He sat Zumwalt down for a heart to heart chat told him he might still have the ability to Adair remembers this is an experiment and if he was not going to be committed to it then we want to do Adair gave Zumwalt a cou ple of days to think mom helped him put it all in perspective She told him he was lucky to still be playing the game he loves not going to be a Zumwalt recalls her saying still got to go out there and do the best you During those couple of days Zumwalt solidified his comittment been outstanding ever Adair says ably half of guys even if they had his ability they would have quit But a great competitor how he was as a THE ZUMWALT ILE Age: 21 Hometown: Kernersville NC Position: Right handed pitcher Acquired by Braves: Drafted in 4th round 1999 Career to date: Hit 216 in three professional seasons (21 1 games) between Gulf Coast League (207) Danville (235) and Macon (209) Has total of 1 2 home runs and 88 RBI Hit career high six homers and stole eight bases in 101 games as right fielder for Braves in 2001 Impressive debut Zumwalt surprised his coaches with his quick and steady progress Last fall Balderson told Zumwalt likely have to jump back to short season Danville this season But as instructional league became spring training and Zumwalt started showing off a 92 mph fastball a solid breaking ball a workable changeup and plenty of poise on the mound Zum instructors decided to give him a shot in the South Atlantic League They tabbed Zumwalt for low Class A Macon where serve as a middle reliever As Zumwalt began to recog nize his own potential he started to actually enjoy himself have fun out there because sitting there thinking exactly what the hit he says think got a leg up on a lot of So far this season Zumwalt has made two appearances facing 10 batters and retiring all but one He gave up a solo home run to Bryan Bamowski on opening night Zumwalt still has the itch to hit though Kent Willis can teft are some days he talks about says Willis the Macon fourth year pitching coach who developed a friendship with Zumwalt last season are some days you catch him staring or in his own little world and you know going through his But Willis worry that Zumwalt will lose focus His near obsessive knowledge of basebaU his competitive nature and his inherit confi dence are valuable assets for a pitcher makeup makes me think he will do whatever it takes to make it Wil lis says seem to be afraid on the mound not holding anything back turning it world got turned upside down last September but now determined to make things right What felt at first like a per sonal tragedy is now an opportunity days I pitch I love Zumwalt says like to be that guy now on the hill with the control But taken me a long time to get there situation been put in has done nothing but make me stronger I feel like I can take on anything not going to be anything going to stop me Hitting may be over but not over for Contact Jennifer Wielgus at 744 4400 or mail jwielgusmacontelcom Thorman making up for lost time By Jennifer Wielgus Telegraph Staff Writer ORLANDO la Scott engine is revving You see it in his wide excited eyes and feel it in his firm rapid handshake Good to meet you talk What do you want to know? You see it in his mighty swing His obvious disgust at a miss or infield grounder Dang Shoot He scolds him self with a quick jerk of the head almost smoking as he digs hard head down plowing a line to first base Look out world Once this THE THORMAN ILE Age: 20 Position: 1B HeightWeight 6 3205 Hometown: Cambridge Ontario Canada Acquired by Braves: Drafted in first round 2000 Career to date: In 2000 hit 227 with 1 HR and 19 RBI in 29 games with Gulf Coast League Missed 2001 with shoulder injury Before last season ranked by Baseball America as No 21 in Braves' Top 30 prospects just really really wants to succeed At the same time Thorman listens to his advice guy really lets go see him tear a few walls says ranklin Stubbs the roving hit ting instructor Thorman is 6 feet 3 inches and 205 pounds of raw power $1225 million worth of pure potential 20 years of burgeoning baseball dreams And had to wait a long time to get here career got off to a slow start but trying to make up a little bit for lost time says Thorman the Macon first baseman who was selected in the first round of the 2000 draft but missed all of last year with a shoulder injury pretty excited to get a full season under my belt and see where it takes me I wait to play in a town play night games and have a fan Thorman now stands where the other members of his draft class have already excelled Adam Wainwright the other first round pick in 2000 and Kelly Johnson and Bubba Nelson both of whom were drafted after Thorman all made a splash in Macon last season and earned promotions to high Class A Myrtle Beach this spring But while his friends cruised Thorman had to take an unscheduled pit stop Thorman was at home in Ontario Canada fresh off his first professional season in the rookie level Gulf Coast League when he dislocated his left shoulder throwing a medicine ball He informed Woody MarehallThe Telegraph irst baseman Scott Thorman was ranked 21st among the top 30 prospects by Baseball America rehab Soon after Thorman arrived early in 2001 he re aggravated the shoulder dur ing throwing drills An MRI revealed a tom labrum The Braves opted for sur gery hoping to remedy the problem early in the young career Thorman then just 19 had his shoulder completely reconstructed in eb 2001 was pretty terrible to sit on the sidelines and watch all your friends play watch them break camp talk to them on the phone and have them tell you how exciting it says Thorman who hit 227 with one home run and 19 RBI in the GCL in 2000 had to look at it like is for the big picture not for right But now that finally out of lorida where he spent almost an entire year in thera py tough for Thorman not to want to play catch up Part of it is his nature ultra aggressive hard on him self yearning to excel Part of it is the long year off Part of it is simply inexperience now like most young people his says Braves farm director Dick Balderson have the mind of a baseball player yet still in the mentality of a football player and hockey player full steam ahead rough rug ged out of my way here I bull in the china They tell him like they told shortstop Rafael urcal when he was a young eager pros pect that he have to go a million miles per hour He must learn to break down the game do one thing at a time realize I do it all at once so trying to take things says Thorman who was drafted as a third baseman but moved to first because of limited range trying to pound that into my head just take your time expect myself to play at a top level But just happy to be playing good to be play And just what Thor man needs to do Play Expend all that pent up energy Work out all the kinks Even though had just 97 professional at bats before this season coaches worry about his durability over 142 game slate eager to see him take his hacks at the plate learn his new position realize his powerful potential And mature as a baseball player Thorman has already knocked two doubles and a triple so far this season Look out world plenty more gas in the tank hits a lot of routine line drives that go out of the ballpark and most guys do Stubbs says been blessed with that kind of ability Now got to get him to tone it down and get it under control so he can do it on a consistent basis when it counts in a the Braves and they told him to report to their training complex in Orlando la for Thorman admits he can be a bit bullheaded watch him react if he makes an out He Contact Jennifer Wielgus at 744 4400ore mail jwielgusmacontelcom Si Home Phone No monthly checks to write or calls to make Each month automatically deduct the subscription price from your checking account or charge it to your credit card What could be easier? 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