Posts Tagged “injury”

Per the Arizona Daily Star:

Injured in a base-running mishap last week for Class A Batavia (N.Y.), tearing his ACL and putting his baseball career on hold for about nine months, 2012 UA All-America shortstop Alex Mejia is likely to return to Tucson to work toward his degree. UA coach Andy Lopez believes Mejia’s post-playing career is likely to be that of a coach; a college degree is required to coach in college baseball. Mejia, thus, could wind up as a volunteer coach at Arizona during the 2013 fall and winter season.

 The Cardinals drafted Mejia in the 4th round of the 2012 draft out of the University of Arizona.

(h/t Chris)

Baseball America named him the best pitching prospect in the New York Penn League in 2008. It was hard not to notice Adam Reifer, the then 22-year old right handed relief pitcher, as he struck out over a batter an inning with a fastball that touched the high 90s.  In 2010, he was listed as the Cardinals 16th best prospect by Baseball America who noted his fastball velocity and “a slider that grades as a plus-plus pitch at times”.

The 2007 draftee was poised to have a big season in 2011 for the Memphis Redbirds. In competition for the closer’s role, Reifer would suffer a season ending injury on a cold April night against the Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa.  Surgery would follow and the history books of baseball will note a season that totaled five appearances — the last of which was on April 17th, 2011.

A healthy Reifer, just arrived in Florida for Spring Training, took the time to talk with me last week. The weather is beautiful and Reifer is ready to fight for a job; to fight for what that unfortunate moment in 2011 delayed but, hopefully, didn’t take away from him.  He’s “100% go” and eager to be back in competition. Our conversation follows.

Read the rest of this entry »