LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- For Louisville Bats closer Jon Adkins, having a career in baseball has made him feel right at home.
Just like the Wayne County roads he grew up on, it has been a path of twists and turns with several highs and lows throughout the decade-long journey.
It is a road that has taken him to Chicago, New York and San Diego in the major leagues. It is the same road that will take him to Allentown, Pa., next week to face the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Class AAA International League action before returning him to Louisville to be part of the Class AAA All-Star Game in Louisville on July 16.
It is the road of a professional baseball player, and Adkins has seen much of it during his 10 years.
"I don't think young kids that start into pro baseball know how long the road is to get to the big leagues," Adkins said. "Every young kid grows up wanting to play in the big leagues and I've been fortunate enough to do that. At the same time, there are a lot of ups and downs in that time-frame."
In the last five years, those ups and downs have surfaced for Adkins.
While he has enjoyed success in 2008 and is happy to be a Class AAA All-Star, representing the Cincinnati Reds' organization, he has yet to get the call to the majors this season despite boasting of a 3.54 ERA in 40.2 innings of work and being third in the International League in saves with 14 in 16 opportunities.
"It's one of those things where obviously I've done a pretty good job to date, but it's also something where a lot of things have to line up," Adkins said.
The uncertainty of baseball is nothing new to Adkins. After being part of the Chicago White Sox organization from 2003 to 2005 (Chicago won the World Series in '05), he went to the West Coast with the San Diego Padres in 2006 and enjoyed a successful campaign.
The 2007 season found him in the New York Mets' organization where he was called up from AAA New Orleans on July 27 and pitched one perfect inning against the Washington Nationals. However, two days later he was designated for assignment and when no major league teams called, he was right back at New Orleans.
"To basically, have a general manager and manager come in and tell you that you aren't good enough and that the team is going to send you down, it's tough," Adkins said. "Especially, when you know you can compete at that level."
This year, Adkins has done a yeoman's job when called upon despite watching other players get their shot to prove themselves while he stays in Louisville.
One such case was on June 10 when Gary Majewski was placed on the bereavement list and fellow Louisville reliever Danny Herrera went up to the big leagues.
"The thing is this. Danny deserved to be there and he did a good job while there," Adkins said. "If I get called up, it isn't going to make sense for them to just call me up for a few days and I know that."
That's because Adkins is out of options, meaning that if the Reds called him up and then decided to send him back down to AAA, he would have to clear waivers. That means any major league team would have the opportunity of picking him up. If that did not happen, Adkins could become a free agent or take his assignment at the AAA level.
At the AAA level, players often get their opportunity to prove themselves when a player at the major league level gets hurt. While Adkins wants his opportunity to prove that he would be an asset to the Reds, he hopes that it does not come at another player's expense.
"We know in this sport, injuries do happen and that's what it takes for a guy to get their chance, but I've been through surgery and I never wish ill-fate toward anyone," Adkins said. "I've been through that before."
With the Reds' history of injuries and problems in the bullpen, Adkins has a chance to make an impact this season, but he said he is just taking it one day at a time in Louisville with the hope of getting the call to make the hour drive to the Queen City.
"I have to stay patient and keep doing my job. There is nothing I can do to make a decision," Adkins said. "I just do my job. That's the only thing I can control."
7-day Archive
