Brett Abell won’t be away from baseball this summer after all.
Abell, whose senior season at Missouri Southern ended abruptly last spring when he learned he would need recontructive surgery on his left arm, is an assistant coach for the Joplin Miners American Legion team.
“I like it. My main thing is I want to be able to teach and have them apply what I teach,” said Abell, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound left-hander from Miami, Okla. “It’s summer ball, so it’s more laid back.”
When he works with the Miners’ young pitchers, Abell said his primary focus is on the fundamentals.
“The thing I try to stress is make them beat you, throw strikes,” he said. “They seem to excel when they do that.”
Abell filled in for Miners head coach Bobby Stackhouse last week at the Carl Junction tournament while Stackhouse was in Indianapolis for a national speech and debate tournament along with three of his students.
While he was gone, Stackhouse learned that Abell guided the Miners to a sweep of a doubleheader Wednesday night at Carthage. “It’s good to get off to a good start in districts,” he said.
“He has been great. He has really helped out the pitchers,” Stackhouse said. “Just having him in the dugout has meant a lot.
“One thing I’ve learned is there’s an art to it, allowing one pitch to set up the next pitch,” Stackhouse said. “He’s playing college baseball at Southern, so he knows what it takes to play at that level.”
Abell was honorable mention all-MIAA for the Lions as a junior when he was 8-6 with a 4.52 ERA. In 89.2 innings, he allowed 92 hits and 22 walks. His 74 strikeouts ranked second in the MIAA.
He led Miami to a state championship in 2007, then pitched two seasons at North Central College at Gainesville, Texas.
His season ended last spring in the second game of the Lions’ MIAA schedule. He was removed in the second inning against Truman, a game the Lions eventually won 16-10 by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning and six more in the sixth.
In his only two starts last spring, he allowed six hits in 6.2 innings, walked three and struck out 10.
He underwent a procedure known as Tommy John surgery and said he expects to begin throwing again in a couple of months.
“I’m very, very, very pleased with Dr. (Brad) Wyrsch,” Abell said of his surgeon. “I’ve had zero problems and I’m right on schedule.
“My physical therapy guy (Larry Anderson) is awesome. He likes to work me pretty hard but he knows what he’s talking about. I really appreciate him for it.”
Another inspiration has been the recent performance of major league pitchers who have undergone similar procedures. Stephen Strausburg, who was chosen with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft by the Washington Nationals, is 8-1 with a 2.45 ERA after he sat out most of last season.
“Yeah, I pay attention to those guys. Some are throwing harder than they did before,” Abell said with a smile. “For me, just as long as I can get back to where I was, I’ll be happy. Being healthy is the most important thing.”
Sports
June 15, 2012
Abell staying close to baseball with Miners
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Joplin women off to good start in Horton Smith Cup
Globe/Roger Nomer Debbie Doss, Joplin, hits a tee shot while competing in Monday's Horton Smith Tournament in Carthage.
Team Joplin has a decent start in its quest to wrangle the Horton Smith Cup back from Springfield.
Continued ... - Former MSSU pitcher Grant Conrad beginning career as pro umpire
- Parity highlights Oil Capital Racing Series
- Crusaders kings of the CFL, again
- Joplin Miners win Pryor Tournament
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