Sorry about the late post today - here’s the profile on Allen Davis. Allen started last year in SWB, but struggled early and was sent down to Reading, which allowed Cole Hamels to move up to AAA. As most of you are aware, Hamels made it all the way to the Phillies and is assured of a spot in the starting rotation. You’re probably curious about the title of the post, but let’s start with some context. From scout.com in late 2005:
“Allen Davis was signed by the Phillies after last season and at 29 years of age, probably isn’t on the Phillies prospect radar, but he has certainly made the case for himself. He spent last season in an independent league and admittedly just wanted to survive the rigors of Double-A this year.
“My goal this season was just to survive. I haven’t pitched well all year, but I got better as the year went on. In independent ball, the 4 or 5 hitters can hurt you but then it’s [with no disrespect to independent players intended] a lot of guys who probably shouldn’t be playing. At this level, there really aren’t any breaks for pitchers. Everybody in the lineup can beat you,” said Davis.
The thing that I found curious in reviewing his stats was that there was a big gaping hole in 2003 - he was out of baseball. Here’s why:
“He was 2-2 with a 2.89 ERA after eight starts for the Harrisburg (Pa.) Senators in the 2001 season, when disaster struck. With two outs in the ninth inning of his eighth start, Davis felt a pop in his elbow. He got a game-ending ground ball on the next pitch, but “it was the worst pain I ever felt,” said Davis.
“Everything was going great, he’d pitched a great game, here I am thinking we’re heading to Triple A,” remembered Nikki, “and Allen told me he couldn’t even move his arm.”
Facing a major injury is a fear of every athlete, especially a 25-year-old minor league pitcher who can hear the clock ticking. As it turned out, overcoming the injury was only half the battle for the Davis family.
The cash-strapped Montreal organization agreed to pay for an MRI evaluation of his elbow, but team doctors told him it was a relatively minor injury and recommended arthroscopic surgery. Three months after the procedure, Davis knew he had bigger problems, but the Expos medical staff felt otherwise, telling him he’d be fine by spring training. He wasn’t, and although he continued to question the initial diagnosis, the Expos stood their ground.
Davis couldn’t pitch effectively in 2002. But because he was able to pitch at all, the Expos believed they had no liability, and released him. Suddenly, he was an unemployed 26-year-old with a wife.
Allen and Nikki came home to Texas and he took a job at a Home Depot store. His arm still throbbed, there were bills to pay and seemingly no future in baseball.
If you don’t read anything else on the ‘net today, please read the rest of his story - which, by the way, isn’t finished yet.
