ROBIN: Kirkreit still chases dream

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

"I saw you pitch in Riverside. . ."

A slight grin broke out just long enough to provide the response he's provided more than once.

"That was a long time ago," he said, smiling.

That Daron Kirkreit can smile about what happened to him over the last six years means there's more to the newest Lancaster JetHawk than meets the glove. That he can keep his sense of perspective after falling off the proverbial baseball radar means there's more of a reason to embrace the newest Lancaster JetHawk.

You know the game owes him nothing, not after the spot on the 1992 Olympic Team and that sixfigure signing bonus he banked after signing with the Cleveland Indians as the No. 11 overall pick six years ago. But in a perfect world - and given Seattle's anything but perfect pitching situation - Daron Kirkreit will eventually wear Mariner blue.

Even then, that's the wrong color.

There's nothing blue about Kirkreit.

Rotator cuff surgery in 1995 that cost him nearly the entire 1996 season? Removal from the Indians' 40-man roster before the 1997 season? His release by three different organizations: Cincinnati, Kansas City and Milwaukee? His time spent in the purgatory that is independent ball?

All part of the game.

"Obviously, the Indians are a great organization and they win a lot of games. But there's a blockage. To get up there, you have to be top-notch and probably a veteran."

About his stint in New Hampshire, where he was 1-2 with a 5.90 ERA playing circus ball in the independent Atlantic League: "The numbers weren't real good, but I felt good and coming out of games, I'd talk with my catcher and we came to the conclusion I was pitching much better than the numbers indicated."

About life in independent ball: "I don't want to say anything bad about where I come from - the league is real good. But organizational ball is a little more organized in the sense of things that take place off the field."

About his professional turning point, when the pain Kirkreit tried to pitch through for most of the 1995 season finally got the better of him:

"One day I was watching a program about guys coming back from surgery and I think it was (Kevin) Appier that was making a comment," Kirkreit said. "(He said) `People tell you there's going to be highs and lows, but you never realize how low the lows are because there's times when you're coming back you don't understand how you forget to do the things you've done your whole life. Your body just doesn't remember and doesn't allow you to do it.'

"It's a long road back."

The long road back for Daron Kirkreit - one that got as high as one Moonlight Graham-like start at Class AAA Buffalo two years ago (where he threw a three-hit shutout) - now winds through the wind tunnel that is Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

In his first start last Saturday, his body allowed him to pump fastballs upward of 90 mph, still with the nice, compact windup he used to pump fastballs past hitters who are still wondering how someone that good ended up at Division II UC Riverside.

"I know other coaches said all the time if you ever want to hit against a big league pitcher, here's your opportunity," UC Riverside baseball coach Jack Smitheran said.

"It takes two years to come back from surgery and he's been on that track. "But who knows. It may never come back."

If it doesn't, the smile may leave Daron Kirkreit's face, 30-42 career record and all.

For a moment.