Honestly, despite everything you hear about injured players, Steven Reveles was a good baseball fan on the bench last year.
The Husker senior shortstop broke a finger on his throwing hand while trying to bunt against Michigan in the Big Ten series opener in March. The pitch rode inside and hit his hand. He thought the swelling would go down, just like it had in 2014.
X-rays proved there was more to fix this time. He had to become a good fan, a dugout leader, he said.
“You can’t sit there and mope; that doesn’t help the team,” said Reveles, the Huskers' likely starting shortstop next spring.
Reveles had to wait to see if his application for a medical hardship from the NCAA would be granted. Finally, in July, he received another year of eligibility.
“Once I knew, I had a new life,” said Reveles, who batted .270 in his full 2014 season and a partial 2015 season.
“I’m ready to start practicing and contributing on the field,” said Reveles, who joined the Huskers for a fall workout Wednesday at Haymarket Park. “It’s difficult to sit when you want to play, but I made it a learning experience and tried to help in the dugout … be a leader.”
He sees his leadership role as even more important this year, with 15 new players on the roster.
“I’ve been around awhile and I can help guys understand how to do the right things,” he said.
Nebraska right-handed pitcher Garett King was also excited to return to fall workouts.
The sophomore from Anaheim Hills, California, was 4-1 last season with a 3.55 earned-run average. He pitched this summer in the California Collegiate League and earned all-league honors with a 4-1 record to go with a 1.91 ERA.
“I feel great and I learned a lot this summer,” said King, who will compete for a weekend starting role this year. The lanky 6-foot-3 pitcher was told to add some weight and gain strength to improve his fastball. He said he went from mid-80s mph to high 80s this summer and still counts on his changeup.
“I threw hard and loaded up on the fastball,” he said. “What I learned a lot was how to throw a ball in the dirt, a strikeout pitch on an 0-2 count. All your life, as a pitcher, you’re taught to throw strikes and you have to learn to pitch with the ability to throw a pitch to get a guy out that might not be a strike.”
The Huskers will play their annual Red-White Series on Oct. 13-15.
http://journalstar.com/sports/huske...cle_dd2d7652-e81b-5abe-a29c-a11999d9e6e9.html
The Husker senior shortstop broke a finger on his throwing hand while trying to bunt against Michigan in the Big Ten series opener in March. The pitch rode inside and hit his hand. He thought the swelling would go down, just like it had in 2014.
X-rays proved there was more to fix this time. He had to become a good fan, a dugout leader, he said.
“You can’t sit there and mope; that doesn’t help the team,” said Reveles, the Huskers' likely starting shortstop next spring.
Reveles had to wait to see if his application for a medical hardship from the NCAA would be granted. Finally, in July, he received another year of eligibility.
“Once I knew, I had a new life,” said Reveles, who batted .270 in his full 2014 season and a partial 2015 season.
“I’m ready to start practicing and contributing on the field,” said Reveles, who joined the Huskers for a fall workout Wednesday at Haymarket Park. “It’s difficult to sit when you want to play, but I made it a learning experience and tried to help in the dugout … be a leader.”
He sees his leadership role as even more important this year, with 15 new players on the roster.
“I’ve been around awhile and I can help guys understand how to do the right things,” he said.
Nebraska right-handed pitcher Garett King was also excited to return to fall workouts.
The sophomore from Anaheim Hills, California, was 4-1 last season with a 3.55 earned-run average. He pitched this summer in the California Collegiate League and earned all-league honors with a 4-1 record to go with a 1.91 ERA.
“I feel great and I learned a lot this summer,” said King, who will compete for a weekend starting role this year. The lanky 6-foot-3 pitcher was told to add some weight and gain strength to improve his fastball. He said he went from mid-80s mph to high 80s this summer and still counts on his changeup.
“I threw hard and loaded up on the fastball,” he said. “What I learned a lot was how to throw a ball in the dirt, a strikeout pitch on an 0-2 count. All your life, as a pitcher, you’re taught to throw strikes and you have to learn to pitch with the ability to throw a pitch to get a guy out that might not be a strike.”
The Huskers will play their annual Red-White Series on Oct. 13-15.
http://journalstar.com/sports/huske...cle_dd2d7652-e81b-5abe-a29c-a11999d9e6e9.html
