Out of the Blue
July 24, 2008 11:27 AM | General
July 24, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Even though he was in contention to make Team USA representing the United States in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Jeremy Cummings said the telephone call he got Monday morning informing him that he had made the team came out of the blue.
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| Jeremy Cummings was a four-year letterman for the Mountaineers from 1996-99.
WVU Photo Services/Dan Friend photo |
“At first I got nominated for the top 60. Those are guys they keep an eye on,” Cummings said Wednesday evening. “And then they eliminated it down to 23 and I didn’t make that cut so I didn’t think I was going.”
That was before the San Francisco Giants recently called up pitcher Geno Espinelli, creating an opening on the 24-man roster for Cummings. Since Monday, the former West Virginia University standout has been scrambling. He already had a passport having played winter baseball in Venezuela, but he didn’t have a passport photo for his work visa for China so he spent all day taking care of that. His cell phone also hasn’t stopped ringing.
After making his final start for the Durham Bulls on Saturday, Cummings will fly to San Jose, Calif., on Monday for a couple of days of workouts. Then he returns to Durham with Team USA to face the Canadian Olympic Team in a four-game exhibition before leaving for China on Aug. 5.
“Once we all meet in California and we begin practicing we will all know our roles,” said Cummings, adding that he hasn’t even had time to research the team.
“I don’t even know who the pitching coach is,” he admitted.
Cummings said Durham plans on having an on-field ceremony for him Friday evening.
“They are going to present me with my Olympic jersey on the field,” Cummings said. “I also have a press conference (Thursday) at 12 for USA baseball.”
The recent developments have changed Cummings’ outlook on his professional career. Heading into 2008, Cummings was planning on making this year his last.
His previous nine professional seasons were highlighted by many successes. He threw a no-hitter for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2006 and he posted a 12-4 record with a 3.76 earned run average for Springfield and Memphis in 2005.
He made the Southern League All-Star team in 2004, and he led the Cardinals organization in victories with 15 in 2003. Cummings was also named the Cardinals organization pitcher of the month during his rookie year in July, 1999.
Yet every achievement was tempered by the disappointment of not getting called up to the big leagues. Cummings said there were at least four times he thought he was going to get the call.
“My last year with St. Louis in ’05 I ended up in Triple-A and my stats were like a 7-1 record with a 2.70 ERA and I was pitching really, really well at the end of the season,” he said. “I thought it was going to happen and then it didn’t. Then the next year I threw a no-hitter at the end of the season and I thought it might happen then because the Phillies were still in the race.”
Cummings said the closest call came last year with the Twins.
“I was pitching well and they called up two non-roster guys and they both happened to be lefthanded because they had two lefties go down in the bullpen,” Cummings said. “Actually I got a phone call from my buddy and the pitching coach told him to tell me to pack my bags. I got all excited and I told my family I was probably getting called up.”
The next day the Twins called up another lefthander.
Now 31, married and expecting his first child in September, Cummings had decided before the season that it was time to move on with his life. He was invited to spring training with the Blue Jays before being released. Then Cummings spent a month in Taiwan trying to catch on with a professional team before the Devil Rays called.
“I didn’t put much thought in all that is going on right now,” Cummings said. “Heading into this year I definitely planned on this being my last year but now this has definitely changed my outlook. I have a new opportunity now. Making the Olympic team I think is going to open up doors for me either here or overseas.”
Cummings is very receptive to pitching professionally in either Japan or Korea in 2009.
“Those contracts aren’t cheap,” he said. “They pay minimum $3-350 in Japan. I’ve got a couple of buddies over there making $500,000,” Cummings said. “You pay taxes on that but you are not taxed like you are here, plus, they have guaranteed contracts over there. If something happens – they release you or you get hurt – it’s guaranteed.”
With the exception of Tommy John surgery performed on his right elbow the year after he left WVU in 1999, durability has never been a question with Cummings.
“It has been listed at some places that I have had shoulder injuries but I have never had any shoulder problems,” Cummings said. “I have been injured one other time. It was a broken finger. Other than that I haven’t missed a start.”
This year has been perhaps his finest season in professional baseball. Cummings is presently 7-3 with a 2.95 earned run average and 63 strikeouts in 76.1 innings. Opponents are hitting just .232 against him.
“I’m more of a pitcher as opposed to being a hard thrower,” Cummings said. “I throw hard enough, but I’m more of a guy that spots up.”
The only thing that could impact Cummings’ spot on the Olympic roster is if the Devil Rays choose to call him up. Today Tampa Bay is ½-game ahead of Boston in the American League East standings. Tampa Bay has until Saturday to make a decision on Cummings; otherwise he is headed to China.
“We have a few guys down here pitching well right now that were on the 40-man so, especially with my situation right now with the Olympic Team, I don’t think it’s likely.”
