Article in the Manchester Union Leader:
Sports - February 29, 2004
Jim Fennell:
Talented prospect decides baseball's not for him
By JIM FENNELL
Sunday News Staff
Justin Blood remembers telling high school friends about the dream. The dream, to play professional baseball, is the same one that boys all over the country have at one time in the lives.
“I remember saying I would be happy if I could play just one year in the minor leagues,” he said.
Blood’s dream, however, turned out a bit different from most boys’. His came true.
Blood was the kid from the small high school (Monadnock Regional of Swanzey Center), who went to the small college (Franklin Pierce in Rindge) and still made his dream come true. It doesn’t happen too often around here.
The list of players from New Hampshire ever to make the big leagues is small. Chris Carpenter of Bedford, who is trying to pitch his way onto the St. Louis roster after arm problems, is the only one on that list still playing.
There are a dozen or so others trying to work their way through the minor leagues, but few, if any, will ever make it. Blood was different.
A ninth-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2001 draft, Blood was a 6-foot, 3-inch left-handed pitcher being groomed as a relief specialist. A pitcher with the ability to get left-handed batters out at the major league level is a precious commodity, and Blood seemed to have that ability.
Last year, in his second full season in the minors, Blood had 77 strikeouts in 58Ò innings and was 5-2 with two saves for the Inland Empire 66ers, Seattle’s full-season Single-A team in the California League.
This year he was ticketed for Double-A. The dream of one day being a big leaguer was almost palatable.
And now it’s over.
Spring training has started, and Blood is not there. He walked away from baseball after informing the Mariners last month that he was retiring at the age of 24.
“It was no fun to go to the park,” Blood said. “When you care about something so much and you don’t want to go and do it, then you have to separate yourself from it.”
Blood lived the life — he lived his dream — and decided it wasn’t for him.
He saw players and coaches he respected worn out from all the travel and time away from their families. He saw the lack of team spirit, the absence of true camaraderie, because everyone was trying to step over each other to take that next step.
He knew what was at the other end of the rainbow — the chance to pitch in front of 50,000 people against Jason Giambi on a hot summer’s night in the Bronx, the opportunity to make the millions of dollars that come with success. He decided it wasn’t worth it.
“This decision has nothing to do with whether or not I could get to the big leagues,” he said. “I knew I had as good of a chance as anyone I was playing with to get to the big leagues. If that was my only goal, I’d still be playing.”
Blood said it wasn’t a girl, although he has been dating the same girl since high school and admitted it was hard to be away from her eight months a year.
It certainly wasn’t because he lacked success.
“Our team was doing well, I was doing well, and I was still not enjoying it,” Blood said. “On the days I wasn’t pitching, I felt like I didn’t exist. You’re definitely playing for yourself.”
If Blood regrets anything, he regrets leaving Franklin Pierce after his junior year.
He misses the rah-rah, all-for-one-one-for-all attitude that he loved in college but never found in the professional ranks. He was the team captain as a sophomore and admits he loved that feeling of being able to help other players.
Not surprisingly, Blood eventually wants to become a college coach. He is currently living in Boulder, Colo., working at a small Internet company and giving baseball lessons while finishing up his degree in sports and leisure management.
Blood’s college coach, Jayson King, said he was surprised by Blood’s decision. He said Blood was the hardest worker he’s ever had and called him a great leader. He didn’t expect him to walk away from the game.
Blood said he understands people may think he’s crazy, but he says his family and friends have been supportive. One of those friends is Mal Higgins.
Higgins is probably the best batter ever to play for the Ravens, a sweet-swinging first baseman who had everything but the power needed to get the attention of big league scouts. He, too, had the dream of playing in the big leagues.
“I’d have given my left arm for the chance,” Higgins said. “It hurts me to see him do this, but I respect his decision. I know he gave a lot of thought to it.”
Blood said he doesn’t ever see himself going back, although he said the Mariners left that door open to him. That part of his life is over.
He wants to coach now. And help other players make their dream come true
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