Former Batavia High baseball standout Ryan Gugel still has a place in the Philadelphia Phillie's organization even though he missed most of 2010 with a shoulder injury.
Gugel is back home for a few months and helping out a little with his family's business -- Clor's Meat Market -- and continuing his rehabilitation.
The 23-year-old catcher was off to a good start in spring training -- hitting .450 with one home run -- when he was throwing at a scouting session and felt a stinging pain in his shoulder.
The initial diagnoses was tendinitis, but after three stints in rehab without improvement, the Phillies trainers sent him in for an MRI. Doctors found a 50-percent tear in his rotator cuff.
The Phillies gave him a choice -- more rehab, with the risk that the problem would return, or surgery. After giving it a couple of days thought and talking it over with his parents, Gugel opted for surgery.
That was in May and Gugel spent the next few months in Florida at the Phillies' training facility, going through rehab in the morning and just hanging out at the hotel in the afternoon.
"It was a tough period," Gugel said. "I'd get back to the hotel and there just wasn't much to do."
The rehab stint wasn't entirely boring, though. Gugel said as the season went on, more members of the Phillies organization joined him in Florida, including some of the MLB team's stars.
"It wasn’t bad when I got to rehab with Rollins, Happ, Madson, Durbin, Polanco and Utley," Gugel said. "It was a good time there talking with some of those guys."
Gugel's rehab continues in Batavia. He's glad to finally be back lifting weights and he trains with his uncle Dee Gugel. In October, he can start tossing a baseball again. The Phillies want him to report to Florida in January, where he'll get some work as Roy Halladay's bullpen catcher when the ace starter starts his pre-season workouts.
In an organization with some drafted catchers -- including this year's third-round pick Cameron Rupp -- Gugel, who was signed as a free agent in 2009, knows he has his work cut out. But he feels encouraged that the Phillies are showing faith in him despite the injury.
"It’s really a bit tougher being one of the lower-ranked guys," Gugel said. "You’ve got to work your way to the top."
SWEET!!!
SWEET!!!
Who is the little short guy
Who is the little short guy in the back, and why would he have a winter hat on?? Gugel come by some time I'll give you a few pointers. You may not remember but I also was a catcher back in the late eighties early nineties!!! 23 years old in Florida and not much to do---Whats your problem?? When I was 23......Oh never mind
What a good looking kid and a
What a good looking kid and a hell of a baseball player to boot. Mike and others, that little man with the winter stocking cap on is none other than Tony Gwynn (San Diego Padres), probably the greatest all-time contact hitter since Rod Carew (Minnesota Twins). He's also in town working at Clor's and assisting Uncle Dee with Ryan's rehab. I had a chance to meet him and he is an outstanding guy and makes one hell of a chicken barbeque. I love the Gugel family and wish Ryan the best with his rehab.