Liverpool Reds
There are times when Greg Golson steps into the batter's box that his heart races just a bit more than he would like, his hands get just a little sweatier, and his nerves, well, they're more than a little frayed.
While the tension convention that takes place when Philadelphia's former first-round pick finds himself in certain situations is nothing new, it's how he deals with them that's becoming more of an issue for the fleet-footed outfielder. Golson, whom the Phillies grabbed with the 21st overall selection in the 2004 draft, admits he tenses up in the batter's box, a scenario that he has played out internally since he was a high school star in Texas.
But as heads into the final few weeks of his first full season of professional baseball, Golson hopes some of the lessons he learned this season at Lakewood end up leaving a lasting impression on the opposition in the South Atlantic League. Thus far Golson, 19, hasn't had the kind of season he envisioned, mainly because of injuries and inexperience.
Learning to control his anxieties in the box and putting the injuries that kept him on the shelf for some 50-odd games this season will go a long way toward helping him reach that objective.
"You know, I just put pressure on myself and in certain situations I tend to tense up," Golson said. "I've been doing it a long time. In high school, the pitches would seem faster at times because I became tight. I'm learning how to let the ball just come to me. I have to relax and just see the ball come out of the pitcher's hand and just to pick it up. I just need to finish strong and not let the fatigue (of a full season) get to me."
Golson's year has been one of fits and starts. He missed 40 games earlier this season after suffering a high left ankle sprain when slipping on wet grass. Then he sprained his right knee at the end of June, when he was planting to go to second base, and that cost him nearly another two weeks. Consequently, his numbers (.258 average in 77 games, 89 strikeouts, 24 walks) don't reflect the reasons why Philly considers him one of its most talented prospects. He was hitting .130 (3-for-23) in his previous five games heading into Thursday's contest against Lake County at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Lakewood hitting coach J.P. Roberge thinks the aforementioned factors have played a part in Golson's struggles. Time and experience will provide the ultimate panacea. Even then, Roberge doesn't want to Golson to completely lose his jitters at the plate.
"I don't want him to stop feeling those nerves entirely because if you're not nervous out there, the game doesn't have the same meaning," said Roberge, who retired as an active player after finishing an 11-year Minor League career last season. "The thing that will help him play with those nerves is experience. Remember, that's a heck of a jump coming out of high school. And it's frustrating because he didn't get a full, solid year of work in with us and he didn't get a full year of experience playing.
"If a kid like him is coming out of high school, they have to learn something every day to learn the game of baseball. He needs to play every day and develop."
Coming back from injuries, though, has made it difficult for Golson to get settled into a groove. For a while, he was hitting ninth in the order to keep the pressure off, but the idea of getting hurt again has also crept into his head from time to time, creating yet another scenario in which tension would arise. While his ankle is completely healed, Golson says there are times when he will turn his leg a certain way or plant his foot in a certain manner and feel it in his knee for a day or more.
"It's very frustrating because there is nothing I could have done to have prevented those injuries," said Golson, whose only other serious injury came when he strained a hamstring in high school. "(Getting hurt again) crosses your mind every so often. It has to after you miss 50 games. It's always a thought."
Golson is headed to the Instructional League once the season ends. He hopes to continue working on the techniques that Roberge has taught him, get completely healthy and come back in a better frame of mind in 2006. There has been speculation that because the Phillies have a few outfield prospects ahead of him, they're in no hurry to rush Golson.
Roberge squashed that theory, though. If Golson plays up to his capabilities, there'll be room for him, whether it's in Clearwater, Reading, Scranton or Philly.
"How fast he goes after he gets by me is on him and his next coach," Roberge said. "If he does what he's capable of doing with his athleticism, they're going to make room for him. It doesn't matter who is there. There shouldn't be any thought about the guys in front of him. The Major League team wants to put the best team on the field every day."
And they're hoping that Golson will be part of that equation before too long.