Update

Currently I am in extended spring training which is exactly what it sounds like, its an extended version of spring training. Extended is like the 13th grade of high school. Well pretend you get held back in the 12th grade, and all of your best friends have moved on to college and adulthood, when you get out of school and talk to them each day you know that no matter how bad their day was in in college, you are still stuck in high school. That is a terrible analogy but maybe it will help sum up just what extended is like.
Although I am still in extended there are still quite a few positive things happening with my baseball career.
First and foremost, I'm still here. I am still a part of a great organization and have a lot of close friends and co-workers I have met a long the way, so I'm am thankful for that. I have missed a lot of time due to injury but I am still grateful for the opportunity the Rays are still giving me. Another thing, I am not getting any younger and as each day passes I realize just how lucky I am to have made it this far and also how blessed I have been to still have a chance. In a career that is saturated with young healthy talent, being the age I currently am is considered a veteran. I really do thank the Rays for being so patient with me on this long long road back, if someway I could pay the back on the field, I'd love that!
Second, I am pitching regularly now. Although my "stuff" isn't exactly back to where it was when I was completely healthy, for two months now I have thrown everyday and haven't missed a day because of injury. I must say, everyday is a challenge for me to say the least. Each day is tough on my repaired shoulder and I really do fight with it each day. I may be a softie off the field but when it comes through throwing through pain and discomfort on the field, I'm the champ. Some days are better than others though. I have, recently, seen a dim light at the end of the tunnel. The light is ever so dim, but I have seen it. There are days where I go out and throw and the ball just seems to have a little extra life on it, but there are just as many days where I'm struggling to even want to throw. My shoulder just isn't used to the work load yet. But I believe it will get there.
Lastly, I am throwing around three innings or 50 pitches each time I take the mound. That is saying a lot for the shoulder I am currently living with. I have now thrown three different starts on this plan..
My first start went really well according to my standards: 3ip, 0 runs, 2 hits, 3 k's and no walks. I had a feel for all of my pitches and was pitching to my strengths. Both my 2 and 4-seam fastballs were going right where I wanted them to. The only downside to my outing was my fastball velocity, I was pitching 85-87 mph. Although my results were great in my eyes, in the eyes of the front office, I needed to get more velocity. I would rate my first game a 6.5 out of 10.
My second three inning or 50 pitch game I was given one assignment: throw the ball as hard as you can. The front office said I needed to get my FB velocity up and throughout the week leading up to my start I heard the same thing from the coaching staff on more than one occasion. My whole goal was to just throw it hard, try to trust my arm and really let it go. It was a challenge, my arm wasn't really cooperating in the warm ups so I was a little skeptical about really letting it go. Once the game got going and I felt a little more comfortable, I turned up the heat. I asked more of my arm than I ever have and it responded. My FB velocity jumped from 85-87 five days prior, to 87-89 in just five days. My results weren't great though: 3ip, 7h, 6runs, 2k's, BB. Although I was down about me getting hit all over the ballpark, my assignment was to throw hard. And I did(well hard for me) I received some good comments post game because I followed through with my assignment. I would rate my second game a 6 out of 10.
Outing three was yesterday. I was a little nervous to see how my arm would hold up after asking so much from it in my previous outing. To be honest, it was a bit of a let down. My arm didn't respond well at all. The entire week of throwing was a bit of a drag and I didn't really have any good days in between my two starts. With that said, the results of my outing were a little better: 3ip, 1h, 0 runs, 2k's, 1 hbp, bb. My FB velocity was 84-86 and I think I touched 88 once. It was a struggle to get through yesterday, I'd say it was one of my toughest outings yet just because my arm was really bothering me. I did not feel like I could trust my arm at all. I was scared to let the ball go. It was tough. Nonetheless, I survived with a zero on the scoreboard. I would rate my third game a 4 out of 10.