|
EDITOR'S NOTE:
We became acquainted with Jamey when visiting Tim Drew after the Cleveland Indians had traded Tim to the Montreal Expos. Before an Ottawa Senators game (Expos Triple A at the time), we met Tim's teammate Jamey during their chapel service and maintained contact. Jamey was 28 (old for a prospect in the minors) and had already been sitting home in Evansville, Indiana for about a week after his minor league season was over in 2002 when the Expos called him up to the majors for the first time to replace an injured player. They just happened to be playing at Chicago vs the Cubs, giving Jamey the thrill of playing near home and having friends and family witness the game. Those details were not lost to Jamey, as he realized how God had orchestrated his biggest baseball blessing when it seemed least logical, yet in a remarkably "coincidental" way. Hitting .310 the rest of the month of September earned him a chance with the Expos the next season and opportunities for 12 years in all. |
My Story
Portions of this article appeared on www.cbn.com, the website of the Christian Broadcasting Network (700 Club), written by Shawn Brown. It can be read in it's entirety by clicking this link. The article was written as a result of an interview with Jamey when he was playing for the Washington Nationals. Bold type insertions were provided by Team Jam's web editor. Jamey Carroll: Playing for an Audience of One By Shawn Brown The 700 Club CBN.com – Infielder Jamey Carroll is a major part of the Washington Nationals team success with his aggressive, yet crowd pleasing playing style. But according to this native of Evansville, Indiana, he says his “style of play” isn’t to please the crowd, but Someone Else. “If I can be a light in this field that somebody in the stands can see Christ through me, that’s truly the reason I go out and I play for Him,” he says. Jamey says that wasn’t always his goal. Before he made his big league debut in 2002, life in the minors was a bit different. “I was playing hard for personal glory and personal satisfaction.” On the field, things seemed to be going well, but off the field, Jamey was frustrated. He was in his late 20s and still playing minor league ball. “Baseball’s not an easy life,” he confesses. “You’re away from you family; you’re away from the people that you love. It’s very tough to stay on top of it mentally. You’ve got the media; you’ve got the people you’re playing in front of, and it’s easy to get caught up in all of that. To put the pressure all of a sudden on yourself to get a hit, to make the play… it makes for a tough situation, and [at] that time I had no one.” One day after batting practice, he had a strange conversation with a man in the parking lot. He asked Jamey how things were going, and… “I looked him right in the eye and said that things were going great,” he recalls. “I knew I was going through some personal struggles, and as I walked back in the clubhouse, it was time for baseball chapel. I figured that day I’ll go see what there is to offer and sure enough, when I walked in, the baseball chapel leader was the guy that I met in the parking lot.” After the sermon Jamey realized that something was missing and gave his life to the Lord. “I realized that’s what I needed in my life to make a change,” he says. “It makes you have a different mindset where things are more at ease. [You] know that the trials and tribulations that you go through -- with Him in your life -- you can handle these situations that you think are beyond comprehension. Now I go out and play for His Glory and His honor.” Some say that Jamey Carroll’s never-give-up attitude makes him one of Major League Baseball’s hardest working players. But for Jamey, it’s not just an attitude; it’s a way of life. “I want to work hard because He gave me this opportunity. He has blessed me with this chance to serve Him,” he says. “The only way I know how to pay Him back is to play as hard as I can while I have the opportunity. I’m not blessed with the best speed in the world. I’m not the biggest size but I truly believe God blessed me with a big heart. I wouldn’t be here without Him.” “Looking back at everything that’s happened in my career, I truly believe I’ve been extremely blessed with the situations and how things have come about for me,” he says. “Philippians 4:13, ‘You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.’ Now I can just go out and perform for Him instead of trying to make things happen for me.” |
Career
MEDIA LINKS VIDEO - RBI TO WIN NL CHAMP TIEBREAKER Video of 1000th (last hit) Hired by Pittsburgh Pirates - 2015 Feature Story - 2014 Feature Story - 10th yr in Majors (Tribune) 2012 Signs with Minnesota - 2011 Rookie Results / Guest speaker in Vt - 2003 First call up CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - Lifetime batting average of .272. - 1000 career hits. - Lifetime fielding % of .990 as 2nd baseman (6th among all second baseman). - Only 26 errors lifetime in 12 yr career at 2B. - Played 7 positions with lifetime .984 fg pct. CAREER STATS 2015 - Pittsburgh Pirates - Special Assistant 2013 - Kansas City Royals 2012-13 - Minnesota Twins 2010-11 - Los Angeles Dodgers - Batted .290 in 2011 - Batted .291 in 2010 2008-09 - Cleveland Indians 2006-07 - Colorado Rockies - Top Fldg % 2006 - 2nd baseman (.995%) 2005 - Washington Nationals 2002-04 - Montreal Expos - Batted .289 in 2004 - .310 batting avg as rookie callup |