Beyond the Game with Adam McConnell: Making a Change

By Josh (9 Inning Know It All):

9inning: Growing up what were your first memories of baseball?

AM: All-Stars.  Playing the 9 and 10 year old all-star games in the summer when it’s really competitive and you’re just starting to really learn the game for the first time.  All of your friends are together, playing the game and it’s just a great time.  It’s where I really got better I think.  I had a lot of input from other coaches.

9inning: Was there a family member or coach that pushed you to play or best?

AM: My dad was always a big influence on me and he taught me how to do things the right way.  Do whatever I was going to do to the fullest and I always practiced hard and played hard.  I also had some coaches that were really influential in my development as a player, teaching me how to play the game and develop my skills as a player and as a person.

9inning: Your freshman year is considered one of the better in University of Richmond history.  What do you think was a key reason for this?

AM: I was coming off of summer ball, I played down in Florida, and there was really competitive pitching and I was able to develop a little bit better as a hitter and see the ball well.  Coming into that summer I had a good senior year of high school, and just the confidence rolling from my senior year into my freshman year of college carried me pretty well.  The ball just seemed pretty big and nobody knew how to pitch me yet and so I was taking advantage of that.  It was a great year for me.

9inning: Has being a speedster really been something you have tried to take advantage of?

AM: Yeah, I think that once I realized that I had some speed I really wanted to cultivate it and develop it and just get better at it. That is such a big part of baseball.  When I was in high school I went to a trainer named Deshawn Wright.  He is a home town guy.  He really trained like plyometrics and heavy weight squats to try and develop speed.  That’s one of the first things I did.  Then in college I focused a lot on speed workouts on my free time.  I’ve been able to see a lot of benefits from having that speed during games and certain situations.  I’m going to continue to try and develop that.

9inning: In 2001 you missed the entire season because of a hip injury.  Missing a season can take a toll on someone, so what did you do to get through that and get ready for the next season?

AM: The rehab was about five months.  I went out to Colorado for the surgery with a guy who does a lot of them, so he was pretty well versed in the surgery.  Once I was cleared I just started running slow.  Taking it real slow because it was the summer and I had some time to recuperate.  I made sure I wasn’t doing anything that would cause a setback.  I was doing it slow, taking batting practice and things that weren’t too stressing on the hip.

It really took my eyes off of baseball for a while and focused on things that were more important.  I think it really helped me develop in that year.

9inning: Even after missing the season you were drafted by the Dodgers in the 30^th round.  What was your decision making process in deciding to either sign or return to college?

AM: I came in with a group of eight guys to Richmond and we became so close and competitive that when I got drafted I thought about what we could do my senior year when we came back and just wanted to go play with these guys and see what happens.  That was big and just the injury.  I didn’t play that year and I wanted to see what I was capable of the next year and see what could possibly happen in the draft. I came back just with the hope that I could finish things out with the guys I started with.  Then possibly move my position up on the draft board.

9inning: So you were drafted this season in the 29^th round by the Diamondbacks.

AM: Moved up one spot.

9inning: So what has the transition been like for you from college to pro?

AM: It’s really just knowing the game.  There were things in college that I didn’t learn and you get out here and your kind of swimming, up to your neck in certain situations, plays, defenses that you’re running.  It has been a struggle for me a little bit getting to know everything real fast, and just being thrown in the game and expected to know it.  You’re definitely a professional and you’re expected to do your job and do it well.  Everyday you’re coming in and getting focused, prepared to do something for the organization.  So it’s not just worried about yourself, it’s a team thing.  If you’re playing well, then the organizations doing well.  So you have got to be prepared to play every single day.

9inning: How has faith impacted you on and off of the field?

AM: Personally I think it takes a lot of pressure off because I realized in my journey that when the injury happened that baseball was an idol for me.  I poured all of my energy into it, and I poured all my affections, my efforts into baseball and it was kind of this pseudo god.  Then every time that would fail I would feel like I failed.  Like my purpose was not being fulfilled on this earth because I’m a baseball player, that’s my identity.  When I got saved God totally changed my affections.  It really took pressure off of me when I played the game, to know that I’m His and nothing else can change that.  It’s me playing for His glory and not my own.  There is a lot of pressure taken off when that starts happening.

9inning: How did you become a believer?

AM: Probably sophomore year of college I was really influenced by one of my teammates, Ian Marshall who plays for the Braves organization now.  He just kind of blatantly came up and said ‘hey who is Jesus to you, what does He mean?’  I grew up in church but hadn’t really thought about if it should have an effect on my life or whether he should enter into any of my plans.  I said I don’t know so we started going to FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and every single time I went to FCA I was convicted more and more that this needs to be something that isn’t compartmentalized to just church.  It needs to be a seven days a week and not just Sunday.  I was really influenced by a couple guys on the team that were baptized that year.  I was actually baptized my senior year in the fall in the James River over by the University of Richmond with a lot of believers in my community.  It has been a great growing experience in just seeing what the Lord is doing.

9inning: What advice would you give Christian athletes in high school and college?

AM: Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you.  He really will, if you delight yourself in Him, he will give you the desires of your heart which are actually Him.  Along with that you will be taken on a journey for His purposes that are so much better than your plans then you could ever imagine.  His will for your life is so much greater, even though at the moment it might not seem like it, it might seem like He is trying to take away fun from you.  He’s really not. He is leading you into the best things that exist because he created it all and He knows your heart better then you do.  I think just give it all over to Him and chase Him with everything you got and everything else will fall into place.