Chris Gomez hopes the second half has more to offer for both himself and the Orioles.
Prior to his final rehab appearance at Bowie on Monday evening, Gomez said that the broken bone in his right hand has healed and he feels no ill effects from the injury, which placed him on the 60-day disabled list May 11.
“My hand is a non-issue. I don?t even think about it, it doesn?t bother me at all,” Gomez said before Monday?s game, while in the Bowie clubhouse. “It?s just a matter of getting back in playing shape. I feel good out there, I feel like I?m moving around pretty well. I?m ready togo.”
The infielder is just one of a handful of Orioles recovering from a wave of injuries that burdened the first half of the 2006 season. Despite that, Gomez said the mood in the clubhouse hasn?t dipped.
“There?s no panic, there?s just so many games,” said Gomez, who was with the club when they were at home, and also made a trip with the Orioles to Atlanta while on the disabled list. “You can?t be on a roller coaster. If you lose, you come back the next day and do your best to win the next one.”
“You?ve just got to try and stay on an even keel and do your best,” said Gomez, who also made a rehab stop at Single-A Aberdeen this year.
Being a utility player, Gomez understands full well the need to be ready when the manager calls on him.
“A manager has got to love having a guy like that sitting on the bench,” said Bowie manager Don Werner, who also spent time with the San Diego Padres while Gomez was in the organization. “The guy can play anywhere.”
Seeing live pitching was important to getting back in baseball shape, but Gomez pointed out that rediscovering his defensive footwork was key to his return.
“As an infielder, if you don?t play for as long as I?ve played, just getting your agility back,” he said. “I feel like I?m there.”
THE GOMEZ FILE
Age: 35
College: Long Beach State
Hometown: Los Angeles
Did you know? Gomez broke into the majors with the Detroit Tigers in 1993 ? He has also spent time with San Diego, Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Toronto during his 14-year career ? Gomez admits that he is often the mastermind behind some of the quotes and jokes by Orioles? clubhouse funnyman Kevin Millar.
