It has been a slow road to recovery for Val Majewski.
After missing all of last season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the Orioles? prospect has had to re-learn many of the skills that made him the highest-rated player in Baltimore?s farm system just two years ago.
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“I had to re-teach myself how to both throw a ball and how to find my swing path,” said Majewski, 25. “I thought that my swing would come back to me easily, but I developed some bad habits. I was doing what was comfortable at the plate, not necessarily what was right.”
Majewski, who played in 13 games with the Orioles in 2004, is currently playing outfield for the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx.
“I spent the majority of the first half just trying to make things click,” said Majewski, who flirted with the Mendoza line for much of the early part of the season. “It was very frustrating, but I?m glad I turned things around and am now in a position to help the team win.”
Majewski is hitting .304 since the International League all-star break and has raised his average to a respectable .255.
“It?s taken a while to get to this point, but everything still isn?t worked out yet,” Majewski said. “The only way I get better is if I play every day, even if I don?t feel like I?m 100 percent.”
After all of the struggles that Majewski has been through, he says he would be surprised if he was in the parent club?s plans for a September call-up.
“I realize that I haven?t had the greatest season, so I?m not counting on it,” he said. “That being said, if the Orioles called me up, it would be great.”
Majewski remains philosophical about both his season and the injury that has become a major setback in his professional career.
“It?s baseball,” he said. “Sometimes you struggle; sometimes you do really well. I?ve had a lot more struggles than usual this year, but I?m looking forward to improving in the offseason and getting ready for next year.”
While his stock has definitely dropped, Majewski hopes the Orioles still have faith in him.
“I don?t know if I?m still a go-to guy, but hopefully I?ll spark some interest and come back strong for spring training,” he said. “Then they?ll realize that I?m the same player. It just took me a bit longer to find my way.”
