Slumps are part of baseball. Every player has one now and then.

But, if Brett Gardner had gotten down early this season nobody would have blamed him. Making the adjustment to playing with the Double-A Trenton Thunder wasn't going easy for the former Holly Hill Academy and College of Charleston baseball star. His batting average dipped, his back stiffened up in the cold weather, and finally, he broke his hand.

"I had a pretty good spring training," Gardner said Friday afternoon. "I felt good with the way that went, but toward the end of spring training I came back to Double-A. That was fine with me. It was what I expected. But, during the first four or five weeks of the season, it was really cold. I had never played in weather where it was 20 or 30 degrees and snowing. It's tough to play any sport in that weather, but it's especially tough when you have a wooden bat in your hand and you are trying to hit a fastball that is 94 or 95 miles per hour."

When a pitch cracked his right hand in early May, Brett was batting in the low .200s. But, the break needed to rehab also allowed him time to study what he had been doing wrong. He went to work on improving his timing, pitch recognition and approach. He came back on fire.

That's why Friday, Gardner was sitting in the clubhouse of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees getting ready to play against the Charlotte Knights. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is the New York Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, meaning Gardner is now one step away from realizing his dream of becoming a Major League Baseball player.

"I feel great," Gardner said. "Sometimes, it all happens so fast. Over the last two years, I've had to pinch myself to see if I will wake up sometimes. It just seems like it is a dream come true. I'm not in the major leagues yet, but I am really lucky to be doing what I'm doing. I am fortunate and blessed to be in the position I am in right now."

Gardner was called up from Trenton and made his first start with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 12. He went hitless in the game, but scored two runs. Since then, he has shown he belongs, batting .286 with 10 hits, six walks and five stolen bases in eight games. He batted .300 with 14 doubles, five triples, 17 RBI's and 18 stolen bases in 54 games with Trenton.

"They didn't tell me a lot when they called me up," Gardner said. "They were just happy with the way things were going so they wanted to see me make the move up to Triple-A. I think I will be here for the rest of the season."

So far, Gardner's hot start has come amidst a busy schedule for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The speedy outfielder -- no pun intended -- has had to hit the ground running since his call-up.

"It's the life of a professional baseball player," he said. "Most fans and people don't realize what we have to do. Most people think it is a glorious life, and really the last thing I want to do is to complain because this is exactly what I've wanted to do since I was three. But, it is tough sometimes with eight- or 10-hour trips on buses and not getting any sleep. But, this is what we do and what we love.

"I've been here for eight games, and quite a few guys that I've faced have been in the big leagues and have pitched in the big leagues," he added. "But, I don't feel like it's anything that I'm not going to be able to handle. I'm up to the challenge."

For now, Gardner said he's happy to be in Triple-A. He just hopes he isn't there for very long.

"Definitely, absolutely that's my goal to make it to (the Yankees) and to the Major Leagues," he said. "I'm very pleased how this season has gone. I broke my hand, but I chose to make it a positive, and I took it and made it a big learning experience. I was able to come back from that, and now at least maybe by the end of the season I can put myself in a position where (the Yankees) can say, 'This kid has had a good year. Can he help us?'

"I'd like to put myself in a position that (the Yankees) would think I could help them in the big leagues," he continued. "If not this year, then maybe next year. And, if not next year then maybe the year after. I don't have control over that. I just have to keep doing what I am doing. I am happy where I am at, but obviously, I am hungry to be bumped up one more level."

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached by e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553. Check out his blog, Welcome to Linderland, at www.thetandd.com.

You must be logged in to comment.