Just minutes after 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, Marc Cornell stepped into Copeland Hall and put his quest to achieve every little boy's dream on hold.
At least he did for now.
Cornell has returned for his senior season at Ohio three months after being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
It was pretty difficult because it's always been a dream to be able to play minor league baseball and to be able to play Major League Baseball
Cornell said. It's right there at your fingertips but you have to turn it away.
With a large frame and a fastball in the high 90's, the First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection was tabbed last spring as a sure first round selection. Shoulder tendonitis, however, sidelined the 6-foot-3 inch right-handed pitcher for much of the season's final month and caused Cornell to fall to the 141st pick.
He was frustrated with the injury and all kids are
said Ohio coach
Joe Carbone.
He didn't get drafted in the first round because of the tendonitis
and that's not something that's his fault
he said. I told him it's just a bump in the road.
Cornell did not pitch competitively this summer. Instead, he rehabilitated his shoulder in Columbus, his hometown.
Right now (my arm is) healthy
it's just not as strong as it needs to be
Cornell said. There's a difference between being pain-free
and being 100 percent like I was last year.
On Aug. 31, the Reds invited Cornell to throw for scouts at Great American Ballpark, the Reds' home field.
When I threw at Great American Ballpark
that was the first chance that any of the GM's
any of the front office guys
