Throwing himself into it

Refocused Swarzak comes back strong after being suspended

By David Dorsey
Fort Myers News-Press

So much for being rusty.

Anthony Swarzak, in coming off a 50-game suspension for violating the minor-league drug prevention and treatment program, had a quality start in his debut this season for the Fort Myers Miracle.

Swarzak, 21, struck out eight batters in 5 2/3 innings of work. He did so Wednesday night, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Sarasota Reds.

Swarzak had not pitched since before April 20, when he began the season with Double-A New Britain, Conn.

"It was a long wait," said Swarzak, who made his second start Monday night at Hammond Stadium against the Tampa Yankees, who will also play the Miracle on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in Fort Myers.

"I really didn't feel too rusty, because I had been pitching in simulated games in extended spring training," Swarzak said last week.

But returning to the mound did activate his adrenaline, he said.

"I was a little bit too hyped up, and I let my emotions get the best of me in the first inning," Swarzak said. "I was leaving balls up in the zone, and I wasn't keeping the ball down.

"The nerves then calmed down a little bit. I looked at the score and saw just the one run up there. I told myself, 'I'm not giving up another run.' "

Swarzak did not give up any more runs that game, which the Miracle went on to win 3-1.

"He's one of the most competitive pitchers I've ever seen," Miracle manager Kevin Boles said. "He attacks the strike zone. He's a power pitcher. You're aware he's out there. He has a tremendous mound presence."

The Minnesota Twins drafted the 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-hander in the second round of the 2004 Draft out of Davie Nova High School.

Swarzak posted an 11-7 record, with a 3.27 ERA, in 27 starts last season for the Miracle, good enough for him to begin this year in Double-A.

Swarzak had a rough start this season, posting an 0-2 record and 11.12 ERA in one start and two appearances before failing the drug test.

Swarzak did not specify what drug he took, but it was not a performance-enhancement drug and he said it was not anything addictive.

"I made a terrible mistake," Swarzak said. "I screwed up. I just wasn't thinking."

Swarzak spent the rest of April, May and early June working out and refocusing on his goal of reaching the majors.

"I thought about all kinds of things," Swarzak said. "I thought about how I let my family down, how I let my teammates down, how I let the Minnesota Twins down and how I let myself down.

"It was just a bad choice on my part. I've got to just put this behind me and move forward. The Minnesota Twins have been very supportive of me through this whole thing."

Boles said the suspension probably did not set back Swarzak's development as a pitcher by much.

"I can tell how hard he has worked and how he wants to get back on track," Boles said. "I know he's very serious about getting to the big leagues. Now this is all behind him.

"He's still very highly thought of."