Neal Sees Pros Instead of Cons

Rob Neal was dealt a raw deal, but his days of dwelling on misfortune are over and a professional career once again may be in the cards.

Neal has a bat in his hands again, and that always was an uplifting experience. And he is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s right fielder, as opposed to the team’s designated hitter.

Which makes all the difference in the world of professional baseball.

As an outfielder he is a prospect, although not at the level he was in 1994 when Baseball America magazine ranked him the No. 1 Division II player in the nation.

Neal, an All-Ventura County center fielder at Westlake High in 1990 and ‘91, makes hitting look easy. He is among Cal Poly’s all-time leaders with a .342 batting average, 16 home runs and 121 runs batted in.

“He’s hit against any pitching everywhere he’s played,” said a professional scout watching Cal Poly play Cal State Northridge last weekend.

Facing Matador ace Robert Crabtree on Sunday, Neal doubled and singled twice in his first three at-bats, evoking memories of a 1994 doubleheader at Northridge in which he banged out six hits and drove in five runs in a Cal Poly sweep.

Neal once made throwing look easy as well. In fact, scouts rated his arm as his best asset when the Minnesota Twins drafted him in the 14th round out of high school.

But a collision with a teammate in the outfield in his 1993 sophomore season changed the course of his career. Neal suffered a separated right shoulder and, to abbreviate a long, painful story, has pretty much been a designated hitter until this season.

Last year was the worst. Despite his injury, the Twins drafted Neal again in 1994--this time in the 24th round--but the pain kept him from picking up a pen to sign. He couldn’t fool himself and wasn’t about to try to fool the Twins.

He was a redshirt last season to rehabilitate the shoulder after Dr. Frank Jobe grafted a tendon from Neal’s wrist onto the shoulder and tightened the socket.

Neal couldn’t bear to watch games, electing to sit at home and listen to the Mustangs on the radio. As his spirits sank, his weight ballooned 35 pounds to nearly 230.

“I didn’t want to come to the park it upset me so much,” he said.

Neal snapped out of his funk last summer, undergoing a rigorous rehabilitation regimen that got his body in shape and his arm healthy enough to start throwing.

“He’s worked very hard in therapy,” Cal Poly Coach Ritch Price said. “He was so frustrated last year. Most kids in his position would have signed after their junior year. But Rob is a bright, articulate kid and he knew that if he couldn’t play defense he wouldn’t last.”

By sticking it out at Cal Poly, Neal has scouts timing him to first base and watching keenly as he puts on impressive displays during batting practice.

The layoff is responsible for a slow start this season, but he is batting .264 with a team-high five doubles and three stolen bases.

“My bat is taking a while to come around but I’m confident it will,” Neal said. “The scouts know I’m capable of hitting.”

More important is how his arm responds to the rigors of playing right field. Neal admits he is not at full strength and, in fact, still experiences pain. During games he wears on his shoulder a patch containing an herbal remedy that he says reduces pain and swelling.

“I’m a fifth-year guy, so they can sign me for nothing,” he said. “I just want a shot. But I’m honest with scouts about my arm. I’m not gonna make somebody waste a draft pick.”

One scout watching Neal last weekend believes he is worth a gamble.

“I can’t believe how good he looks with a bat in his hands,” the scout said. “And he’s in good shape. It’s a good sign he’s playing right field. A lot of people will be keeping an eye on him.”

Price, a second-year coach, is watching Neal play for the first time. The depressed, overweight rehab project he met last year is now a vital cog in the lineup.

“Rob has very good throwing form and mechanics, and as hard as he has worked I think he can get back to close to the arm strength he once had,” Price said.

“Rob is a special player, one of the best in Cal Poly history. I’m just pleased to have the chance to see him perform.”