Click here to read original article - written by Journal Tribune Sports Reporter Cameron Dunbar
STANDISH — Tyler Laverriere uses words like "a journey" and "a real battle" to describe his first three years at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, where the 2009 Biddeford High School graduate has been a part of three Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship baseball teams and pitched in two NCAA Division III tournaments.
At first glance, that may sound like a bunch of hyperbole. It's not.
"I never thought coming into my freshman year I would have had two injuries and one surgery," Laverriere said. "It's been very long and very tough, but I'm happy with the way it's worked out so far."
After making six relief appearances as a freshman, Laverriere had moved into the starting rotation for the Monks as a sophomore, making seven starts and picking up three wins.
But in his second start the following summer in the Portland Twilight League, Laverriere suffered just about the last injury a 20-year-old pitcher wants – a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, otherwise known as the injury that leads to Tommy John surgery.
"At that point, I was freaking out basically," he said on hearing the diagnosis.
Laverriere went to a specialist, who told him that only 35 to 40 percent of pitchers who partially tear their UCL come back without undergoing Tommy John surgery.
"I had a big decision on whether to get Tommy John and miss my junior year or not and risk just rehabbing and then trying to go out and throw," Laverriere said. "I didn't end up getting it."
After deciding to forego going under the knife, Laverriere rehabbed throughout the rest of the summer, fall and winter with St. Joe's head athletic trainer Neil Carroll and only started throwing again in January, less than one month before the start of the season.
"I didn't really know what was going to happen, but I stayed on the path and stuck to my guns and rehabbed," he said.
Laverriere's gamble paid off as he returned in time to make six starts and appear in eight games overall in 2012, recording a 2.70 ERA with a 3-1 record. But toward the end of the season, his right elbow flared up again, and another trip to the doctor showed an abnormally large three-centimeter bone spur.
This condition would require surgery, but Laverriere decided to play through the pain so he could pitch for the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide last summer. After starting 11 games for and throwing a team-high 58.1 innings for the Tide, he finally had the procedure done Aug. 20 and again missed all of fall baseball, rehabbing with Carroll.
But this time, he was able to start throwing again in October, which also meant he was ready for the start of the season two weeks ago on March 9, when he threw six innings of two-hit ball to pick up the win as the Monks beat Rhode Island College 9-1.
Laverriere credits Carroll with his relatively quick recoveries both times, and said the struggle to stay healthy has made him appreciate the sport that much more.
"I think I've become a better baseball player just by the work ethic that he's taught me," Laverriere said. "Some people I don't think realize how lucky they are to be playing the sport. I've just felt so fortunate to be back with my team."
Laverriere also said the injuries have helped him become a better pitcher overall.
"When I had the bone spur, I didn't really have the same velocity as my freshmen and sophomore year," he explained. "It was kind of tough and kind of discouraging, but I learned how to command the ball a lot better, which has helped me now that my velocity is back to where it was. Now I've got the control that I didn't have my first two years."
The Monks look to be in for another successful season after getting off to a 7-2 start this month, including a 2-1 win over No. 1 Wheaton, and are currently ranked ninth in the country. Laverriere said how far St. Joe's goes would all come down to the work put in off the field, something he's become more than familiar with over the past few years.
"I think as the year goes on we're going to have another very successful year," he said. "We've got to be that team that gets better every single day and not just be satisfied with being No. 9 in the country. That's very good, but we're trying to finish at the top."