August 19: Harrison Happy To Be In Winnipeg

Excuse Vince Harrison if he feels as though he’s been through the ringer of a washing machine.

It’s been a long season in a short time.

“Yeah, it’s only a four-month season and I’ve already had three teams and four managers,” Harrison said as he arrived at the airport in Winnipeg today. “I hope Rick (Forney) doesn’t get fired.”

Late Monday night, both Harrison, a third baseman, along with infielder Mark Minicozzi, were acquired from Joliet and Kansas City respectively, as the Goldeyes tried to shore up their line-up amid a number of injuries late in this topsy-turvy season.

Wes Long is still out, nursing his broken ankle. Josh Asanovich injured his knee on Monday night and is out for at least a week. And Kevin West was hit in the head by a Garry Bakker slider on Monday and still has the seam-marks on his face to prove it.

Meanwhile, for Harrison, a two-time Northern League all-star who has overcome his own injuries and adversity throughout an oft-interrupted six-year playing career, this season has been particularly trying.

He started out with Schaumburg, playing for Mike Busch, and was hitting .338 with five homers and 27 runs batted in on July 27 when he was dealt to Joliet. He started out playing for Wally Backman, but Backman was fired a week later by the last-place JackHammers and replaced by Ira Smith. Harrison hit .282 in 18 games with Joliet before Monday night’s trade to Winnipeg.

“I played in that 12-inning 1-0 game with Gary on Monday (he had two hits in five trips), and then was told after the game to pack up my stuff, I was being traded again,” Harrison said. “I had a few hours to get packed and get to the airport and here I am.

“I’m happy to be in Winnipeg, it’s just that everything this year has been unsettling.”

Of course, it’s not like that hasn’t been a feature of Harrison’s career.

“I’ve been in the Triple A phase of the Rule 5 draft twice,” Harrison said, looking back on a career that was interrupted by two seasons of inactivity. “I injured my wrist in 2005 and went to camp with the Rangers. They told me I needed another operation and shut me down. Then, just as I was getting ready to go back, I was caught in the Rule 5 again and went to camp with Boston. I was going to play with Pawtucket (Boston’s Triple A farm club) in 2006, but tore my quad in the first pre-season game.

“So then I was acquired by St. Louis. I went two years without playing a game. It’s nice just to play.”

Originally drafted by the Florida Marlins in 1998, Harrison chose to pass on baseball and instead accepted a football scholarship to the University of Kentucky. He spent two years with the Wildcats football team before turning his attention back to baseball.

Now, 29, he’s in Winnipeg to help the Goldeyes win a championship and, for perhaps more importantly, just see where baseball takes him. For now.

“I’ve been through a lot, but I’ve never been released by a team because I wasn’t getting the job done,” he said. “It’s always nice to go to a place that wants you. Right now, that’s Winnipeg. I’m happy to be here.”

With his .322 batting average (seventh in the Northern League) and a solid glove at first or third, you can bet Winnipeg is glad to have him.