Fully armed and ready to throw

Steve Uhlmansiek was on top of the world.

He was 7-0 as a starter for Wichita State University, a team challenging to go to the College World Series.

Scouts were whispering in his ear that he might well be a first- or second-round pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft.

Then, on a routine pitch against Chicago State, everything changed. Pain in his elbow told him he had a serious injury.

Two years later, the 6-foot-3 left-hander from Overland Park, Kan., is healthy and a starting pitcher for the Everett AquaSox.

Uhlmansiek carries what is rapidly becoming the mark of a professional pitcher: a 4-inch scar on his elbow that signifies he has had Tommy John surgery.

The surgery, first performed by Dr. Frank Jobe, who made it famous by performing it on pitcher John in 1974, is known medically as ulnar-collateral-ligament reconstruction. John not only recovered but also tied a major-league record in longevity with a career that spanned 26 years.

Jobe performed Uhlmansiek's surgery, a procedure in which a tendon from his wrist was transplanted to replace the torn ligament in his left elbow.

It took Uhlmansiek two years to recover. Despite the surgery, the Seattle Mariners drafted Uhlmansiek in the 12th round and offered him a signing bonus befitting a fifth-round pick.

Uhlmansiek said he doesn't worry about injuring his elbow again.

"It's now or never for me," he said. "I don't worry about throwing breaking balls or rearing back when I need to. I'm just ready to go."

The success rate for complete recovery is about 85 percent, and hundreds of pro pitchers have undergone the operation.

Uhlmansiek knew the odds but still had doubts as he rehabilitated. He didn't pick up a baseball for a year and pitched only 12 innings last season.

"The biggest challenge was wondering if I'd ever be the same pitcher I was," he said. "I finally answered that question and found full confidence in the last two months."

Uhlmansiek considered a life without baseball as he put in hundreds of hours of exercise and lifting weights. He got a degree in finance from Wichita State and considered becoming a jet pilot.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride," he said. "At first, my velocity came back, and then it went back down. It's been completely back to stay in the last two months. I throw between 88 to 92 miles per hour. I'm not a power pitcher or a finesse pitcher. I'm kind of in between."

The entire experience left Uhlmansiek grateful to still be playing.

"I have a healthy respect for being able to go out and play baseball for money," Uhlmansiek said. "I definitely don't take things for granted."

Uhlmansiek, 23, knows he's about two years behind most pitchers in the Northwest League and is relearning some of the finer points of the game.

"When you don't play for two years, you lose the feel for pitching, the feel for the off-speed pitch and the strike zone," he said. "Those are little things that are huge for a pitcher to be successful."

Everett pitching coach Juan Alvarez appreciates all the hard work Uhlmansiek has put in and expects him to have success.

"You really root for a guy who's been through what he has," Alvarez said.

"A lot of it depends on how badly a person wants to get back on that mound. He's healed and ready to go."

Everett AquaSox roster
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Age	Hometown
1	Gavin Dickey	OF	5-11	205	22	Tallahassee, Fla.
3	Leury Bonilla	INF	6-2	170	21	Gaspar Hernández, Dominican Republic (D.R.)
7	Dean Zorn	INF	6-1	180	19	Sydney, Australia
9	Adam Moore	C	6-2	220	22	Mineola, Texas
10	Ogui Diaz	INF	6-2	170	20	Baní, D.R.
12	Aric Van Gaalen	LHP	6-6	200	21	Edmonton, Alberta
17	Austin Bibens-Dirkx	RHP	6-2	190	21	Keizer, Ore.
19	Chao Wu	C	6-3	210	22	Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
20	Manelik Pimentel	INF	6-2	185	21	Santo Domingo, D.R.
21	Steve Uhlmansiek	LHP	6-3	185	23	Overland Park, Kan.
22	Jose Suriel	LHP	6-3	170	22	Puerto Plata, D.R.
23	Juan Colon	RHP	6-1	170	24	Santo Domingo, D.R.
25	Joe White	INF	6-3	210	20	Cumming, Ga.
26	Gregory Halman	OF	6-4	190	18	Haarlem, Netherlands
29	Justin Souza	RHP	6-1	190	20	Galt, Calif.
30	Joe Kantakevich	RHP	6-2	195	22	Rockville, Md.
32	Nativdad Dilone	RHP	6-0	160	23	Monte Cristi, D.R.
33	Jair Fernandez	C	6-1	170	19	Cartagena, Colombia
35	Aaron Solomon	RHP	6-4	205	20	Layton, Utah
36	Ari Kafka	RHP	6-6	230	23	Norwood, Maine
37	Doug Fister	RHP	6-8	195	22	Merced, Calif.
38	Greg Nesbitt	LHP	6-3	195	23	Drumore, Pa.
39	Kuo Hui Lo	OF	6-2	188	20	Hualien County, Taiwan
40	Travis Scott	C	6-3	220	21	San Jose, Ill.
43	Jose Graterol	OF	6-1	175	21	Miranda, Venezuela
46	Saydel Beltran	LHP	5-11	175	23	Santa Clara, Calif.
47	Brian Kappel	RHP	6-0	215	23	Atlanta
48	Kam Mickolio	RHP	6-9	255	22	Bozeman, Mont.
50	Mike Schilling	RHP	6-5	240	22	Fresno, Calif.
Manager: Dave Myers. Pitching coach: Juan Alvarez. Hitting coach: Mike Tosar.