Mahaffey makes Dowd look like a genius

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Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 3:55:46 AM MST

By RICH ELLIOTT

BRIDGEPORT
Bridgeport Bluefish general manager Charlie Dowd had little idea what he had when he signed Alan Mahaffey during the offseason. All he knew was what he saw on paper.
Dowd could gather that Mahaffey was a reliable 28-year-old lefthander, both in relief and as a starter, who spent part of 1999 and the entire 2000 season at Class AAA Salt Lake. There was an asterisk on his resume, though. Mahaffey did not pitch last season after undergoing surgery to repair a frayed rotator cuff and labrum in Birmingham, Ala., on April 16, 2001.
Simply put, signing Mahaffey was a gamble. Dowd knew it. So did manager Duffy Dyer. But since earning a spot in the starting rotation at training camp, Mahaffey has made Dowd look like a genius.
There have been no signs of rust or ill effects of the surgery in his first 10 starts. What Mahaffey has provided is quality and wins.
"It's turned out to be a gamble that's paid terrific dividends for the club," Dowd said. "Obviously, on the field, he's put up terrific numbers. But in the clubhouse, he's very well-liked. He's a good guy. He fits in very well. He contributes in many ways. He's sort of the model citizen of what you're looking for."
Entering Saturday's start at Newark, Mahaffey was 8-1 with a 3.45 ERA. He was second in the Atlantic League, behind teammate Brad Cornett, in wins and seventh in ERA. Mahaffey's win total was only one shy of his career-high of nine at Class AA New Britain (8-6) and Salt Lake (1-2) combined in 1999.
To put Mahaffey's glowing start in perspective, he won his eighth game in his 38th appearance that season and his ninth in his 40th. He has already set a team record by winning seven straight starts and was one win shy of tying Joe Crawford (9-1, 2000) for the best start after 10 decisions in team history.
"The thing that's been amazing is that the other day it was 14 months ago that I was under the knife," Mahaffey said. "Now I'm out here and I'm 8-1. It's just a lot of hard work.
"It's just one of those things, as soon I found that I was going to have to have (surgery), I was just like, 'I'm going to go get it fixed. I'm going to work my (butt) off and rehab every day to try to get back.' I still have the goal of trying to pitch in the big leagues, and that's the main thing. I'm trying to work towards that every single day."
The road back to the mound started at home in Springfield, Mo., with regular physical therapy sessions and frequent workouts in the weight room. Mahaffey got even more running in during the offseason by working as a referee for girls and boys junior varsity and varsity basketball three or four days a week.
Mahaffey entered training camp with the Bluefish May 21 shrouded in uncertainty. He wasn't guaranteed a job. He knew it and that's the way he wanted it.
Ultimately, Mahaffey allowed two earned runs on six hits, struck out five and walked one in five innings in spring training to beat fellow lefthander Dave Swanson for the final spot in the rotation.
"I felt like he was a better pitcher, even though I knew we were taking a chance health-wise," Dyer said. "I thought Swanny was OK, but I felt we could do better. I thought we had room for improvement, and when Mahaffey showed me in the few innings what he threw and the way that he responded, I just felt like he was just ahead of Swanny a little bit stuff-wise."
"It was nerve racking because I didn't know the situation I was going into," Mahaffey said. "And coming off surgery, I'd been throwing bullpens, but I had no idea what was going to happen. Luckily, I went out and earned my position on the team by throwing well. And after that, each time I've gone out, I've gotten more and more confident."
Mahaffey has worked at least six innings in seven starts. The key start that ignited his masterful run was at Somerset May 12. He allowed one hit in six scoreless innings to earn his first win.
The outing followed his only loss, to the Pennsylvania Road Warriors. He was hammered for seven runs on eight hits, including two home runs, in four innings.
"It's a little bit surprising because of sitting out a year," Mahaffey said. "But after I threw in Somerset, and I had a good outing there, that kind of snowballed everything."
Mahaffey's success has rekindled his spirit. While he hopes to have the chance to win his first professional championship with the Bluefish this season, he is also aiming to again land a job within an organization. Just more than a year after surgery, Mahaffey has his career back on track.
"We've got a great group of guys," Mahaffey said. "I've played on championship teams, but I've never won one, so why not try to win this year? If something happens this year, that's fine. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be, but hopefully I'll just put up the best numbers that I can and take those some place and see what happens."