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Futrell homers on his pitch

The FSU junior asked to play every day. The results: .343, 45 RBI, 7 HR.

[AP photo] Florida State DH Mike Futrell, a right-hander, batted almost solely against left-handers until winning over coach Mike Martin.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 15, 2001

A month into the baseball season, Florida State junior Mike Futrell resolutely walked into Mike Martin's office and offered the simplest of pitches:

Put me in, coach. I'm ready to play ... every day.

He sure nailed that one.

"Mike got in there and turned it up a notch," Martin said of one of the brightest surprises for the Seminoles this season. "He's totally got it done for us."

After initially batting almost solely against left-handed pitchers, the right-handed Futrell won over his coach and won the full-time designated hitter job. Andhe has blossomed. Futrell is batting .343 with 45 RBI and seven home runs, all third best on the team, as FSU enters the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Fort Mill, S.C.

The top-seeded Seminoles (40-15), looking for their first league tournament title since 1997, open play Wednesday against the winner of today's game between eighth-seeded North Carolina State and No. 9 Maryland. The winner of the double-elimination tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. (FSU is in the field as a region host.) "I think I've proven to myself, to coach Martin and to everybody else who doubted my ability to hit right-handers," said Futrell, 21, whose consistency has landed him in the critical clean-up spot. "That's neat."

That affirmation didn't begin with a simple plea.

It began with arduous off-season rehabilitation.

Unbeknownst to many of his teammates, Futrell fractured his left shoulder on a headfirst dive into home against Central Florida in the NCAA region May 28. He was safe, which he said made the injury worth it.

He told people he jammed the shoulder and continued to play. And play well. He had the winning RBI against Southern California in Game 3 of the College World Series to put FSU in the semifinals and hit .333 in Omaha, Neb. But the shoulder bothered him throughout the summer, and with more than a bit of trepidation, he went for an MRI exam. He had surgery in late August that left a 5-inch scar and a larger question mark.

"I wasn't able to swing the bat for three months," Futrell said. "I don't know if that was in 11's (Martin) mind, but my swing wasn't right."

Futrell nonetheless began the season as the starter in right, with senior centerfielder Karl Jernigan and touted junior college transfer Nick Rogers battling injuries. Once they returned, Futrell found himself splitting the DH duties with former Hernando High star Chris Cole.

"I tried to keep a positive mind about it," Futrell said of his role. "But when you're only hitting against lefties, you can't help but start thinking, "Well, maybe I can't hit right-handers.' "

A couple of weeks later, Futrell, a communications major, calmly delivered his sales pitch.

"I just said to 11 (Martin), "I know I can hit right-handers. I've hit them all my life,' " he said.

Martin wasn't sold.

"I brought up last year," Martin said, referring to Futrell's less than robust .284 average, which included sub-.240 against righties.

"That was last year," Futrell countered. "Don't lose confidence in me. Don't give up on me."

The next day against St. Joseph's and righty Ryan Woods, Futrell again watched Cole hit. Martin, however, watched Futrell more closely during the next few days leading up to the ACC opener against Virginia.

"I told him I was going to monitor him," Martin said.

So, while Futrell took extra cuts against right-handers in practice, Martin stood about 5 feet behind him.

"That was pushing me more and more," Futrell said.

It showed. In the third game against the Cavaliers and righty Dan Street, Futrell broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth with a home run as the Seminoles pulled out a 2-1 win.

"That's the best ball I've seen Mike Futrell hit since he's been at Florida State," Martin said afterward.

Since then, Futrell hasn't had to invoke a John Fogarty-like song lyric. He has the seven homers even though he is not a power hitter. In ACC games, he is hitting .404, sixth in the league.

"He understands how to play, plays hard and comes to play every day," said Georgia Tech coach Danny Hall, who saw Futrell go 6-for-12 with six RBI in a recent three-game series. "If he's playing for you, you love him, and if he's playing against you, you don't like him too much. He's just a very, very good veteran player."

Who has been ready to play ... every day.

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