Chris Rearick: Next Stop Montgomery

PORT CHARLOTTE - Chris Rearick met every challenge he faced with the Charlotte Stone Crabs this year. Now Rearick is ready to take that success to a higher level.

After allowing three runs in his first outing with Charlotte on April 5, he has surrendered just six earned runs in his 33 appearances since. As the Stone Crabs closer, Rearick converted 20 saves in 22 opportunities while posting a 1.79 ERA, earning the 24-year old lefty a promotion to AA Montgomery.

Opponents have found little success against Rearick over the past two years.

After a respectable - but not dominant - debut season with Princeton, Rays instructors worked with Rearick in spring training of 2011 to help him keep the focus on his main objective - get the batter out.

"I was trying to be too quick to home to try and keep runners from stealing on me," Rearick said. "When I came into spring training, I couldn't even get guys out."

Rearick was instructed to return to a delivery he had found success with before, utilizing a full leg lift that despite resulting in a slower move to the plate, helped him keep command of his pitches.

"Since I was getting guys out, that was the most important thing," he said. "If I don't throw strikes then it doesn't matter if the runner steals second, third, or home, I'll never get people out."

The result? A post-season All-Star award while with Bowling Green last year, and the opportunity to play in his first professional All-Star game this season, as the lefty from Pooler, Georgia was one of four Stone Crabs representing the South Division in the Florida State League All-Star game.

Rearick was a multi-sport athlete growing up, playing football and basketball in addition to baseball, but there was never any question as to which he would pursue. "I've known all along it's going to be baseball," he said.

Yet Rearick was not a highly-touted recruit out of high school. He went undrafted, and elected to attend Berry College in order to pursue a degree, rather than attending a junior college to solely concentrate on baseball.

"I really didn't want to go to a junior college because at that point I was wanting to make sure that I got a degree," Rearick said. "I wanted to make sure that I at least invested in my education also while I was playing sports, instead of going to a junior college and just focusing on baseball."

Rearick majored in finance, but due to a change in major combined with a transfer prior to his senior year, he was unable to finish his degree. That has not stopped Rearick from doing exactly what he loves.

When he's not closing out games for the Stone Crabs, Rearick is closely following the stock market.

"It's always been something that I've been passionate for," he said. "Since middle school actually, I just started watching the stock market channel for some reason when I got home. I started getting deeper into it and now I actually buy and trade my own stocks."

Rearick continued to pursue success on the diamond as well.

After three years at Berry, Rearick elected to transfer to North Georgia College and State University for his senior year. At North Georgia, a Division II school, he posted a 9-2 record and 3.20 ERA in 14 starts on his way to earning the Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year honors from Rawlings/ABCA.

When draft day arrived, Rearick waited - and waited - for the call.

"I was at home and me and my mom literally sat in front of the computer for all three of those days and just watched," he said. "It was kind of depressing to sit there round after round after round, just seeing them go by and just not hearing your name called."

After days of anticipation, the Tampa Bay Rays selected Rearick with their 41st round pick - 1,241st overall - in the 2010 First Year Player Draft.

"When it finally [happened], my mom started crying," he said. "I was just excited that my dream had finally come true."

As to whether he plans to finish that finance degree, Rearick says that while he would like to complete his schooling, he hopes it will not become a necessity any time soon.

"It's not really high on my priority list because what I want to do, I'm doing it."

If this season is any indicator, that decision can wait.