Hart knows importance of hard work, perseverance

Author Ethan Bryan’s latest book, A Year of Playing Catch, will be released Sept. 8. In anticipation, each week we are giving fans a sneak peek into a few stories incorporating our own MiLB teams. Want to get in on the fun? Submit your photo or video to the Play Catch Sweepstakes presented by Peerless-AV® for your chance to win a Peerless-AV® Neptune™ UHD Outdoor TV and Outdoor Universal Tilt Wall Mount!

For his first nine years out of school, Jason Hart was a pro ballplayer. Not for one minute of those nine years did he envision becoming what he is now: a hitting coach in the Texas Rangers system.

“I honestly thought I would never get into coaching, because I played in the Minors for a while and I rode a lot of buses," the 1998 fifth-rounder said. "I used to think, ‘Man, these coaches are crazy. Why would you do that?’"

It wasn't until after Hart had spent a post-retirement year working in a Kraft Foods factory that the former Minor Leaguer saw things a different way.

"I was working night shifts," he recalled. "One night, I was doing that and I said, ‘Hey, coaching doesn’t look that bad.’ After one year trying to navigate the real world, I was ready to get back to baseball.”

But by that point his perspective on baseball and life and work already had undergone a profound transformation. As he discussed with author Ethan Bryant as the pair enjoyed a toss during Bryant's year of playing catch with different people across America, Hart made it to the big leagues in 2002 but in 2003, while bashing 22 doubles and 21 homers for Triple-A Oklahoma, battled through vision problems and other physical issues that turned out to be effects of a brain tumor. He missed the 2004 season and retired at the end of 2006.

“I used to think baseball is life. It taught me, no, baseball is my profession," he said. "There’s life outside of it. It’s the same thing in coaching. This is your job. Give it your best, respect it, but at the same time, love on your family, love and appreciate everything else.”

That lesson came partially in the form of being present for family milestones during months he otherwise would have been playing -- and riding buses.

“It was a blessing in disguise in the aspect of I was having my first child during all that time," he said. "I got to be at everything, every doctor’s appointment, everything. I was there the whole time. That was a blessing.”

All of those experiences -- being a rising power hitter, making the Majors, being sidelined to face and recover from brain surgery, clocking in at a factory night after night, coming back to the game he loves -- have informed Hart's coaching philosophy. When he sees a player slumping or meeting the limits of his abilities for the first time, the 2015 Mike Coolbaugh Texas League Coach of the Year knows exactly what message he wants to convey.

“Control what you can control. Be thankful you’re getting to play this game for a living right now. Give it everything you’ve got," he said. "But every night, lay your head on your pillow and sleep well.”

The following is from Ethan Bryan's blog, which details his experiences from "A Year of Playing Catch":

The Rookie.

A League of Their Own.

42.

Field of Dreams.

All of the above are baseball movies I’ve connected to this year simply through a game of catch.

And now Moneyball can be added to the list. Well, kinda.*

In January of 2002, Carlos Pena and Mike Venafro were traded to the Oakland A’s by the Texas Rangers in exchange for Gerald Laird, Ryan Ludwick, Mario Ramos, and Jason Hart. Six months later, Pena was traded to the Tigers which was a big source of tension in the movie. (Not quite as much the book.)

In August of that same year, Jason Hart made his MLB debut with the Rangers. He walked in his first at-bat. His first hit was against the A’s.

“I doubled off of Mark Mulder at the Coliseum in Oakland, where I grew up going to games. It was a sigh of relief because I was about 0-for-6 up to that point. Eric Byrnes was in the other dugout and he was so pumped for me, cheering me on. It was pretty cool having a lot of friends and family there to see it.”

Jason’s teammates on the 2002 Rangers included Alex Rodriguez, Pudge Rodriguez, Chan Ho Park, John Rocker, Kenny Rogers, Michael Young, Rafael Palmeiro, and Carl Everett, just to name a few.

Before the Rangers, Jason played for Coach Guttin at Missouri State University, attending the college at the same time as I did. Drafted by the A’s in 1998, Jason excelled in the Minor Leagues before getting his call. Over the course of 10 games at the end of the 2002 season, Jason collected 4 hits in 15 at-bats, plus a couple walks. He started the 2003 season in AAA at Oklahoma City, but knew something was off from the beginning.

“Balls I should’ve been barreling I was just…missing. I didn’t know it at the time, because it happened so gradually, but I developed tunnel vision, too.”

Jason played the 2003 season with a growing tumor in his brain. The tumor grew to the size of a golf ball and was surrounded by a fluid-filled cyst which kept growing to about the size of a baseball. Located near the cerebellum, the softness of the cyst was a blessing, preventing damage to his brain.

In April of 2004, Jason had surgery.

“Immediately, I felt better. I could talk right after surgery, which was my first concern. And then I noticed how much more I could see, my vision returned to normal. I felt like I was ready to play, but had to wait a whole year for the skull to grow back together.”

After surgery, Jason did compete and played two more years of Minor League ball.

Jason just finished his 7th year of working with the AA Frisco RoughRiders as a hitting coach. In the off-season, Jason spends time with his three daughters — taking them to school and picking them up; cheering at their basketball games; creating an atmosphere at home where it’s the place everyone wants to hang out.

I met Jason at CY Sports Center, my winter, go-to catch-playing place.

“What day is this?” Jason asked.

“Day 254.”

“Sore?” he asked looking at my right arm.

I smiled and nodded. “Just takes me a little while to loosen up, then I’m good to go.”

Instead of taking swings, Jason’s now throwing BP for his players. He showed me his modified technique which involved stepping with the same foot as his throwing hand. I tried it a few times and felt horribly uncoordinated.

We told Coach Guttin stories and MSU stories and stories about being the dad of daughters.

Jason’s big dream for the rest of 2018 is to take a family trip. As soon as he said it, I thought of all the miles we put on the Bryan Family Millennium Falcon**, the amazing people we met, the incredible memories we made. I encouraged him wholeheartedly to go and have fun with his family.

“I have always respected the game and done my best to treat it and my teammates well. I think that if you respect the game, it will take care of you in the long run. Do the hard work and even if you don’t get what you’re shooting for, you can sleep well at night.”

Maybe The Sandlot should be next.

*******************************************

*Hey Brad Pitt. I’m ready for a game of catch anytime you are.

**We hit 190,000 on the odometer on the way to school this morning. We celebrated with high fives.

About the Author:

Ethan D. Bryan is convinced that good stories bring people together. His baseball stories have landed him an invitation to the White House, an invitation to speak at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and brief appearances in two documentaries.

Ethan lives in Springfield, Missouri, with his wife, Jamie, and daughters, Kaylea and Sophie. He still dreams of playing baseball for his beloved Kansas City Royals. His writing can be found at ethanbryan.com or on Twitter @Ethan_Bryan.

A Year of Playing Catch is available Sept. 8. Order from your favorite local bookstore or anywhere books are sold (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop).