Gallen5862
02-13-2006, 02:18 PM
http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060213/NEWS/60212028/1005/sports
Article published Feb 13, 2006
Lawhorn twins reunited in Sarasota
The Lawhorn twins – Darryl and Trevor – report together March 1 for spring training with the Cincinnati Reds.
The reunion of the former New Hanover High School standouts was made possible when injury-riddled Darryl signed a free agent contract last month following a private workout in Sarasota, Fla. – the Reds’ spring training site.
“It’s pretty weird,’’ he said of joining the same organization as Trevor, the Reds’ ninth round pick out of East Carolina in 2004.
Darryl, also selected in 2004 by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round from ECU, is yet to make his professional debut because of a twice surgically repaired broken right foot.
He originally injured the foot on a foul tip during a three-game series April 30 – May 2, 2004 against the University of Houston, but played through the pain until he fractured another bone while running out a ball June 5 in an NCAA Regional game.
After receiving medical clearance last January, Lawhorn and the Diamondbacks agreed to terms and he reported to Tucson for spring training, but re-broke bones in the same foot and Arizona released him.
This time, he sought Carolina Panthers’ team physician Robert Anderson, who performed surgery last May.
He medically cleared Lawhorn in early January.
“The first surgery, the way it was done, he said the screw was too big in my foot,’’ Lawhorn said. “So when I was running, it snapped the top of the bone. He had to go in there and take the screw out, shave the bone down and take bone out of my hip, put it in my foot and put two new screws in there.’’
East Carolina covered the medical expenses, Lawhorn said, because it was a pre-existing injury from college.
On Jan. 16, Lawhorn worked out for the Cleveland Indians at Brooks Field.
Hours later, he drove to Sarasota for a workout with the Reds.
The Indians wanted Lawhorn in camp for a second workout and asked him to sign an injury waiver.
He instead signed with Cincinnati as a second baseman – the same position as Trevor. They won’t compete for the same job or be assigned to the same squad. Trevor, a .252 hitter over 520 pro at bats, is expected to play for high Class A Sarasota, while Darryl, who batted .416, .332 and .298 in three seasons at East Carolina, thinks he’ll play for low A Dayton in a utility role, perhaps as a middle infielder-third baseman.
“I’ll be like a kid in a candy shop down there,’’ Darryl said of spring training camp.
In a sense, Darryl said the tryout was a formality.
“The Reds knew what I could do,’’ he said.
During the 2004 draft, the Reds phoned Darryl, telling him they planned to select him in the 11th round, but the Diamondbacks beat them to it.
The Lawhorns essentially have played together their entire lives. They were separated for one season as amateurs, when the right-handed hitting Trevor played for Barton College as a freshman before transferring to ECU.
“I told the Reds when I signed, ‘You are going to have to try and figure Trevor and me out,’’’ the left-handed hitting Darryl said. “All they have to do it put a bat in our hands and you can figure it out.’’
Chuck Carree: 343-2262 or chuck.carree@starnewsonline.com.
Article published Feb 13, 2006
Lawhorn twins reunited in Sarasota
The Lawhorn twins – Darryl and Trevor – report together March 1 for spring training with the Cincinnati Reds.
The reunion of the former New Hanover High School standouts was made possible when injury-riddled Darryl signed a free agent contract last month following a private workout in Sarasota, Fla. – the Reds’ spring training site.
“It’s pretty weird,’’ he said of joining the same organization as Trevor, the Reds’ ninth round pick out of East Carolina in 2004.
Darryl, also selected in 2004 by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round from ECU, is yet to make his professional debut because of a twice surgically repaired broken right foot.
He originally injured the foot on a foul tip during a three-game series April 30 – May 2, 2004 against the University of Houston, but played through the pain until he fractured another bone while running out a ball June 5 in an NCAA Regional game.
After receiving medical clearance last January, Lawhorn and the Diamondbacks agreed to terms and he reported to Tucson for spring training, but re-broke bones in the same foot and Arizona released him.
This time, he sought Carolina Panthers’ team physician Robert Anderson, who performed surgery last May.
He medically cleared Lawhorn in early January.
“The first surgery, the way it was done, he said the screw was too big in my foot,’’ Lawhorn said. “So when I was running, it snapped the top of the bone. He had to go in there and take the screw out, shave the bone down and take bone out of my hip, put it in my foot and put two new screws in there.’’
East Carolina covered the medical expenses, Lawhorn said, because it was a pre-existing injury from college.
On Jan. 16, Lawhorn worked out for the Cleveland Indians at Brooks Field.
Hours later, he drove to Sarasota for a workout with the Reds.
The Indians wanted Lawhorn in camp for a second workout and asked him to sign an injury waiver.
He instead signed with Cincinnati as a second baseman – the same position as Trevor. They won’t compete for the same job or be assigned to the same squad. Trevor, a .252 hitter over 520 pro at bats, is expected to play for high Class A Sarasota, while Darryl, who batted .416, .332 and .298 in three seasons at East Carolina, thinks he’ll play for low A Dayton in a utility role, perhaps as a middle infielder-third baseman.
“I’ll be like a kid in a candy shop down there,’’ Darryl said of spring training camp.
In a sense, Darryl said the tryout was a formality.
“The Reds knew what I could do,’’ he said.
During the 2004 draft, the Reds phoned Darryl, telling him they planned to select him in the 11th round, but the Diamondbacks beat them to it.
The Lawhorns essentially have played together their entire lives. They were separated for one season as amateurs, when the right-handed hitting Trevor played for Barton College as a freshman before transferring to ECU.
“I told the Reds when I signed, ‘You are going to have to try and figure Trevor and me out,’’’ the left-handed hitting Darryl said. “All they have to do it put a bat in our hands and you can figure it out.’’
Chuck Carree: 343-2262 or chuck.carree@starnewsonline.com.