Rigdon starts over with Indians

NILES -- Paul Rigdon has tasted the sweet life of the big leagues. Now, he's craving to get back.
In a way, he's starting all over again.
The 27-year-old Rigdon finds himself in the same league (New York-Penn), with the same manager (Ted Kubiak), and the same high hopes of the 1996 season, when he began his professional baseball career at Class-A Watertown (N.Y.).
Mahoning Valley replaced Watertown as the Cleveland Indians' short-season affiliate in 1999.
"It's kind of neat to see some of the guys going through the things I went through in '96," said Rigdon, a 6-foot-5 right-hander.
Rehab assignment
Rigdon is getting a fresh start in the game following shoulder surgery last summer, and he's doing so with the Scrappers.
Because he's pitching for the first time in a year, Rigdon considers Mahoning Valley as his spring training site.
"Each time I go out, I'm making a little bit better strides," Rigdon said. "I'm getting close to where I want to be, but I'm a couple of starts from it."
Not long after Rigdon was drafted in the sixth round by the Indians, he blew out his elbow, forcing him to miss all of the 1997 season following surgery.
He came back strong.
"Sometimes you can go in and have surgery and come back better than you were before," Rigdon said. "It's definitely to the point now where guys can come out of surgery and can come back and have a successful career."
Telling numbers
In 1998, Rigdon was 11-7 at Class-A Kinston and, the following season, was nearly unhittable at Double-A Akron, going 7-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 50 innings.
That earned him a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo and then to Cleveland, where he made his major league debut in 2000.
Rigdon made four starts for the Indians before he was traded with Richie Sexson to the Milwaukee Brewers, who inserted the pitcher into their starting rotation.
He has made 31 starts in the major leagues, but none since the 2001 season, when he went 3-5 with a 5.79 ERA in 15 starts for the Brewers.
"The goal is to get back to the big leagues," Rigdon said. "Once I'm deemed healthy, I'll start climbing the ladder again and do what I can to get back."
The Indians gave Rigdon that opportunity when they signed him as a free agent in February. He made his third start for the Scrappers on Thursday night.
"I want to go out and be able to be consistent with all of my pitches," he said. "I'm not really worried about results right now. Some of the most important stuff for me is being able to walk off the field healthy."
Slowed by injuries
Injuries have been Rigdon's biggest obstacle as a professional. He's endured two elbow surgeries (one for nerve damage in 2001) and his most recent shoulder surgery.
"When I go out there, I have to keep throwing and not really worry about what's going to happen," he said. "If you get hurt, you get hurt. It's a fact of life. It's always a possibility, and it seems to be the way that my career is going -- with injuries."
Because of his vast experience, on the field and with his rehab assignments, Rigdon's presence is a valuable asset in the Scrappers' clubhouse.
"I just try to help these guys as much as I can," Rigdon said. "Basically, I'm here to encourage them and let them know that it gets better from here."
Rigdon speaks from experience, having stepped atop a big-league mound, peered in for the sign and delivered the pitch.
If you're Paul Rigdon, it does get better from here. You already know that. It's just a matter of proving that to yourself one more time.
XBrian Richesson is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at richesson@vindy.com.