Garrison returns to Trenton

Six days after making his Major-League debut at Yankee Stadium, Steve Garrison began his quest to return.

The Hun School graduate spent 10 days with the New York Yankees living the Major-league dream. He appeared in one game, recording the final two outs in a lopsided July 25 win over the Seattle Mariners.

"It was awesome being up there," Garrison said. "It was a lot of fun. Being around it during the season and seeing how things work was really cool. I learned a lot."

On Sunday, Garrison stood by his old/new corner locker at Waterfront Park in Trenton, re-adjusting to being a member of a Double-A pitching rotation. He worked the first three innings of a 5-0 loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, allowing three runs on five hits to fall to fall to 3-7 with an ERA of 6.43 with Trenton.

Garrison, 24, largely watched with the Yankees. He studied when Mariano Rivera began to get loose. He noted how David Robertson pumped his fastball during warm-ups.

He listened to conversations, laughed at practical jokes and absorbed information. He spent time in Tropicana Field in Tampa, and stood on the mound at the cathedral in the Bronx.

For 10 days, he enjoyed the chartered plane, first-class spreads and his prorated portion of a major-league salary. It was worth it.

"How many kids [on the Trenton Thunder] can say they've been to the big leagues?" Trenton manager Tony Franklin said.

"You feel good about yourself when you come back, and you say to yourself, 'I want more of that' because you'd like to stay."

Only Kei Igawa, Warner Madrigal and Thunder pitching coach Tommy Phelps have played in the bigs. Franklin never made it as a player, but had brief stints as part of a coaching staff.

The goal for Garrison is to get back to the big leagues on his own merit, rather than luck. The only way to accomplish that is to improve.

"Going up there, I knew what was going on, so I wasn't expecting too much," Garrison said. "It was exciting to see how good everyone is at level," Garrison said. "It takes so much to get there. Hopefully, I can get another chance."

In the meantime, Garrison pitches close to home, in front of many of his friends and mentors.

"He was so much better than the other kids," said Mike Olshin, Garrison's coach at Fisher Middle School in Ewing. "The thing I'm most proud of with Steve is that he's the same respectful person. It's like you're watching the same kid, except he's wearing a Yankees uniform instead of one from a local middle school."