Broken nose or not, Vahalik wants to play

There is no doubt that catcher Jim Vahalik is one of the leaders of the Wild Things, both on the field and in the clubhouse. He's a two-year pro, now a two-time all-star game selection and a player whose professionalism is praised by Wild Things manager Bart Zeller at every opportunity.

Now, there is no questioning Vahalik's toughness.

Vahalik suffered a broken nose during the Wild Things' game at Evansville last Saturday. It happened when he moved up the third-base line to catch a throw from the outfield, just as Evansville baserunner J.R. Higley, who was racing to home plate to score a run, went past Vahalik and hit him with a forearm directly in the face.

Snap, crackle, pop.

Vahalik, who wasn't wearing his catcher's mask at the time of impact, said he doesn't know if he was hit with a cheap shot or had simply veered into the path of the runner.

It didn't matter which it was. The pain doesn't go away simply because an injury is the result of a clean play.

"I knew it was broken right away. I heard and felt it break, then the blood followed," Vahalik recalled.

While such an injury would cause many players to go on the disabled list, all Vahalik did was miss a few innings Saturday while getting treatment on his nose. The next day, Vahalik didn't start but did pinch-hit. The Westerville, Ohio, native and University of Toledo product was back behind home plate in Washington's next game.

"This is nothing new. I've had my nose broken four or five times," said Vahalik, who still sports some black marks near the nose and under an eye because of the most recent injury.

"I saw a doctor (Wednesday) and he wanted me to have surgery on the nose right away. I told him it will have to wait until after the season. My teammates have been telling me that wasn't that good looking anyway and that I can't get any uglier if I wait to have the surgery."

Vahalik's refusal to miss games and ability to play through the discomfort both in his nose and sinus goes back to what Zeller has mentioned many times about his catcher. The guy is the ultimate competitor. He wants to play every pitch of every game, and he approaches each as if it's Game 7 of the World Series.

And now, Vahalik is Washington's indestructible man. It will take more than a broken nose to keep him out of the lineup.

"I wish I had an entire team of Jim Vahalik's," Zeller said recently. "He never takes a play off. He's a battler."

Said Vahalik, "I just like the game so much that I want to play every day. I guess you could call me a control freak.

"I feel like every day that I'm out there, I can control part of the game and help us win, based upon what I know about the hitters in this league. I feel like when I'm not out there, then I'm letting my teammates down."

Vahalik has been playing some of his best baseball during the last three weeks. Since June 21, Vahalik is 15-for-43 (.349) and had a four-hit game with a home run only one night before suffering the broken nose. The surge has pushed his batting average to .260. Defensively, Vahalik has thrown out 26 percent of potential basestealers, including gunning down Lake Erie's Craig Hertler at third base for the second out of the first inning in the Wild Things' 3-1 win Thursday.

Vahalik's improved play is one reason he was a manager's addition to the Frontier League All-Star game that will be played Wednesday at Consol Energy Park. He will be one of four Wild Things in the game, joining second baseman C.J. Beatty, outfielder Stewart Ijames and third baseman Jovan Rosa. Beatty and Ijames will be in the starting lineup for the East Division. Like Vahalik, Rosa was one of five manager's additions to the East team that were announced Thursday.

Vahalik was batting .261 last year when he was named to the all-star game while playing for the London Rippers. He was traded to Washington about two weeks later, less than an hour before the Rippers franchise ceased operations.

"I'm honored and thankful for the coach's decision to be chosen for the all-star game," Vahalik said. "I definitely could have used three days off, but to be able to represent the Washington Wild Things in the all-star game is an honor."