DREW ELLIS also have a first baseman . Paul Goldschmidt hit . 297 last year , with 36 home runs and 120 RBIs . He was third in the National League ’ s Most Valuable Player voting .
Still , Ellis knows major league rosters are fluid . Free agency makes everything unpredictable . Who knows where Lamb or Goldschmidt will be in two years ?
More important , Ellis knows he can only worry about Ellis . The rest will follow . “ They haven ’ t talked to me much yet about where I ’ ll be ,” he said . “ Wherever I play , my expectation is to play as well as I can play . They ’ ll put me where they put me . I ’ ve just got to do what I ’ ve always done , by preparing the way I prepare . Do the little things I need to do , to make sure I ’ m on top of my game .”
There ’ s a level-headedness there about an outcome Ellis can ’ t control except to prepare for the best so he can expect the best . Partly , that ’ s a work ethic first drilled into him by his high school coach , Derek Ellis , who also happens to be his father .
And partly , it ’ s the result of a faith he acquired while in high school , when he was baptized by his friend , “ one of best decisions of my life , to follow Jesus .”
He said he struggled a little bit as a high school freshman , as so many freshmen do , not knowing which crowd to follow . But since his baptism , he said , “ I know who my Lord and Savior is . And life is easier when you have someone to rely on . When times are hard or going well , through ups and downs and struggles , it ’ s been good for me to rely on my faith to get through those .”
He said he ’ s seen teammates make some choices he wouldn ’ t have made , “ not necessarily because they ’ re bad people but because they haven ’ t had a faith to help them out .”
There will be ups and downs in Ellis ’ baseball career , just because there are ups and downs in that life for everybody . He seems well-equipped to handle both .
And it ’ s not just because he can hit the fastball .
It ’ s Your Life ... Live it in Health !
25TH ANNUAL THROO THE ZOO 5K RUN / WALK
Presented by Norton Audubon Hospital May 12 , 2018 , 8 - 10 am
Chiropractic Care Nutritional Counseling Corrective Exercises Spinal & Postural Screenings Lifestyle Advice Physiotherapy
WELLNESS CARE FOR ALL AGES Adults | Children | Newborns
RASMUSSEN
CHIROPRACTIC LLC Since 1985
Join us for this unique 5K road race that goes “ Throo ” the Zoo . Watch the Zoo wake up while supporting important conservation education programs . Dress in your favorite animal costume to win fun prizes . Can ’ t make the race ? Check out the new Virtual 5K option .
Register at LouisvilleZoo . org / run
2652 Charlestown Road , New Albany , IN 47150 812.949.2273 | www . rasmussenchiro . com
APRIL / MAY 2018 : EXTOL 43