switching gears

Stephen Head’s new career path has taken a positive turn. The former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss standout, who flamed out as a hitter in the Cleveland organization, is now a pitcher in the Colorado system. And he’s made it to the Class A level. The 27-year-old left-hander worked a 1-2-3 inning in his South Atlantic League debut on Wednesday. He had pitched six innings (one hit, one run, four walks, seven strikeouts) at the advanced rookie level prior to his promotion. Head was a good pitcher at Ole Miss, posting a 2.25 ERA over 210 innings. But the Indians drafted him in the second round in 2005 as a power-hitting first baseman. Head advanced steadily in the Cleveland system, reaching Triple-A in 2009. He hit .246 with six homers that year, not the kind of production the Indians were seeking. He was released. He tried independent ball in 2010 and produced good numbers. But, as is often the case, that was a dead end. So he switched gears. Convinced he could still pitch, Head managed to get a tryout this past spring with the Rockies, the organization that employs his good friend Seth Smith as its big league right fielder. The Rockies signed Head. He’s a long way from the big leagues, but he’s getting a second chance. And he’s making progress.