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Newcomer Lorenzo Cain completes meteoric rise

By Allsports.com.gh
Sports News Newcomer Lorenzo Cain completes meteoric rise
OCT 21, 2014 LISTEN

On Tuesday, Cain is entering a World Series campaign with the Kansas City Royals, fresh from claiming the American League Championship Series MVP award.

An athlete in his junior years, Cain - now 28 - admitted he was always a capable runner, but that was his only transferrable attribute when he first picked up a baseball glove in his Sophomore (second) year at Madison County High School in Florida.

"I had to work on everything, because I was starting from ground zero with everything," Cain said.

"The one thing I had, I could always run. I was always fast.

"But I had to learn to hit and throw correctly, and field.

"It was definitely tough. I never thought I would get drafted."

Cain lost his father at a young age, and said part of his reason behind shirking team sports in his late teen years was due to not overburdening his mother.

"My mum was working two jobs at the time, so I didn't want to put any extra pressure on her about getting me to practice, picking me up and all that stuff," Cain said.

"I just didn't worry about it."
Despite Cain's claim to being a capable runner, sprint coach Al Hobson - who has worked with the likes of professional sprinters Justin Gatlin and Maurice Green - said the right-hander's technique was muddled.

Cain saw Hobson in December, after Royals' coaches felt his running was affected by groin and hamstring injuries

"His strides were too long," Hobson said.
"He ran with his shoulders behind his hips."
Ten years ago, Cain could not hit, catch or throw. Less than a year ago, he could not run properly.

Starting Tuesday, he will be a big part of the Royals' bid to end a 29-year World Series drought, when they begin game one of their series against the San Francisco Giants.

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