Cody Ponce (31·Toronto Blue Jays), who suffered a season-ending injury in his return to the major leagues after five years, has regained his trademark bright smile. Even in a desperate situation, he has volunteered to be a "cheerleader" with a positive mindset and is looking ahead to next season.
On the 18th (Korea time) Ponce underwent reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee in Los Angeles and began six months of rehabilitation; he made a surprise appearance with the Toronto team during their April 21-23 road trip to the Los Angeles Angels. Even wearing a brace that wrapped his entire knee, he came to the ballpark to cheer on his teammates. The Toronto club also posted photos on social media of Ponce smiling brightly while making a V sign with his fingers.
On the 22nd, Canadian outlet Sportsnet reported that Ponce is rehabbing at the Toronto club's development facility in Dunedin, Florida, and will periodically visit Toronto to coincide with home game schedules. Although he cannot throw, he plans to build bonds by cheering his teammates and prepare for next season by analyzing opposing hitters in person.
Ponce said, "Literally day by day, one step at a time," and said he is trying not to lose his gratitude and joy. Ponce, who suffered the pain of losing his mother to brain cancer in December 2017, said, "I've already experienced hell. This situation now is not real hell to me. It's just passing through the flames for a bit."
He added, "I can't be in a mentally bad place. I've already been through the worst and I have to keep moving forward. I'm looking for ways not only to contribute to the team but also to learn. I'm going to request every scouting report this year and study them carefully. If I can identify major league hitters I haven't seen in a long time, I'll be better prepared with more knowledge when I take the mound again next year."
Last year, Ponce won the pitching quadruple crown and the MVP with the KBO League's Hanwha Eagles as a foreign pitcher, then signed a three-year, $30 million contract with Toronto, successfully returning to the major leagues after five years. However, in his season debut on the 31st of last month against the Colorado Rockies, he left after 2 1/3 innings with one hit allowed, one walk, three strikeouts and one run, suffering a season-ending injury. He collapsed after his knee buckled while chasing a slow ground ball in the third inning.
At that moment Ponce heard a "pop" from his knee and sensed a serious injury. A few hours later, an MRI confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament tear. That night, during a meeting with Toronto manager John Schneider, Ponce said he recalled the three words his father always emphasized: adapt, compensate, overcome.
Ponce said, "In the first hour or two I thought, 'Okay, this happened, but let's shake it off and move forward.' If the ligament is torn, it's torn and that's it. Then I thought about what I can do now, and decided to support my teammates as a member of the team. I'll overcome this situation I'm going through and recover as much health as possible so I can return."
He kept his mental composure even in a desperate situation. He said calmly, "I can't view this situation only negatively. Someone sent me an old Chinese farmer's proverb, 'it could be.' You don't know what will happen until the final result comes out. Maybe this injury was something that needed to happen, and maybe this is where I need to be. This year I might have to be the biggest cheerleader I can be."
Ponce, who said he was sending encouraging texts to his teammates while waiting for last week's surgery, said, "One of the things I do most is bring smiles, joy and laughter. I always look at outfielder Miles Straw and laugh. Just seeing how he looks makes me laugh. Today I told him, 'When you run around first base you look like a little lizard running on water.' He's my friend, and I want to have this kind of joy. I'll do whatever it takes to keep talking, laughing and listening to what everyone goes through to maintain relationships."
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