WINNIPEG — You can’t tell by the way he pitches. But Edwin Carl lives in pain.
“A lot of frustration, a lot of screaming,” said the Winnipeg Goldeyes pitcher. “There’s many times where I ruled out baseball completely.”
Carl has reactive inflammatory arthritis. The American was diagnosed when he was just 25 years old.
“I have better days than others,” said Carl. “For the most part, I manage it pretty well.”
Symptoms first surfaced in 2014 when Carl was trying out for the LA Dodgers. Both of his knees and feet swelled. Within two weeks, he couldn’t move.
“I had to have guys help me put clothes on in the locker room,” said Carl. They had to help me get in and out of the shower. Pretty much do everything for me.”
Arthritis eventually forced Carl to take a break from baseball. But he never called it quits.
“He wants to play baseball and to me he’s doing whatever it takes to continue on,” said Goldeyes field manager Rick Forney.
After a year away, Carl caught on with the Goldeyes. He started seven games last season, throwing two complete. Carl then spent the winter in Australia, chucking an additional 90 innings.
“I don’t know if I would be any better if it wouldn’t have happened but I’m happy with how things are going now,” said Carl.