Two years ago, Ed Vosberg pitched at the tender age of 45 in Mexico.
He's taken the mound in a couple exhibition games with the Tucson Toros. That begs the question: Would Vosberg, the former Salpointe Catholic High School and Arizona Wildcat star, pitch competitively again?
Vosberg, now 47, said a knee injury would prevent a comeback in the near future. For now, he'll remain solely the Toros pitching coach.
"Sometimes, I feel like I'm done and I want to be done," said the Tucson native, who pitched 10 seasons in the majors. "Other times, I'd like to get out there.
"For the most part, I've realized my day has come and gone, but it's hard to let go when you still feel like you've got something left."
Vosberg shared his goals as a coach, how Tucson has embraced the Toros and how their pitching has improved. The team's ERA has dropped from 6.08 to 5.26 in three weeks.
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Q: What are your thoughts on the Golden Baseball League?
A: I've been impressed. The quality of play is better than I thought it would be.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge?
A: Not being able to go out there and do it for them sometimes. It's frustrating to see them make sometimes silly mistakes. That's the way it is. Sometimes you're surprised. Sometimes you're disappointed.
Q: Have you enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere?
A: It's been fun. I don't miss the political bureaucracy of organized ball and the politics. I like the fact (that) if a guy doesn't produce he might not have a job. You've got pressure on you every day, so that helps the guys to stay focused.
Q: How surprised would you be if you were to pitch again?
A: I've got a bad knee, but I'm going to get it fixed in the off-season. I have a slight tear in my ACL from skiing a couple months ago, so it still hurts me to do certain things. I don't think I can pitch right now. I'm going to get it fixed because I want to be able to ski and do stuff. I've been trying to run to keep myself in shape, and it's hard to do that.
Q: What's your ultimate goal?
A: I think someday I want to manage. I think I've realized it's possible. I think it's a matter of getting an opportunity. I like being home.
Q: Would you want to manage affiliated baseball?
A: Or independent ball. I don't really want to go anywhere and manage anywhere else. I like Tucson, and this is where I want to be.
Q: Is the pitching getting better?
A: There's no doubt our bullpen has been better. That's one of the reasons why we've been winning. More aggressive, we're throwing more strikes, challenging people more, and that's how you win.
Q: What are your thoughts on baseball in Tucson and teams leaving?
A: I'm pleasantly surprised with the way it's worked with this team. It's sad teams are leaving for spring training, but as long as we can have some baseball here. … We have a good base of loyal fans. We've been getting good crowds.
We go to Yuma and see they're drawing 100 people. It's sad. I know, who wants to go to a game when it's that hot? The fans here have been great. I hope we can win and bring some more people in.
Today
• Who: Calgary at Toros
• Where: Hi Corbett Field
• When: 7 p.m.
• Radio: 1450-AM
