PHOENIX -- In the last six months, Dodgers pitcher Josh Ravin has had sports hernia surgery. His brother was shot five times (and lived). Ravin reported to training camp with the flu and strep throat and lost 17 pounds. A week ago he had his left (non-throwing) arm fractured in an auto accident.
Now for some reason, he noticed when he made the rounds at Camelback Ranch-Glendale on Monday that teammates and staff were keeping their distance, as if he was surrounded by a force-field of bad karma.
"You just can't make this up," said Ravin, who hasn't had a lot to laugh about. "But it's kind of funny watching the reactions. I'm getting this vibe from everybody, like they don't really know how to act, like they're almost afraid of me."
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The fact that Ravin is still alive is reason enough for the reliever to be relieved. He was in a head-on collision as he tried to avoid rear-ending a car stopped in traffic, swerving into an oncoming car. He said the force of his car's deploying airbag caused the clean fracture of his forearm, the gruesome image having made the rounds on social media.
It took a 10-inch plate, 11 screws, two pins and 20 stitches to put the arm back together and he expects to be out three to four months. Had he swerved to the right and not the left, and the break had been to his right arm, he figures his career would be over.
"When it happened, I thought it was over anyway," he said. "I went into shock. I called my dad before I got out of the car. I thought I was done. And it was the most pain I've had in my life."
His arm is in a cast and the pins stabilizing his wrist are scheduled to be removed next week. He will do range of motion exercises with his throwing arm until cleared for cardio work, then get back on a rehab program in hopes of returning some time this year.
"I'm good," said Ravin, after all that has happened. "It could have been worse."