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Hochevar whiffs batters, walks with God Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008 By Lee Warren |
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In his initial teleconference with the media, he spoke about praying on the day of the draft and he told them that God had a plan for him and the way things worked out for him to come to Kansas City. The Los Angeles Dodgers originally drafted Hochevar in 2005 out of Tennessee, where the first team All-American posted an impressive 25-10 record and a 3.05 ERA in 51 career appearances, but after the Dodgers and Hochevar’s agent were unable to negotiate a contract, Hochevar spent the remainder of 2005 pitching in an independent league with the intention of keeping sharp for the 2006 draft. The Royals chose him and then signed him. Hochevar spent all of 2006 and most of 2007 in the Royals’ minor league system and he opened the 2008 season in Triple-A Omaha. By late April, after going 1-1 in three starts with a 2.60 ERA in Omaha, the Royals were convinced that Hochevar deserved a shot at the big leagues, so they called him up and he has been part of the starting rotation ever since. Two years after being selected by the Royals, Hochevar is just as open about his faith as he was when the Royals originally signed him. “It’s really our purpose to spread the Word and open the truth to others,” Hochevar said. “That’s why I’m on this earth. So, really I feel no shame. The trust I have in Him is really why I’m here.” The 24-year-old, who is known for a strong work ethic, sometimes leaning toward perfectionism, speaks with gentle conviction — almost as if his relationship with God has been settled for many, many years. But that’s not the case. Hochevar grew up in a Christian household and he went to church often, but says that he didn’t really understand what it meant to walk with God every day or even to experience the peace of knowing that he would spend eternity in heaven. During his sophomore year at Tennessee, he was hit in the head with a ball during batting practice and he ended up in neurological ICU for a week. The blow could have been fatal, but God used it to catch his attention. He was able to come back and finish the season and afterward was chosen to play for Team USA at the World University Championship. He had a conversation with the chaplain of the team, telling him about his brush with death, and the chaplain asked him a question that jolted and then changed Hochevar. “He hit me with the question, ‘If you would have died, would you have gone to heaven?’” Hochevar said. “I didn’t have that 100 percent feeling that I was going to heaven and it scared me to death. He just walked away and let me chew on that. That’s pretty big to chew on.” While he knew that his salvation had nothing to do with his performance, he also knew that his lack of commitment to God meant that his heart wasn’t right. “I broke down in tears, and really, from that time on, I made a commitment to myself and to God that every day I was going to walk with him,” Hochevar said. Hochevar and his wife Ashley, who reside in Knoxville, Tenn., work through a daily devotional and he says they try to stay “locked into the Word.” He also places a high priority on studying the Bible and spending time with God on his own. “My alone time — when I’m able to get away and pray on my own and have that personal time with God is very key,” Hochevar said. “You have to have it every day. I feel as a Christian it’s very important and that’s how I find my peace and that’s where I find my rest.” Now that Hochevar has signed a big league contract, he wants to make sure he’s doing the right things with his money. During spring training, he read a book called “Money, Possessions, and Eternity” by Randy Alcorn and it challenged him. “Doing the right things financially has been a big key for me lately,” Hochevar said. “I’m really praying about financial decisions — obviously tithing, but doing what God wants me to do with what he has blessed me with. That’s been something that has been weighing on me quite a bit.” With such a deep concern for honoring God in all that he does and for giving God all the credit for his circumstances, Hochevar is giving evidence that he is well on his way to honoring his commitment to walk with God on a daily basis. --30--
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