July 3rd 2007

 

SAN DIEGO: Former Marlins first-round draft pick Jeff Allison is at the team's minor league complex at Jupiter and is poised for a return to professional baseball.

 

Allison, a right-hander out of Peabody, Mass., who the Marlins selected 16th overall in 2003, has been removed from the team's restricted list and placed on Class A Greensboro's temporary inactive list. He likely will resume his professional career with the Gulf Coast League Marlins.

 

Two seasons ago Allison overcame a heroin addiction and dependence on OxyContin long enough to make 17 starts for Greensboro. The following spring, Allison left minor league camp and has not pitched professionally since.

 

Initially signed to a $1.85 million bonus, Allison was arrested at Greensboro in October, charged with felony possession of heroin and possession of a stolen vehicle. He failed to appear at a preliminary Dec. 28 hearing.

 

In a June 4 article, Allison told the Boston Herald legal issues precluded him from commenting on his October arrest. He did say: "I was just in a bad spot. Things weren't going well and it's something I don't look at anymore. It's motivation for me not to go back to that point in my life."

 

The Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence, Mass. last month reported Allison returned home and was working at Extra Innings, a local baseball training center, giving pitching lessons to kids. That's quite a turnaround for Allison, who 10 months ago was found unconscious after a second heroin overdose.

 

"When I get the chance to go back down [to Florida], I think they will be surprised at how I look," Allison told The Eagle-Tribune, adding at the time he had been clean for six months. "I have to prove to them daily that I want to stay clean and live a normal life and be in the organization. I'll do everything I have to do and work as hard as I can ? whatever it takes at this point to keep me on the right path."

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins

 

Great to see he is trying to get his life together.

we'll see

woah intresting where are they now type of story

awesome to hear...i really hope he gets his life on track on first and then worry about baseball second though

we'll see

Yep, but its a step in the right direction.

He could very easily fall off the wagon.

I really hope there are people up in Jupiter who are keeping an eye out on him. Hopefully someone up there is leading him in the right direction. I know I am putting the cart before the horse but it says that he will likey start his career back with the GC Marlins. Could he start pitching sometime this year or next year? I am not sure how far off he is because the article doesnt mention this. Well, this all depends on if he stays out of trouble.

I really hope there are people up in Jupiter who are keeping an eye out on him. Hopefully someone up there is leading him in the right direction.

 

 

Yeah. You can't just be "cured" of heroin dependancy. If the Marlins aren't taking care of him, he can fall off again real quickly...

good to hear. hopefully he makes all the right decisions from now on.......

Hopefully he follows Josh Hamilton's lead and really makes a change in his life. I had already presumed his life over.

When I read "positive" and "Jeff Allison" in the same sentence I thought it was going to be about how he tested positive for drug use once again.

team should call josh hamilton to talk to him

How old is he now?

22ish

I hope he can get it together this time...

Maybe the Reds will take him in the rule 5 draft.

Allison isnt eligable.

The amazing thing is, he's still under 23. If he can regain even 3/4 of what he was meant to be, that's huge.

 

Great news.

Anyone have any idea how long it might be until Jeff sees some action with the GC Marlins?

he's still young so he has time to turn it all around. i heard he was one heck of a prospect. i hope he turns it around so we can see him up in the Big's one of these days.

Anyone have any idea how long it might be until Jeff sees some action with the GC Marlins?

totally depends what kind of shape he is in, and how much throwing he has been doing the passed few weeks

I give him three months.

Even if he just manages to have a minor league career for a few years, good for him. If they just use him as a reliever that might be helpful to keep him busy each day.

Allison isnt eligable.

It was a joke.

I hope he's able to stay in control of his problems...it'll take some help, obviously. Maybe seeing Hamilton in the major leagues gave him some inspiration that he can still turn things around.