Ketchner Day

Ryan Ketchner ('02) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx today. The Jackson Sun has a couple of features on the lefty this morning.

Jaxx's Ketchner overcome deafness to become All-Star pitcher

The Leonard Lancers were two-time county champions. In the 11th grade, Ketchner threw a no-hitter. He was 16. He turned down a scholarship to what is now St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Fla., instead entering the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the 296th pick, drafted by the Mariners in the 10th round. Ketchner watched his selection happen on line. He was the only one home at the time. When the Seattle officials called to tell Ketchner he was a Mariner, he couldn't answer the phone.

"I was so happy," he said. "I screamed and celebrated by myself at home. It was definitely one of the happiest moments of my life."

But the elation soon turned to trauma when Ketchner arrived at the Mariners' rookie camp in Peoria, Ariz. Mercilessly taunted by a teammate, Ketchner nearly walked away from baseball.

Ketchners' relationship took patience, help

When it came to the women working in the front offices of the Jacksonville Suns, fraternizing with the team's Double-A baseball players was contractually forbidden.

But a month after meeting pitcher Ryan Ketchner in May 2004 at the St. Augustine (Fla.) School for the Deaf and Blind, Tana Stavinoha decided dating Ryan was worth risking her career. But not without extreme caution.