Lawrence appreciates bumpy road to debut

A couple of years ago Justin Lawrence, then just a Minor League player in the Rockies organization, wanted to throw a bullpen session on an off-day. It was raining, so he did what most 20-somethings would do -- he googled training facilities near him. He found the Rip City Baseball facility in Florida, hoping he could throw there from time to time and maybe teach some lessons.

When Lawrence got the news that he would not be joining the Rockies for the 2020 season due to an 80-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy, he returned to that facility and decided to coach an under-18 baseball team.

“I wouldn't wish what I had to go through on my worst enemy,” said Lawrence, now 26. “... I wish I could have been out there at the alternate site last year with all those guys, and have that camaraderie of being at Coors, for that short season.

“But, you know, if that suspension wouldn't have happened I would have missed out on an opportunity. I learned so much from coaching those kids and some of the relationships that I made with those guys have 100 percent impacted where I'm at today.”

Last summer, Lawrence tried to maintain as close to game speed as possible while training, hoping that his big league dream would soon come to fruition.

The right-hander asked the members of his team if they were willing to step into the box and let him throw some pitches. Yes, those 15- to 18-year-olds were lining up to face his sidearm, 100 mph pitches.

“They loved that,” said Lawrence. “Those kids, they wanted to get on the plate in the batter's box. Someone would foul a ball off and they'd start going crazy. It was fun.”

About 30 minutes before Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the D-backs, Lawrence was called into manager Bud Black’s office.

“I think the best [meetings] you can ever have is when you tell a guy that he's active and he is a Major League player on that day at that moment,” said Black. “Whoa, that was emotional. He shed tears along with them. I got choked up with that. And I'm sure [pitching coach] Steve [Foster] and [bullpen coach] Darryl [Scott] did, too. You know, it's a great feeling.”

Lawrence was welcomed to The Show in the bottom of the eighth inning. He took a few extra seconds after the bullpen gate was opened to take everything in.

Ten of the 16 pitches he threw were over 99 mph, including a 101.2 mph sinker, the hardest ball Lawrence can ever recall throwing.

“That first hitter, I didn't want to feel like I was trying to do too much and throw it as hard as I could,” said Lawrence on facing Asdrúbal Cabrera. “After that first pitch, I turned around and saw the 100 [on the video board] I was like, ‘OK, that was fine,’ adrenaline definitely kicking in a little bit.”

Lawrence’s parents and wife were going to be in the crowd for Friday’s game, hoping to see Lawrence toss his second Major in the crowd for Friday’s game, hoping to see Lawrence toss his second Major League strikeout. Though they were unable to see it in person, a piece of the first will be sent to his parents.

“I don't currently have it yet,” Lawrence said of the ball from his first strikeout. “But I'll hold on to it ... give it to my parents. Obviously, they're the biggest reason why I'm here in the first place.”