Miami Marlins' Logan Morrison's offseason work focuses on rehab, charity
Nov 04, 2012 (Menafn - The Miami Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Logan Morrison's first order of business this baseball offseason: getting healthy following season-ending knee surgery in September.
His second? Helping others do the same through his "LoMo: Camp for a Cure" charity event to raise money for the American Lung Association.
"I heard a pretty good quote the other day," Morrison said. "You race the course not to beat the competition. In regards to finding cures for cancer, you're not trying to beat somebody else to a cure. Seeing the smiles on kids' faces and prolonging a life, that's the most rewarding thing about it."
Morrison became involved with the American Lung Association in honor of his father, a nonsmoker who died of lung cancer in 2010.
Because of his extensive charity work, Morrison is one of 10 nominees for the Hutch Award, which is given to the major-league player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of baseball legend Fred Hutchinson. Morrison also is the Marlins' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes sportsmanship and community involvement.
The third annual Camp for a Cure baseball academy will be held Jan. 12 and 13 at the ELEV8 Sports Institute in Delray Beach. Morrison said the event has grown from about 30 participants the first year to 55 the second.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to get more people," Morrison said, adding that the event raised 60,000 last year.
Morrison is coming off a season in which he was limited to only 93 games because of knee problems that have plagued him the past two seasons. He underwent surgery on the same knee last Dec. 5 but struggled with it throughout spring training and the regular season.
"It already feels better than last year," said Morrison, who is working out in Scottsdale, Ariz., this offseason. "I feel a lot less rushed."
Morrison said he has been riding a stationary bike and walking on a treadmill. By January, he said he should be good to go with offering baseball expertise to Camp for a Cure participants.
More information: www.lomo4lungs.org.
--The Marlins on Saturday signed journeyman third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and former Reds right-hander Jordan Smith to minor-league contracts, with invitations to spring training. Kouzmanoff, 31, was out of the majors last season after hitting .235, with seven homers and 33 RBI for Oakland and Colorado in 2011. Smith, 26, who pitched for Triple A Louisville last season, is 3-2 with a 4.94 ERA in 54 big-league appearances.
Miami Herald sportswriter Barry Jackson contributed to this report.
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