Ainsworth Has Degree, Now Wants Spot in Rotation

Kurt Ainsworth fulfilled a promise to his family by getting his college diploma in the offseason. (Luis M. Alvarez -- AP)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Feb. 27 -- Ollie Ainsworth's father worked 12-hour days in the fields of rural Mississippi, gathering materials that would be turned into cattle feed, margarine and cooking oils. The days were tedious, and Ollie quickly learned he did not want to follow his father's path. Encouraged by a father who had attended school only until the fourth grade, he studied sciences in school and earned a scholarship to study chemistry at the University of Southern Mississippi. After graduating, he spent the next 31 1/2 years working as a chemist.

Ollie made a promise to himself that his children always would place education above anything else. But his son, Kurt, had been born blessed with a right arm that could throw a baseball at uncommon speeds.

The sports agents began to call shortly after Kurt Ainsworth entered his red-shirt sophomore year at Louisiana State University. At that time he was considered a prime major league prospect. At the end of that baseball year, the Ainsworth family gathered around a computer to listen to the baseball amateur draft. The pitcher was drafted in the first round of the 1999 draft by the San Francisco Giants. The family conferred, and after much discussion, Kurt Ainsworth was allowed to drop out of school to begin a career as a professional baseball player. But a promise was made by the new millionaire. One day he would finish school.

Kurt Ainsworth, 26, begins the 2005 season as a college graduate hoping to earn his way back into the Baltimore Orioles' rotation. Last season he had been thrust into the starting rotation but quickly faltered, finishing with an 0-1 record and a 9.68 ERA in seven starts. Ainsworth had been the principle player received when the Orioles traded Sidney Ponson to the Giants in 2003. But he had squandered his opportunity.

After being sent down, he made several starts in the minors before having arthroscopic surgery on his elbow in June. The Orioles shut him down in August for the remainder of the season.

"It got to be a long year and a long offseason," he said. "I was pretty bad. I don't like making excuses for anything."

This spring, Ainsworth is considered a long shot to make the Orioles' rotation. Others such as Erik Bedard, Matt Riley and Daniel Cabrera have passed him. He will pitch in the team's intrasquad game on Tuesday hoping to regain his status as a prospect.

"If they're counting on me or not, I'm going to come in and pitch and will make their decision tough," he said. "I know I'm going to have to bump somebody out at this point."

Instead of sitting at home lamenting about his lost season, Kurt Ainsworth decided to finish school. He was only a few credits from graduation because he had taken classes during breaks from baseball. The injury allowed him to be at school full time. He signed up for a finance class that was considered one of the most difficult in the business program. Upon completion of that class, he would finally have his degree.

Kurt Ainsworth arrived on the first day of class of the fall semester at LSU and saw he was surrounded by students that were much younger -- though he quickly clarifies he wasn't the oldest. Immediately he became one of the best students in class.

"I was the guy that was the curve buster," he joked. "All I had to focus on was school this offseason."

Hardly any of the students knew who he was. To them Kurt Ainsworth, millionaire major league pitcher, was just another person in the class.

"They didn't make a big deal out of it," he said.

He easily finished the class. Ollie Ainsworth sat next to wife Sandy and his son's wife, Angie, and daughter, Kaylyn Nicole, for the graduation ceremony in December. The major league pitcher dressed in cap and gown walked anonymously alongside the other graduates and received a degree.

"When he signed early he promised he would do that," Ollie Ainsworth said. "He kept his word."

Ollie Ainsworth was so intent on having his son graduate that two offseasons ago he sat in class and took notes while Kurt finished a season in the minors. Now the promise was fulfilled.

"At some point baseball is going to be behind him," Ollie Ainsworth said. "We want him to get a job after baseball. Without a college degree it would be difficult. Hopefully he'll have a long career in baseball."