Road of uncertainty

Lane Adams went from Trenton, New Jersey, to Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, back to Trenton, then Knoxville, Tennessee, and Des Moines, Iowa. All in a span of four months in 2016.

The Oklahoma native considered retiring and taking a job back home as a basketball coach because all he had to show for eight years in the minor leagues were three major-league at-bats two seasons earlier with the Kansas City Royals.

Another major-league organization called, and Adams dove back in.

He’s been with the Cubs and Braves twice since then, and now is a Phillies minor leaguer.

“It’s difficult,” Adams said. “You can’t control any of it. You try not to be too resentful. You can’t take it too personally.

“Sometimes, it’s best to take it personally, play with an edge, a chip on your shoulder. It keeps you chugging along.”

These six journeymen with a combined 75 years of professional baseball experience are in their first seasons in the Phillies organization. They know that without warning they can be promoted, demoted, traded, designated for assignment or released.

They once were the youngest guys in the clubhouse. Romine followed veteran infielder Maicer Izturis around the Angels clubhouse and took parts of his preparation and called them his own.

They now are being studied in Lehigh Valley by the likes of Triple-A newcomers Deivy Grullon, Jean Hernandez and Malquin Canelo.

What the first-year IronPigs have learned from these six veterans is that there are no shortcuts to the majors.

And, should you fulfill that dream, there are no guarantees that you stay here long enough to enjoy it.

Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.