Kernels’ Real feels blessed for 2nd chance in baseball

CEDAR RAPIDS – Alex Real has 'Psalm 23:4” tattooed on his left pectoral muscle. It's a bible verse that has special meaning to him.

'It says ‘Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil,'” the Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher said. 'It was something I got back in college when I was going through some tough times.”

The 22-year-old from the University of New Mexico needed the inspiration provided by that verse again this season. He was suspended by Major League Baseball for the first 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

That drug was methylhexaneamine, a stimulant, that he thinks got into his system via an allergy medication he took.

'I feel like it has built a lot of character in me,” Real said, after his team dropped an 8-1 decision Tuesday afternoon to Beloit before 3,734 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium. 'I'm just really grateful that the Twins still believed in me. They could have released me then and there, but they gave me another chance. So I'm just trying to prove my worth. There were a lot of nights where I was praying. It was tough.

'Felt just really embarrassed by it all, some shame. Now I feel like I'm blessed. I'm playing again. I don't take as much stuff for granted.”

Real served his suspension and was sent to Cedar Rapids from extended spring training May 31. He has provided a quality bat in the 28 games he has played here, taking a .303 batting average into Tuesday's game.

This was only his seventh game behind the plate, with the rest served as designated hitter.

'Man, just coming from extended spring training, where it's hot and you are playing in the mornings … you are just really excited and humbled,” he said. 'I remember my first game, there was something like 4,000 fans, and I was like ‘Holy cow.' Everybody here is great. We've got pretty good chemistry on this team.

'I'm just excited, trying to work hard and earn my place here. Nothing is given.”

Real was a 21st-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins last year. The Kernels have had other players who have served PED suspensions (pitcher Dallas Gallant, infielder Jonatan Hinojosa, catcher Michael Quesada), so they are a forgiving organization.

Mitch Garver, who was last year's primary catcher for the Kernels, was a college teammate of Real. Garver is at advanced-Class A Fort Myers this season.

'When I was a freshman, he was a junior and caught all the games,” Real said. ' I DHed most of the time, half the time. My sophomore year, he was a senior, and, again, caught most of the games. I only caught games during the week, probably something like 10 games. Then when he left, I finally started catching every day.

'It's pretty cool that we ended up the same place, the same organization. It's kind of funny how it all worked out.”

Cedar Rapids (49-34, 8-5) didn't do much to excite the large weekday crowd. Beloit scored three times in the first inning against starting and losing pitcher Luke Westphal (1-1) and collected just six hits.

Just one of those games.

'Not very impressive today,” Manager Jake Mauer said.

The Kernels play two games at Beloit, then four at Kane County, before returning home .

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