PHOENIX -- Giants reliever Ray Black has careened off the fickle path from hurt to healthy too many times in his brief career. On his current attempt, however, he just might complete the journey standing upright.
The baseball gods blessed Black with the ability to throw his fastball routintely at 100 mph. He also possesses a curveball that hovers in the high 80 mph range. But anybody with such thunder in his arm needs a figurative lightning rod for physical protection, and Black never had that. Since the Giants selected Black in the seventh round of the 2011 MLB Draft, he has endured injuries almost constantly, preventing his progress from keeping pace with his ability.