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The Miami Herald
May 23, 2004
A Baseball Future in Focus
Danny Jordan was given a baseball uniform, a cap, glove and a small bat the day after he was born. He hit a baseball for the first time at age 3 and ever since dreamed of making it to the big leagues.
As Danny got older, his swing improved and became known for his quick hands. But he was not at the top of his game.
Because of severe astigmatism that forced him to wear eyeglasses, Danny had trouble seeing the ball until it was just a few feet from him.
He worried that, if the ball hit him in the face, he could be seriously injured if glass cut him under the eye. Contact lenses didn't help because they would dry up from the wind.
Danny knew something had to be done to fix his eyesight if he wanted to be at his best.
"We had no time to waste," said Danny, 18, a senior at Gulliver Prep.
Last November, just a few months before college recruiters would be coming to practices and games, Danny underwent LASIK eye surgery - a procedure that uses a laser to reshape the cornea, improving its focusing power - and almost immediately he noticed a difference. The $5,000 surgery was performed by Dr. Cory M. Lessner at the Millennium Laser Eye Center in Sunrise.
"I went from not being able to see the lines on my hands to having more home runs in one game than some people have in one year," Danny said at the baseball fields at Gulliver Academy, where he practices. "It was unbelievable."
Danny's vision isn't the only thing that has improved since the surgery.
Since the start of the season in March, Danny, who plays third base, has a team-leading nine home runs. His batting averages have improved and his reaction time is "very precise," said Danny, who after the surgery was ranked 62nd in Baseball America's top 400 prospects in United States.
"There has been a huge difference in his game since the surgery," said his coach, Lazar Collazo. "He picks up the ball quicker; his recovery of strikes is better. He is one of the best third basemen I have ever seen in high school and college teams."
Danny, a native Miamian, was born into a family of baseball enthusiasts. His grandfather, Humberto, played semipro baseball in Cuba and his father Jorge played third base at Archbishop Curley High.
While spending part of his childhood living in Hialeah, Danny became hooked on the sport. For three years, he played in the city's Khoury League at Babcock Park, which has been the beginning for future pros Jose Canseco, John Cangelosi and Rafael Palmeiro.
"That's where you really learn how to play baseball," Danny said. "That's where all the people who come from Cuba go to play."
From Hialeah, Danny began attending a program in Kendall, where professional baseball players were invited to show young players the basics.
Using those skills, Danny went on to play baseball at Christopher Columbus High School, 3000 SW 87th Ave., for a year, before transferring to Brito Miami Private School, 2732 SW 32nd Ave., where he led his team to the state championship in 2002.
Danny was offered a partial baseball scholarship to attend Gulliver Prep for his senior year - an opportunity his father and mother Ana felt would allow him to improve both his game and his academics.
Though moving from school to school has been rough, at times, Danny said the camaraderie among baseball players made the transitions less difficult.
"These guys are my best friends," he said. "We have chemistry when we play together."
Danny and his Gulliver teammates will be heading to Legends Field in Tampa this week to compete in the Class 3A state tournament. This will be Danny's third consecutive year taking part in the state championships, his father said.
Danny accepted a full baseball scholarship from Florida International University. Other schools, such as the University of Miami, Tulane University and Florida State University showed interest, Danny said.
However, because he wants to be close to home - his parents live just blocks from FIU's University Park Campus in West Miami-Dade - Danny decision was easy.
"I promised my father I wouldn't make him pay for college and I promised my grandparents they'd get their wish of seeing me play," Danny said. "I also want to take FIU to the College World Series."
But, come June, when Major League Baseball holds its draft, Danny's plans might change.
He said he has received phone calls and letters from scouts. If he receives an offer, he said, he will consider putting his education on hold for a chance to live his dream.
"I want to play pro baseball," Danny said. "It's all I've ever wanted."
JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA,
jmooney@herald.com
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