GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Life for a coach in spring training can feel like an endless loop of batting practice, fungoes, games and postgame foot spreads, capped off by a return trip to the condo in the evening to collapse on the sofa and watch college hoops.
For three former MLB pitchers in the coaching/consulting realm, the World Baseball Classic has provided a whole new motivation and a reprieve from baseball's version of Groundhog Day. Eric Gagne, 41; Bruce Chen, 39; and Ryan Dempster, also 39, are back livin' the dream on the mound -- even as they navigate some bumps along the way.