DREW ELLIS also have a first baseman. Paul Goldschmidt hit. 297 last year, with 36 home runs and 120 RBIs. He was third in the National League’ s Most Valuable Player voting.

Still, Ellis knows major league rosters are fluid. Free agency makes everything unpredictable. Who knows where Lamb or Goldschmidt will be in two years?

More important, Ellis knows he can only worry about Ellis. The rest will follow.“ They haven’ t talked to me much yet about where I’ ll be,” he said.“ Wherever I play, my expectation is to play as well as I can play. They’ ll put me where they put me. I’ ve just got to do what I’ ve always done, by preparing the way I prepare. Do the little things I need to do, to make sure I’ m on top of my game.”

There’ s a level-headedness there about an outcome Ellis can’ t control except to prepare for the best so he can expect the best. Partly, that’ s a work ethic first drilled into him by his high school coach, Derek Ellis, who also happens to be his father.

And partly, it’ s the result of a faith he acquired while in high school, when he was baptized by his friend,“ one of best decisions of my life, to follow Jesus.”

He said he struggled a little bit as a high school freshman, as so many freshmen do, not knowing which crowd to follow. But since his baptism, he said,“ I know who my Lord and Savior is. And life is easier when you have someone to rely on. When times are hard or going well, through ups and downs and struggles, it’ s been good for me to rely on my faith to get through those.”

He said he’ s seen teammates make some choices he wouldn’ t have made,“ not necessarily because they’ re bad people but because they haven’ t had a faith to help them out.”

There will be ups and downs in Ellis’ baseball career, just because there are ups and downs in that life for everybody. He seems well-equipped to handle both.

And it’ s not just because he can hit the fastball.

25TH ANNUAL THROO THE ZOO 5K RUN / WALK

Presented by Norton Audubon Hospital May 12, 2018, 8- 10 am

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WELLNESS CARE FOR ALL AGES Adults | Children | Newborns

CHIROPRACTIC LLC Since 1985

Join us for this unique 5K road race that goes“ Throo” the Zoo. Watch the Zoo wake up while supporting important conservation education programs. Dress in your favorite animal costume to win fun prizes. Can’ t make the race? Check out the new Virtual 5K option.

Register at LouisvilleZoo. org / run

2652 Charlestown Road, New Albany, IN 47150 812.949.2273 | www. rasmussenchiro. com

APRIL / MAY 2018: EXTOL 43