Somerset’s Andrew Carignan motivated to get back to bigs

There are two ways of looking at Somerset Patriot Andrew Carignan’s major-league experience in relation to where he is now.

You could argue that he got his chance, and even if he never does receive another opportunity at the game’s highest level, he’ll always have those 17 games he pitched in for the Oakland Athletics during the 2011 and 2012 seasons on the back of his baseball card.

Or you could look at it the way the 28-year-old right-handed reliever does. Those 17 games — the way he performed in them and the reasons why he wasn’t able to anymore — all serve as plenty of motivation to get back.

“If I would have been up there and proven that I didn’t belong there, then I’d be able to sleep at night no problem,” said Carignan, who posted a 1-1 record and 4.50 ERA in 16 innings of work out of the bullpen.

“But the fact that it was an injury that took me away from there and has kept me away from there since? I think that definitely gives me a chip on my shoulder and makes me want to get back there.”

The former University of North Carolina standout missed the second half of the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery, as well as the entire 2013 season while still recovering from that and a procedure to repair his labrum.

Last year was somewhat of a wash as well, as he split last year between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Fresno as a member of the San Francisco Giants organization, pitching to mixed results. But this year, the 5-foot-11, 235 pounder has excelled in his first season in independent baseball, serving as one of manager Brett Jodie’s go-to guys.

“I’m feeling closest to where I have been to early 2012 when my first injury happened,” Carignan said. “The second half of 2012 was a wash, and so was 2013 with my shoulder. Last year was basically a matter of pitching and feeling OK. Results would have been nice, but at the same time, it was about getting on the mound and getting going again. This, by far, is the best I’ve felt since 2012.”

Part of that success, according to Jodie, is a big league approach.

“I like his presence out there, he’s very confident and very sure of himself,” Jodie said. “He brought that even in spring training; a big leaguer, a minor leaguer, whoever might I don’t want to say go through the motions, but not get amped up as much. But he creates the same intensity no matter what the score or the situation, which is huge to do. You want to be consistent each time and not worry about what the score is. You’ve got a job to do, and that’s get that hitter out. He brings that each and every time.”

Now, it’s just a matter of getting an opportunity. And Carignan knows exactly what he’s chasing.

“I’ve been there, and you can’t even describe it, i’s exactly what you think it would be and even more,” he said. “I have a lot of buddies that are still there and still doing well. I know what it takes, and I know what it has taken in the past, so it definitely gives you a big carrot at the end of that string.”