Lopez seeks a second act

[HMFFL]

At 37, Lopez is in the best shape of his life, trying to resurrect a career that went skidding off the tracks after one good year in Baltimore.

"I realized how much I love baseball because it's an empty space for me," he said. "I can enjoy the family. I can go on vacation and everything, but there's a gap."

"Ja-vy" has been on a first-name basis with Braves fans since coming through the minors with Chipper Jones and Ryan Klesko. He won over fans through 12 seasons and the 1996 NLCS MVP award, with his thump, a friendly demeanor and good looks.

He left Atlanta in 2003 on a career high, hitting .328 with 43 home runs and 109 RBIs. The 42 home runs he hit as a catcher is a major-league record.

But in the second year of his three-year $22 million contract with the Orioles, his career started spiraling downward. When Lopez describes how far he fell, it explains the depth of the motivation he feels now.

It started when he broke his hand in 2005.

"I got back obviously not 100 percent since I had six screws in my hand," Lopez said. "But the Orioles wanted me back in the lineup as soon as they could. I wasn't as productive as I was at the beginning of the season. I ended up .278, 15 home runs, (49 RBIs). I thought it was pretty decent for a catcher to put up those kind of numbers, but not for them."

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