By Francis Ferry, NLN beat writer

November 11, 2011: Aurora, Colorado – Mark Richardson’s road to the pinnacle of baseball has been filled with steep climbs and valley’s of despair, but now he has something that cannot be taken away, no matter how high the trail or deep the valley; “Ice Cold” is the Sovereign League’s 2011 Royal Raker.

The Minneapolis native, who got his “Ice Cold” nickname through his insistence to play ball even during the snowy winters of Minnesota, was the 5^th pick in the PEBA’s inaugural draft by the Florida Featherheads.  Drafted originally as a second baseman, Richardson has split time between both sides of the bag, logging equal time at shortstop.  Highs and lows have dogged Richardson most of his career.  Midway through that inaugural season, Mark signed a 3-year contract extension for $32,000,000 – at the time, one of the largest contracts in the league.  He rewarded his team’s faith by finishing with a .240 average in 2007.

During the ’08 and ’09 seasons, Richardson met the high expectations of his contract, but his Florida teammates did not as they finished a combined 161-163.  Before the final pitch of 2009 could be thrown, Richardson was prevented from fulfilling the last year of his contract as an errant pitch fractured his cheekbone, ending his season and, for all purposes, his next one as well.

Florida management was concerned about Richardson’s ability to come back from the injury, and so they took advantage of a daring move by Chris Rodriguez, then-GM of Aurora, who traded two players and an 8^th round draft pick for a player whose contract would expire after playing only the last week of the 2010 season.  “Ice Cold” would play only 10 regular season games and hit 3 HR.  He followed that up with three more in 11 postseason games.  That convinced the Borealis that he was healthy, and they signed him to a massive 6-year deal worth $96 million.  In what we would soon view as the norm with Richardson, even signing a new deal would be controversial.  The details of the deal created quite a stir in the PEBA community and new rules regarding contract extensions have since been passed – thanks in part to “Ice Cold”.  Richardson rewarded his new team’s faith with a Royal Raker season.

Richardson’s 2011 season mirrored the earlier part of his career.  Excited over the big contract – one of Rodriguez’s last moves before his father’s death – “Ice Cold” suffered from “season interuptus”.  He tore cartilage in his knee at the start of Spring Training, missing 30 games.  After getting back on the field, he hurt the knee again and missed another 2 weeks.  When he returned, he did so with a vengeance, hitting 37 HR, 111 RBI and scoring 110 in only 114 games.  From the high of a new contract to the low of the injuries to the high of a fantastic season, you’d think that “Ice Cold”’s journey of highs and lows was over, but you’d be wrong.  When his new team needed him most during the PEC, Richardson vanished, hitting a measly .203 with 20 K through the entire postseason.

The iconoclastic Richardson has been cheered and jeered by the fans of Florida.  He’s been a hero to young children and the ultimate goat.  He’s gone from the obscurity of Minnesota to the cover of Sports Illustrated.  He’s a three-time All-Star and three-time All-Leather player.  Now “Ice Cold” Mark Richardson is a Royal Raker.  Highs and lows; peaks and valleys.  What’s next for Mark Richardson?  One thing you can bet on: When he reaches the top, it will be a challenge to stay there.