MILWAUKEE -- For one long season, Rob Wooten was alone. He didn't know if this was it, the end of his big league dream. All he knew was the game meant enough to him to prevent an elbow injury from defining his career.
Tommy John surgery left Wooten to rehab in Arizona, away from his teammates, away from his family and away from the game he loves. He had been through this battle once before, but that was when he was an immature college freshman.
It was tough for Wooten to even turn on the television. Just watching others play baseball was difficult. If he wanted to enjoy all the things he loved about baseball again, he had to push through.
"It was a very difficult time, but it obviously got me here somehow," Wooten said. "I'm not complaining, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Three years later, Wooten is in the big leagues. With injuries to the starting rotation forcing relievers to become starters, Wooten -- an afterthought in spring training -- is finally getting his chance as a 28-year-old rookie.
His story isn't just a feel-good one either, as Wooten has looked the part in eight appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers. He hasn't allowed a run in 9 2/3 innings, as the former minor league closer has showed no fear.
"I know I keep saying it, but words can't describe it," Wooten said. "It's what everybody in this room worked for as a kid, it's what they dreamed of as a kid. When it finally comes true, you take it all in, but once you get out on the field it's still baseball and you go to work.
"Everyone takes a different path and some people don't get to the end of that path and get here. I feel very fortunate to get here. Not many people can say that. The road was long, a few injuries here and there, but I kept grinding it out and kept playing as hard as I could, kept working as hard as I could."
Milwaukee's 13th-round draft pick in 2008 out of the University of North Carolina, Wooten cruised through his first two seasons of professional baseball and was already in Double-A in 2009. He was a confident kid on the fast track to becoming a big-league reliever when the elbow popped.
"I was kind of on my high horse," Wooten said. "First full season in Double-A and hoping to kind of get here fast and then the injury bug kind of struck. But you know what, it's part of the game. Everyone in this room has probably had some sort of injury and missed some time."
Forced to sit out the entire 2010 season after elbow surgery, Wooten didn't feel sorry for himself. He instead put his head down and went to work.
Spending his days at Milwaukee's spring training facility in Phoenix, Wooten went through the grueling rehab process and even studied tape of his mechanics to try and prevent another elbow injury from occurring.
But most importantly, his fire was fueled even more by being away from the game.
"The game has always been fun to me, always," Wooten said. "I love it so much where we leave here and I go home and watch highlights. It's just who I am. The year that I came back and was able to play, I was just like a kid in the candy shop.
"It was just great to be out there on the grass, being outside, playing and being with your teammates. The camaraderie is so important. When you are by yourself it's just kind of lame. Being in the clubhouse with the guys, getting on the field and going on road trips made it great to be back."
Being humbled by an injury wasn't new to Wooten. A severe shoulder injury after his senior year of high school required surgery and caused Wooten to redshirt during his freshman season with the Tar Heels.
Unlike his recovery from elbow surgery, Wooten didn't handle the situation well. He appeared in just nine games during his redshirt freshman season and threw only 7 1/3 innings with a 9.82 ERA as a sophomore. If Wooten didn't figure things out quickly, he was going to flame out in college.
"I wasn't as mature as I am now," Wooten said. "I didn't really understand what was going on. I came back and I just didn't have it. I was probably negative on myself, probably complained too much trying to put the blame somewhere else instead of just working your butt off."
"It took me a couple of years to realize that. Once I did realize that, I came in my junior year and said 'You know what? I'm going to work. Nobody is going to stand in my way. Nobody is going to tell me no. I want to get on the field and play.' I kind of took that mentality and I've had it ever since."
In an amazing transformation, Wooten went from a struggling pitcher to earning second-team All-ACC honors as North Carolina's set-up man during his junior season. Wooten tied for the NCAA lead with 47 appearances and had a 2.37 ERA, helping lead the Tar Heels to the College World Series.
"It was all about winning," Wooten said of his time at North Carolina. "In college more so than here, if you lose a game it's like the end of the world. Pitching in the College World Series with a packed house helped, as well. I think every step I've taken has prepared me for this moment."
Wooten got to play with future big leaguers like Dustin Ackley, Alex White, Daniel Bard, Andrew Miller Tim Federowicz, Kyle Seager and Adam Warren during his time in Chapel Hill, but his early glance at Matt Harvey stands out.
Teammates for just one season -- Harvey was a freshman in Wooten's junior and final year -- Wooten began to see the glimpses of greatness, but also saw the New York Mets phenom grow.
"He kind of had that same thing that I had going on coming into college," Wooten said. "(He was) not really mature coming in, probably thinking he was the man -- which he is the man now. But he had a little learning curve in college, and I got to see that.
"I saw Matt grow, not only his freshman year, but I got to see him through workouts and stuff when I'd come back in the offseason. I saw how hard he would bring it every single year. I knew he was going to be special. I don't think anybody knew he was going to be this special because that's not fair to think of somebody, but he's been pretty fun to watch."
After sitting out the 2010 season, Wooten rebounded and put up a 3.09 ERA in 48 games between Class-A advanced Brevard County and Double-A Huntsville. He spent 2012 bouncing between Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville, putting up a 3.93 ERA in 43 games with the Sounds.
Preparing every offseason like he was going to reach the big leagues, Wooten finally got an invitation to big league spring training this past season. Though disappointed, he wasn't surprised when he got just 3 2/3 innings in big league spring training games before he was returned to minor league camp.
The Brewers didn't have many open spots in their bullpen, and Wooten was far down the list.
"It would have been nice to get more innings there, but the first time being in big league camp, I understood what my role was," Wooten said. "It was to be there in case they needed an extra guy. But I also picked some brains in this clubhouse right now. I learned quite a bit. You don't want to look at it like 'Hey, I didn't get to throw that much', you want to look at it as I learned quite a bit. I took it to Nashville with me and it helped me out and got me here."
As Nashville's closer, Wooten had a 2.94 ERA and 20 saves when he was called up July 25. He's shown an ability to change speeds and command all of his pitches well, even surprising Brewers manager Ron Roenicke with how good his sinker is.
With roles in Milwaukee's bullpen changing by the day, Wooten has earned Roenicke's trust in a short time. Up by a run with the tying run on second base and nobody out in the eighth inning against the Giants on Tuesday, Roenicke turned to Wooten. He responded by getting two big outs, finding revenge on former ACC rival Buster Posey by getting him to ground out to the drawn in infield with the tying run on third and one out.
"With all the relievers throwing 95 (mph) and above, which everybody is trying to get now and there's more than there's ever been," Roenicke said. "I think to have a guy that can command and change speeds is difficult on hitters. They are used to just seeing a guy coming in throwing 95."
Roenicke feels Wooten's poise on the mound comes partially because he's pitched as a closer throughout the minor leagues. While he's been unflappable, Wooten hasn't had to face failure at the highest level quite yet.
While his manager wants to see how he'll handle getting hit around for the first time before giving him too much responsibility, Wooten is willing to pitch in any role.
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