One of the unique things about living in Williamson County is the number of high-profile yet humble people there are in our community. We recently talked with former MLB pitcher R.A. Dickey about his career, his health, and how he stays on top of his game long after retirement.

 

Born and raised in Nashville, R.A. Dickey attended Montgomery Bell Academy where his talent was apparent early on. As a high school senior, Dickey was awarded Most Valuable Player in the AAA Championship and would later turn down an offer to play for the Detroit Tigers so he could fulfill his dream of pitching for the Vols. While at UT, his fast ball jumped from 88mph to 94mph and, in 1996, Dickey was drafted by the Texas Rangers. But his road to the MLB would be a long one.

 

In April 2001, Dickey finally made his major-league debut at Arlington Stadium, and by July 2003, he was in regular rotation for the Rangers. Around that time, he had begun throwing an unusual forkball he called “the thing.” In truth, it was a hard knuckleball. A “knuckler” as it is sometimes called, is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic and unpredictable motion. At the time R.A. adopted the pitch, only seventy major league pitchers had ever regularly used the knuckleball during their careers. The knuckler is extremely difficult to learn, and it can take years of practice before being able to throw and command it consistently.

 

But, by 2005, after limited success in MLB as a conventional starting pitcher, Dickey found his lane when he perfected his knuckleball, going on to play for the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves. In 2012, Dickey became the first knuckleballer to win the Cy Young Award -it was also the year he published his first book, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball.

 

In 2018, R.A. Dickey retired from major league baseball. Today, there is only one knuckleballer in all of MLB: San Diego Padres’ Matt Waldren. But R.A. Dickey hopes to change that.

 

At almost fifty years old, R.A. is still on the field, albeit in another way. After leaving the MLB, R.A. and his family returned to middle Tennessee where Dickey is passing the torch to the next generation as Assistant Coach for Christ Presbyterian Academy’s varsity baseball program. He also coaches the Mavericks 17U team in Brentwood. “Coaching is an opportunity to be with my son and to give away to these players what I was given,” says R.A. One can only hope the kids in these programs know what a blessing it is to have a legend in their midst.

 

R.A. admits that coaching can be physically demanding, and says he works out regularly to stay fit. “I play basketball three mornings a week at 5am. I like doing athletic things still. I still do weight training and mobility like I did when I was a player two to three days a week as well.” While knuckleballers typically have the least strain on their arm of all pitchers, R.A. says that nearly forty years of baseball has taken its toll on his body.

 

But R.A. says he has discovered a unique regenerative treatment, offered by Edge Peptide Therapy in Cool Springs, that helps him feel his best. “I’ve done regenerative injections into my knee to help alleviate some of the aches and pains that come with being active at my age,” shares R.A. These organic regenerative injections contain a cellular matrix, hyaluronic acid, collagen, and billions of growth factors, which go to pain receptor sites and decrease inflammation and promote healing. After receiving an injection, the surrounding tissue begins to repair and regenerate itself at the cellular level at around thirty days, while maximum results are seen around the sixty to ninety day mark. “After a few days, the relief was noticeable. I’d say my pain went from a level eight to a level two, and it continues to improve,” says R.A.

 

Founded by Joe Stanford in 2018, Edge Peptide uses a tailored blend of modern treatments and proven science to restore wellness, boost performance, and enhance appearance. Stanford said he discovered peptide therapy after he suffered a complete calf muscle tear and was told he needed surgery. “Instead, a doctor told me about an alternative treatment called peptide therapy. I tried it and it worked. In nine weeks, my calf muscle was completely healed. No surgery needed."

 

In addition to peptide therapy and organic regenerative treatments, Edge Peptide offers a full menu of cutting-edge treatments designed for the high-performance individual -and those just wanting to look and feel better. One example is IGF-1 LR3, a popular peptide treatment that helps individuals build muscle by naturally increasing growth hormone while also decreasing recovery time between workouts. Edge Peptide also offers the P-Shot, Testosterone therapy, weight-loss peptides, and a plethora of regenerative therapies to help turn back the hands of time. “It’s not just women who want to look and feel better,” says Stanford. “Men too are looking to get their Edge back, to not only restore what’s been lost but to also thrive going forward.”

 

R.A. Dickey agrees, telling us, “The treatment that I’ve done at Edge has allowed me to do what I love –coaching and teaching- without the pain that came from years of playing.“

 

If you’re looking to restore wellness and boost performance, learn more at edgepeptide.com or call 615.724.1878.