Steelers running back Baron Batch writes and paints in his spare time. His hours in front of the keyboard and easel are a refuge from the consuming world of a being pro athlete.

Batch's latest painting is of a solitary, shadowy figure standing amidst a heavy rainstorm. The piece, finished last week, is about Batch's struggle to regain top form after a major knee injury ended his rookie season in August.

"Even though it's raining, it doesn't mean you have to stay in the house," said Batch, whose art work and popular blog can be found at baronbatch.com. "When I was thinking about it, I was thinking about going through these OTAs and this whole process. It's like I have to be out there whether the knee is hurting or not. It's saying, 'It will be all right.' My painting and my writing are mini-therapy for me."

In his blog, Batch wrote a long entry about his first day back on the field after getting cleared by team doctors. He wrote openly about the frustrations and fears in coming back after he tore the ACL in his left knee...........


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