It's becoming apparent that on the field, nothing much is going to come from this Barnstormers season.

Off the field, though, something big could be happening, mostly because of Barnstormers catcher Jed Morris.

This story begins in 2006, when Morris was a catcher/outfielder with the Midland RockHounds, the Oakland A's affiliate in the Class AA Texas League.

Playing for ex-Barnstormers manager Von Hayes, Morris was starting to shake off a reputation as a part-time player without a clear defensive position.

"I felt like I was on my way," Morris said. "And then, boom."

First he broke his hand diving for a ball in the outfield, and it took forever to heal.

He began to bruise badly, which can be a problem for a catcher. His nose began bleeding, during a game, and wouldn't stop. For two days.

Finally a doctor talked him into taking a blood test, which revealed acute lymphocytic leukemia.

He went into the hospital for chemoptherapy — and he remembers this date precisely — Aug. 15, 2006.

Nineteen days later he had lost 15 pounds, but the first round of chemo was over, and the disease was in remission, bringing Morris' chance of survival to 90-95 percent.

There were five more rounds of chemo, during which Morris lost his hair, much of his energy and strength and the will to look in the mirror.

"It was really gross," he said.

But by the end of the sixth session the leukemia had been blasted away.

"I started to look like myself again," he said.

The A's stuck with him. The RockHounds held an auction that August 2007 that raised over $20,000 to offset medical expenses.

The organization allowed him to spend extended spring training in Arizona, and then kept him employed after, incredibly, he broke his other hand.

Morris spent most of the '08 season in AA with the RockHounds. But by this spring it was clear the A's had younger catchers and outfielders stacked up through their organization. He was finally released in April, at the age of 29.

That, and his connection with Hayes, brought him to Lancaster.

Morris isn't a big guy (5-11, 187), especially for a catcher, but he can hit and get on base. He owns a bunch of career offensive records from a strong college career at the University of Nebraska and was one of the famous 2002 "Moneyball" draft class chosen A's general manager Billy Beane.

With Gerard Haran, Morris has formed an unusual and effective catching platoon for the Barnstormers. Unusual in that few AL teams have one catcher who can hit. No others have two.

Morris made the Atlantic League all-star game, at which point he was hitting .304 with 20 RBIs through 39 games.

Morris is like a lot of AL players. He hasn't given up on the major leagues, but realizes that, at 29, the sun is going down on that dream.

There's a bigger dream, though. Morris has started an organization called "You and me on a Comeback," (Web: youandmeonacomeback.org") which seeks nonprofit status and, according to its mission statement, "is dedicated to providing stability, guidance, and rehabilitation assistance to patients and their families who are recovering from the life-threatening disease of cancer."

Morris had meetings last week with Lancaster General Hospital officials in hopes of forming an alliance, perhaps to create a clinic for leukemia and cancer patients.

"It could be a great thing," Morris said. "It's a long way from happening, but we're working on it."

"His story of survival and his passion will have a place in our cancer program," LGH spokesman John Lines said Friday. "At the very least, his story can be an inspiration to our cancer patients."

Which is one reason why Morris wouldn't mind being a Barnstormers against next year.

"I enjoyed playing here, and I'd like to come back," Morris said. "Especially if what we have in the works now turns into what I'm hoping for."