When you call Dave Veres ‘ cell phone, the ring-back tone you get to listen to is Montgomery Gentry’s “Lucky Man.” That’s exactly how he feels.

“Everyone assumes you have 10 years in the big leagues and you were a phenom, a High School All-Star,” The newest York Revolution pitcher said. “My whole life and career has been just the opposite.”

Veres is right. You’d think he was a stud pitcher in his youth. The best little league arm for miles around. After all, that’s the impression you get after learning he’s pitched in 605 big league games and struck out the likes of Barry Bonds (3 times), Alex Rodriguez (1 time) and Ryan Sandberg (1 time).

“Nothing’s ever been handed to me,” Veres said. “People who know me, know I put a lot of hard work in. Three hours in the gym each day, constantly trying to get better.”

Veres was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland Athletics. Eight years later, after a trade and release, Veres got the call-up by the Houston Astros.

That was one of his most memorable games. The other, “…getting Darryl Kile his 20th win. We were best friends since ’88, spent time on three teams together and I was so nervous. I didn’t want to blow it.”

Between 1999 and 2001, Veres netted 75 of his 95 career saves. He pitched for the Astros, Expos, Cardinals and Cubs. But it was an accidental injury in 1991 that built up over the next decade and eventually had him hanging it all up.

“I originally hurt my hip in ’91 after tripping on carpet,” Veres said. “Over the years it was just tight and got worse and worse.”

The pain was too much for a guy who twice finished among the league-leading pitchers in games finished. Twenty-nine games into the 2004 season, one year after pitching in the NLCS, Veres retired.

“I thought I would just come home and work out, but it just kept getting worse. I was tired of not being able to walk, sleep or do anything else.”

Veres decided to undergo a hip replacement surgery. The procedure was a success and after playing in some Colorado softball leagues, the 41-year-old started to get the itch to play again.

In 2007, the Colorado Rockies signed Veres and invited him to Spring Training. No player’s ever returned to the game after getting a prosthetic hip implanted into their body. He wanted to be the first. But that spring, Veres had another setback.

“The next thing you know, my elbow starts hurting,” Veres said. “I just kept pushing it though and overdid it.”

The elbow injury forced Veres’ season to end five games into his return campaign. When the elbow got better though, the Major League season was winding down. He tried to play Winter Ball, but all the rosters were full. So Veres called Rockies G.M. Dan O’Dowd, who recommended the Atlantic League.

“I spoke with Joe Klein, who gave me a list of the available teams. I heard York and thought it would be a perfect fit since my sister lives near Gettysburg.”

York was the only team Veres reached out to. They signed him instantly.

Veres talked with a bunch of friends who were Atlantic League alumni about playing here, including former Long Island Ducks’ pitcher Danny Graves, who gave the league high remarks.

Veres now needs to prove he’s healthy. There’s no other reason that he’s pitching in the Atlantic League this season. But with all the setbacks, one thing he never could envision himself doing is taking steroids.

“To me, it wasn’t an issue of using steroids. I see how it could be tempting to some, but I’m a firm believer, if it’s illegal by law, you should test for it in baseball.”

The former big leaguer has accepted that he may be here for a few months. He doesn’t mind. He has his health now and just wants to ball.