Pitchers are pretty important in the game of baseball; not only are they necessary to have on the team, but it is also pretty important take have pitchers who are good. Luckily, the Warrior baseball squad is in good hands when it comes to pitching. With three POs(pitcher only), and a couple position players capable of pitching, the Warriors have some depth on the mound that can take them far this year.
Nick Thrasher, junior, is a right fielder for the team, but plans on pitching a lot for the Warriors this season.
“I am really excited about pitching this year,” Thrasher said. “I have been working on my pitches all off season, I know that in order for us to be successful, I have to do my part and be a consistent pitcher that the team can rely on.”
Two big factors for the Warriors are two senior POs, Chandler Cardenas and Cal Djuraskovic, who are both looking to have a breakout season this year. Cardenas missed all last season because of an injury that occurred at the beginning of the year.
“A concussion I got at practice caused me to miss all last season along with this past soccer season,” he said. “But I have been doing a lot of work since I was released back in January, and I feel like I am ready to go.”
Head coach Andrew Ramker seems to have some confidence in his senior starter.
“Chandler is the kind of pitcher that can make batters squirm when they’re in the box,” Ramker said. “He throws really hard, and I know he is going to have a lot of tenacity this season after missing all last year, it’s his first full varsity season and he is going to want to prove himself.”
Cal Djuraskovic is more on the other hand–literally–he is the only lefty PO for the Warriors, making him a huge asset for the team.
“Cal can be really dominant if he chooses to be,” Ramker said. “He is lefty, so he already has an advantage, he just needs to make sure he uses it to his advantage.”
The Warriors’ pitching staff does not stop there. It gets even deeper with seniors Eloy Melero, Spencer Hickey, and junior Cesar Montemayor.
“I just really like what we can bring on the mound,” Ramker said. “When you got a good group of just pitchers, and then position players that can throw as well, you have a lot of confidence in what you can get done.”
The pitching itself should not be a problem, the Warriors are limiting how many different pitches that will be thrown this year.
“Fastballs, curves, and change ups are what need to be thrown,” Ramker said. “I have the confidence in them to throw whatever they want as long as its a strike, but I want them to be smart and be able to rely on those three important pitches.”
“At practice I am mainly working on my 2-seam and 4-seam fastball, along with my slider and change-up,” Djuraskovic said. “My slider is something that can be lethal for me when I am in a jam, or am just looking for a strike.”
Cardenas approaches his game a little differently.
“I think my change up is perfect and my curve breaks really well, but I need to make sure my fastball is hard and in the strike zone,”Cardenas said. “The reason why I think I will be successful this year is because of my fastball, I throw it really hard and really fast but I just have to make sure its under control and consistently a strike.”