What got you into baseball? Is it a sport you've played for years?
I grew up in a small town well before soccer became really popular in Canada so I played hockey in the winter and baseball in the summer. That's pretty much what every kid my age did. I've been playing since I was 6 and at a competitive level since I was 9. As I got older I really started to appreciate the fine details involved in baseball at a high level and even now I'm still learning. That's one of the things that has kept me playing; you're never done learning in this game and I always think there's something I can do better.
How did you react to hearing you were named the OUA's Most Valuable Pitcher?
I actually heard from an ex-Varsity Blues player on Facebook. Needless to say, I was pretty stunned and surprised. Once it sank in it was pretty humbling for me since there were 4 or 5 guys in the league that had great years too. I was happy with how I performed this year, but I didn’t really anticipate this kind of honour. It was humbling to say the least.
How has your game developed since coming to U of T?
I've lost a lot of velocity on my fastball. However, just this past summer I dropped my arm angle slightly. This added downward movement to my fastball and turned it from a regular two-seam tailing fastball into a sinker. This allows me to get many more groundballs which is crucial since I can’t overpower guys anymore and throw a lot of strikeouts. Outside of that my approach has been the same it's been since I was 20. Throw strikes and let your defense do the work. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but this year it certainly did, and for that I'm both humbled and grateful.
How do you feel about the Varsity Blues' baseball team going forward?
With a lot of guys graduating this year, next year's team will look much different. But in Dan Lang they've got one of the most committed coaches I've ever been around. It's such a short season that how you start is crucial. As long as they get out of the gate running next year they'll be fine. U of T always attracts a lot of rookie players and there's always a couple diamonds in the rough found each year.
Do you have any favourite pitchers?
Greg Maddux, because he could throw a baseball into a mailbox from 100 feet away. He had the best control and accuracy of any pitcher I've ever seen. He was 10 steps ahead of everyone else and was the most cerebral pitcher in baseball. The closest active guy to that is Roy Halladay. Between his control, his talent and his character, I would say Roy Halladay is hands down my favourite pitcher in the game today.
What are your career ambitions, baseball or otherwise?
At 29, my baseball ambitions have long passed. I play because it's still challenging, I have fun and the guys on every team are hilarious to be around. I enjoy the limited time I have left and try to pass on anything I can to the younger guys I'm around. As for my career, I'll have lots of options when I graduate and I haven’t picked out something I want to do with the rest of my life. If I had to narrow it down, something in finance, politics or the air force (en route to being an astronaut) would probably be places I would start looking.