The right man is Dusty
Wrightsman
Can you imagine as a
T-ball player being restricted to a five-foot circle because you are
catching too many balls and not giving other players a chance to field the
ball? Well the source of our current interview was that T-ball
player.
Terre Haute, Indiana native, Dusty
Wrightsman is removed from the restrictions of his T-ball career and now
is a starting pitcher for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals Class A
Advanced) in the Carolina League. And what a year he's having.7-3 with a
2.52 ERA over 75.0 innings pitched; only 13 bases on balls and 63
strikeouts.
His earliest memories of professional
baseball are fond recollections of attending an Indianapolis Indians minor
league game in '97 and first pro game in '99 between the Yankees and the
White Sox's.
In high school Wrightsman play ball for
Terre Haute North (5A conference school). Wrightsman adds, "In high
school I played first and third base when I wasn't pitching." All
four years Wrightsman won his high school's MVP and as a senior he batted
.597 and won both the hitting and pitching title in the
Metro-Conference. Wrightsman was nominated for Mr. Baseball of
Indiana and is listed in the Indiana Hall of Fall for being on the Indiana
State All-Star Team.
During the summer Wrightsman
surrounded himself with fellow NABF Indiana Bulls teammates Scott Rolen,
A.J. Zapp and J.D. Closser. Collectively this squad won the high school
world series and Wrightsman contributed with a 1.13
ERA.
College ball took Wrightsman to Faulkner State
Community College in Minnette, AL (twelve hour drive from Terre
Haute). Wrightsman admits, "My biggest adjustment to college ball
was the increase number of good hitters and the fact I had to put a little
more thought into pitching." At Faulkner State Wrightsman earned 2nd
team All-American, NJCAA All Region XXII Division One Baseball Team
honors, and American Baseball Coaches Association & Rawling Sports
Goods All-Region Team honors. Wrightsman set a school record at
Faulkner State by throwing a 76 pitch, complete 9 inning (no walks)
shutout game against conference leader Shelton State. Local media
proclaimed Wrightsman's efforts as "The best game ever pitched at Stanley
James Field." Wrightsman explained, "I was told my fast ball topped
out in the low 80s as a freshman and this prevented me from being
drafted. I worked hard on lower body strength and in my first game
(February 9, 2000) in Pensacola, Florida I was seen by a Royals scout and
told I'd be drafted."
Wrightsman was drafted by the
Royals in the 2000 June Draft in the 26th round and was assigned to the
Gulf Coast Royals (Baseball City, FL). When asked what was the biggest
adjustment that had to be made to pro ball, Wrightsman answered, "The main
adjustment is to get into a good work ethic, make the adjustments that
coaches ask of you, be self-motivated and become more adult in your
attitude." Wrightsman started with 12 scoreless innings and spent
several months healing from a hand infection that cause some control
problems.
Prior to spring training 2001, Wrightsman
did the winter workouts that the Royals gave him and worked at a local
K-Mart. "I started spring training with the Burlington squad (MWL)
and questioned if I would stay with them.I found out in the last couple
days of spring training I would stay with Burlington", added
Wrightsman. With the Burlington Bees Wrightsman had a 4.29 ERA in
79.2 innings pitched, 22 BB and 54 SO. Surprisely, Wrightsman and I
enjoyed something we had in common from his Burlington days. During
a rainout in Clinton, Iowa we both remember his Burlington teammates
chanting a rain dance song with the help of broken bats, trashcans and a
bat dressed up as a player. Both of my younger sons talk about that
game still.
When asked what makes this year so
different from his two previous pro seasons in the Gulf Coast League and
the Midwest League, Wrightsman responds, "I really worked hard over the
off-season, lost some weight, worked on body strength (both legs and arms)
and achieved command of the fast ball on both sides of the plate. I
had a good spring training and felt confident I could compete for a
starting role with Wilmington."
Outside the game and
being from Indiana, Wrightsman enjoys auto and dirt track racing and
enjoys basketball and hunting. Back home in Terre Haute, IN
Wrightsman's family are real supportive of his ball career.Mom (Cheryl),
Dad (Glenn) and older brother (Glenn II) help keep him focused on making
it to the big leagues.
Scouting report on
Wrightsman...
Wilmington Blue Rock pitching coach, Bill Slack, has
been in baseball for 49 years and was the pitching coach in the Atlanta
Braves organization from 1985-98, spending most of that time with
Greenville AA. To say it without reservation, Coach Slack knows baseball.
Ask to give an evaluation of Blue Rock pitcher, Dusty Wrightsman, Coach
Slack did not stumble once. "Dusty is a pitcher with great control,
he has an easy release that is very deceptive and quickly gets up on the
batter; Dusty's fastball at 92 ends up looking like 95. Dusty has a very
good slider, and as mentioned an outstanding fastball that he keeps down."
Coach Slack said he noticed Dusty's ability to keep the ball down during
spring training; "Dusty is the best on our pitching staff in keeping the
ball down. Dusty is working on his change-up, and it is getting better.
Dusty will pitch in the majors," Coach Slack states without
hesitation. Being a starter or mid-relief depends on how well he
develops the change-up. Coach goes on to say, "Coach Garber states that
Dusty is a very versatile pitcher; we have ask him to come in without much
notice and Dusty has done the job; I can't say enough good about
him". Dusty is now a starter. Coach Slack said that Garber and
himself had been working on this for several
months.