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Bloomington Jefferson's Irvin pitches artistry from all angles

By Star Tribune, 04/21/15, 4:05PM CDT

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Jake Irvin, a hard-throwing righthander with plenty of movement on his pitches, is built to be a pitcher.

Standing 6-5, it’s obvious from a glance that Jake Irvin, a hard-throwing righthander with plenty of movement on his pitches, is built to be a pitcher.

Funny thing is, neither of his parents are taller than 5-10.

“I don’t know how that happened,” Irvin said with a laugh. “I guess I got lucky.”

Irvin’s fastball hits 90 miles per hour, which has Major League Baseball scouts beating a path to Bloomington’s Dred Scott Fields to watch him pitch. The Bloomington Jefferson senior likely will be drafted in June, but a pro career will have to wait. He signed last fall to pitch for the University of Oklahoma.

Staff writer Jim Paulsen talked to Irvin about his future and the “art” of pitching.

 

Q: Do you play other sports or just baseball?

A: We have a family history as hockey players, but ever since I was young, baseball has always been the sport that I loved. I played football for awhile in the past, but I quit to concentrate on baseball.

 

Q: How old were you when you realized that your future was in baseball?

A: I think I was probably around 10 years old. I started focusing on baseball being my summer sport because it just seemed like the best thing I could do.

 

Q: It’s been said often that baseball doesn’t attract young fans. Is that true?

A: There are some things baseball could do to make it better, like speed up the pace of the game, but I think, if you’re watching the right players, you’re going to have a good time. I love watching baseball. I could watch 27 innings a day with no problem.

 

Q: There is a lot of attention on keeping pitchers healthy. Too much?

A: You can never be too careful with keeping a pitcher’s arm in shape. You have to teach proper technique, especially with off-speed pitches, and watch the pitch count.

 

Q: How much time do you spend on conditioning?

A: I do different workouts five days a week. I work on my flexibility and do yoga. You have to stay strong and flexible so you don’t put so much stress on your arm.

 

Q: Talk about your pitching style.

A: My height is an advantage I can be an intimidating presence on the mound. I throw a fastball, a slider and a changeup and I throw all of them from a three-quarter arm angle, so my pitches have a lot of movement.

 

Q: How does your arm angle affect hitters?

A: It’s a huge help, especially when I throw my slider. It can sweep across and away from a righthanded batter. It’s monstrous.

 

Q: Bases loaded, 3-2 count. What is your out pitch?

A: I don’t want to give away any of my secrets [laughs]. I’m going to say fastball, but I’m confident enough in my pitches that can throw any of them in any count.

 

Q: Do you have a pregame routine?

A: For me, it’s doing mental visions and picturing myself succeeding.

 

Q: What do you like about pitching?

A: I think of pitching as an art. The way you deliver the ball, how you approach each batter and what you do differently depending on the count and the situation.

 

Q: Why did you settle on Oklahoma?

A: When I went to visit, it was one of the few schools that had a grass field, which is great for a pitcher. I loved the coaching staff there. I loved pretty much everything about it.

 

Q: What will your role be?

A: I’ll have to compete for a starting spot. Nothing is going to be handed to me. I’ll have to work hard and do everything I can to earn my role.

JIM PAULSEN

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