Up close with Ravens Pitcher Alex Szymanski

While the headlines usually read the name of a star player on the Ravens baseball team, no ball club is complete without adequate depth on the bench and pitching staff. With a pitcher like Alex Szymanski on the roster, one could assume the Ravens are very stable in that category. In 2007, Szymanski made ten appearances on the mound, registering an outstanding 1.59 ERA to go along with 26 strikeouts. Early in 2008, he found himself battling an injury but has returned in the past two weeks and has posted a 4.79 Earned Run average with 13 strikeouts in five appearances. To get an up close and personal view of Szymanski, he was kind enough to answer a few questions for your enjoyment. Barrett Schenk: How old were you when you first started playing baseball, and what attracted you to the sport? Alex Szymanski: I first started playing baseball when I was about 5 years old. I got drawn to the sport by my parents kind of pushing me into it. (Laughs) The rest is pretty much history from there. BS: What other positions have you played? When did you know pitching was your ticket to a higher level of competition? AS: I always played various positions. All the way through high school and a little bit at Northern Essex Community College, I played outfield. In high school, I was primarily a centerfielder when I was not pitching. I knew pitching was my thing in high school. I loved to compete and loved the feeling of me against you. BS: What pitches do you throw? Which ones do you rely on to get ahead of hitters? Which do you rely on to get out of a jam? AS: I throw a four and two seam fastball, curveball, changeup and a slider. To get ahead of hitters and to really control a game, I try and throw them all for strikes. To get ahead early, I try and rely on spotting my fastball. To get outs, if I am spotting my fastball well, I use my changeup to get hitters to roll over for a groundball or to even swing and miss. Nothing is better than a good changeup in the game of baseball. BS: What is your most memorable baseball experience? AS: I have a few most memorable baseball experiences. First being my first no-hitter, it was pretty wild to throw one at 16 and I will never forget it. Next were winning the high school state title in '04 and being on the mound for it, and winning the American Legion (New Hampshire) state title in '05 and being on the mound for that as well. And finally were the past two years being on great teams (NECC and FPU) and being able to pitch in two different College World Series. BS: What is the baseball experience you'd like to forget most? AS: Anytime I lose I would like to forget it, but as they always say in baseball bad memory is good. BS: Who are your favorite baseball team(s) and player(s)? AS: My favorite professional baseball team is the New York Yankees. My favorite players are Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain. BS: Do you play and/or watch any other favorite sports? Who do you like? AS: I watch all sports. Most people who know me well know that. I'm all about Notre Dame anything. I am a huge Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan. BS: What are you aspirations after your career at Franklin Pierce University? AS: I would love to play professional baseball and just being able to compete is my favorite thing to do. There's nothing like getting on the rubber and going to battle. I would also like to have a good job that I enjoy, and eventually be able to start my own business.