Adelphi Reaping the Benefits of Kevin Salmon’s Presence

by Vinny Messana

Over the past half a dozen seasons, the Adelphi Panthers have had five different pitching coaches.

They appear to have found their answer with the current coach, Kevin Salmon. In his first year in charge of the staff, the Panthers ERA decreased from 4.60 to 3.71.

That in itself is a reflection on him, but the real value may be in the intangibles he brings to the table.

Salmon, a former professional pitcher that played his high school ball at Brentwood and collegiately for Briarcliffe and Coastal Carolina, has had a calming effect on the staff.

All the pitcher’s spoke glowingly of their experiences with him and are excited to work with him once again.

I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…

What are your fondest memories of growing up and playing on Long Island?

First thing that comes to mind was the amount of sandlot sports all the kids in the neighborhood played. We stayed active almost everyday. In my eyes, that has taken a back seat to organized athletics. We all tried to sink that last jump shot, or complete one last 4th down Hail Mary before the sun went down. After all, when the street lights came on, it was time to go home.

My favorite memories about playing baseball growing up, always includes my father. For those who had a chance to meet him, knew how passionate he was about the game. Some that stand out the most. The long car rides, being my personal catcher in the yard while using a glove with zero padding.

I can still picture him sitting in his lawn chair, with his cooler, heckling every umpire all game long. One final memory which might be the coolest one, we would all pack up Dad’s station wagon and head to Stony Brook and watch our older brother (Johnny) play a doubleheader. Those lineups Coach Senk ran out there in the late 90s were scary.

Batavia Muckdogs Kevin Salmon during a NY-Penn League game at Dwyer Stadium on July 30, 2006 in Batavia, New York. (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)

Being that you are a Coastal Carolina alum, what was it like watching their run that culminated in winning their first nat’l championship in program history?

Watching Coastal go on that run made me so proud to have once wore that Black and Teal. It’s so amazing to watch that program excel like they have. It’s the greatest moment in the program and school’s history. The knock on Coastal was that they always played in a small conference, but let me tell you this-Coastal has been a powerhouse for years.

I saw Coastal’s Associate Head Coach Kevin Schnall last summer on the road at a showcase, and it was so obvious to me how excited he was about going into the year. I know how hard that staff has worked over the years and couldn’t have been anymore happier for them. Plus, National Champs has a pretty sweet ring to it.

When you look back on your pro career, what is your lasting impression?

My lasting impression on my pro ball days are just how much the fans really enjoyed any interaction. A two minute conversation with a young kid would make his eyes light up. Once I noticed that, I would spend time talking to young fans all the time. They thought we were superheros. A really cool feeling, and one of the many things I miss most about playing.

You just finished up your first season at Adelphi, what was your experience like and what do you like about the 2017 staff?

Obviously the way our season ended was a disappointment. No sugar coating it. We as a whole know that, and we have turned the page and narrowed our focus on this year.
I like the pieces we added not only to our pitching staff, but I think our team speed and team defense will be better. Our No. 1, TJ Santiago’s track record speaks for itself. Especially the numbers he put up last year in the NE-10. I believe if his numbers stay identical, there’s a chance his name will be called in next June’s draft. Then our change of pace guy Matt O’Connor, who to me in lack of better terms, is really a frustrating at bat. A guy who will rewind in any count and someone who has a great feel for three pitches. Those two guys lead our staff, but we are very excited about our Freshman coming in, which provides us much needed depth in our bullpen.

It’s always a good look for a program to have players selected in the draft, was it a thrill seeing Jonathon Mulford get selected?

I was at a family function the day of the draft, and I would check my phone every 5 minutes to see if Jonathon went. It was getting late, and I told myself ” okay a couple more picks, if he doesn’t go it wasn’t meant to be”. Sure enough right after I said that I saw The Cardinals had selected him. I was so happy for him and his family.
In my 5 years of coaching at the college level, I have never done so much video analysis with one individual as much as I did with Johnathon. Numbers stated that he was having a down year, but his work ethic never varied. If anything it was more intensified. I’m glad one scout saw it in him and gave him a shot at the next level.

As a pitching coach in the northeast, do you feel like the pitching in the NE-10 is among the best crop in the region?

In my honest assessment, I do believe the NE-10 is one of the better pitching conferences not only in the Northeast, but in the country at the Division 2 level. With the numbers Pierce puts up every year, along with SNHU, Pace, Le Moyne and ourselves, the conference is dominated by pitching and doesn’t look to slow down anytime soon. Just the way I like it!

The game of baseball can be a humbling one, is there anything you like to tell a pitcher on your staff after they have a rough outing?

Everyone has failure in this sport. You should expect to have it at some point or another. You know, I think winners are made on how they bounce back from failure. When a kid has a disappointing outing, they know exactly that. No need to come down on a kid.
– When it comes time for our next bullpen we’ll adjust something mechanically and hopefully he has better success attacking hitters his next time he toes the rubber. I wish it were as simple as a pat on the tail feather and a” don’t worry get them next time”. But then I wouldn’t be coaching or mentoring or teaching a kid. The best time to teach is when a kid fails. That’s when you see maturity sink in.

And from one of his pitchers, Matt O’Connor, on what he has meant to the Adelphi Panthers…

“Coach Salmon has been a top-notch pitching coach for me personally. He has knowledge of the game and the art of pitching that few coaches I’ve dealt with that. Between the minor tweaks and the major adjustments, he sees it all. What makes him successful, I believe, is that he is always able to make you feel loose and comfortable on the mound while helping you at the same time. It’s never a tense or frustrating time when he comes out to the mound in the games or when he adjusts you in the bullpen. He connects well with every pitcher on the staff and helps us out in our individual ways.”