Last night I had the opportunity to be on a conference call with Yankees RHP Luis Severino, thanks to my friends at Long Island Baseball and Play Ball International. He answered a number of questions from the young ballplayers regarding his best experiences on the diamond, how he built his arm strength, etc. After he answered those questions, I was able to ask three of my own. Here’s what he had to say.
Vinny Messana: So we know the Dominican Republic is a hot bed for talent. I’m curious what the youngsters are doing to stay sharp during this time with no competitive baseball.
Luis Severino: So I can talk about experiences I have with my brother, he’s working out down there with a couple friends. They’e just working out at the house.There’s a routine you can do, or even just working on mechanics or even just toss a ball against the house. It’s tough right now because we can’t go outside or play with a team but you can also do stuff that can help you with your mechanics and stuff you have to work on.
VM: Can you explain what the atmosphere is like during a Yankees-Red Sox game? Just being in the stands is amazing but what is it like being between the lines during the heat of the pennant race?
LS: It’s something that I can’t even explain. It’s a great feeling every time we face them – even during the regular season. When we face each other, this is the game. This is the team you’re going to be facing every time you see those guys it’s gonna be their best. So every time they come to New York or we go up there, we have to give 100 percent to beat those guys.
VM: How old were you when you had your biggest velocity jump?
LS: I would say 17. When I was 16, at the first tryout that I did I was like 82-83 and then I would say mid 17 I was throwing 88-89 and touching 91 at that time.
