FEATURES
Chris Cruz: A Story of Power-Hitting, Perserverance and High-Intellect
When Chris Cruz failed the first test of his life he was not pleased. Not that anyone is ever pleased to fail a test–but for Chris, he went through his entire youth without ever experiencing much failure and now a freshman at the prestiguous Cornell University, he was now starting his college career in a way he never could’ve imagined. “It definitely made me revamp the way I was going to go about things,” said the 2010 graduate of Bay Shore HS. Things always came easily for Chris–whether it be in the classroom (he graduated in the top 10% of his class with a 91 GPA), or on the diamond or the basketball and volleyball court. Thus is life for Ivy League student-athletes, who are forced to deal with the added pressure of maintaining strong grades while also honor...
Marcos Perivolaris Following the Stroman Blueprint to Success
by Mike Connors Height doesn’t measure heart. That’s the motto for 5’6 Cortland sophomore Marcos Perivolaris. The saying “HDMH” was made famous by Pat-Med grad and Blue Jays star pitcher, Marcus Stroman. For Perivolaris, he lives by this motto not only on the field, but off the field as well. “It’s not about your physical appearance–it’s about your drive, work ethic, and your ability to compete,” says Perivolaris. The reason Cortland is such a great fit for Marcos is because everyone around him, including head coach Joe Brown, knows that your height doesn’t matter as long as you have the heart. You have to make up for your height in certain ways, and the ability to compete is just one of many. Ever since Perivolaris was youn...
Jimmy Joyce: The Cold-Blooded Warrior
(Photo Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy) Baseball can be a nerve-wracking game for players. There’s a lot of quick-twitch movements that can be effected by feeling pressure. Jimmy Joyce is not like those players. “I’ve always been the type to not get nervous,” said New York’s Class A Player of the Year, who guided the Wantagh Warriors to their first state championship since 1998 with a tremendous season. He batted .373 with 4 HR, 34 RBI at the plate and he went 9-1 with a 1.09 ERA with 73 strikeouts on the mound. “I always tell myself–nerves are fake. This always helps me on the field.” From the time Joyce was four years old, it was clear he was destined to be an elite athlete. He played soccer, football, basketball and baseball in his youth, but ...
Q & A With Paul Britt of St. Joseph’s
One of the benefits of being a successful program is having top-talent choose to transfer to you when things don’t work out where they started. This is becoming the case for St. Joseph’s, who has been able to snag some talented players–Nick Girardi, Ryan Aloise, P.J Martino, Lou Doria and now Paul Britt–who chose to come home and play for the Golden Eagles. Our reporter David Moskowitz had a chance to speak with him and here is the conversation…. You played high school baseball at St Anthony’s. What was it like to play there and play in the Catholic League? I loved every second of it. Coach Phelan, Amendola, and Gemma were all great to me. My personal opinion is that the Catholic league is one of the top leagues on the island. The quality of p...
Running For His Life: Why Matt Diaz’ Fastball Will Get You Paying Attention to NYIT
“If you don’t lose a lot of weight, you won’t be a part of this team.” This is what Matt Diaz was told by Coach Bob Malvagna when he showed up to school at 250 lbs despite getting rave reviews from his high school coach–Joe Cubas. After all, Cubas had a great reputation within the baseball community as the coach who discovered Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and vouched for the Miami-native Diaz as a worthy athlete to pitch at NYIT. Upon hearing that, Diaz knew it was time to kick his workout regimen into high gear. Now a senior and in the best shape of his life at 205 lbs, Diaz is finally living up to the potential that he showed while pitching in Miami as a high school prospect. He was getting recruited by many schools; notably Florida Atlant...
Matt Reistetter On Handling Adversity
(Editor’s Note: Matt is a four-year member of the Washington Nationals minor league system. He is a 2010 graduate of Hauppauge HS and was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Hofstra University in 2013. He has compiled a .272 AVG through four seasons.) by Matt Reistetter When my father passed away when I was 14–baseball saved me. When my girlfriend passed away when I was 16–baseball saved me. My mind is the strongest tool I possess. I can handle adversity. I can handle the grind. A season in the minor leagues is a grind. Especially during August. Every aspect of your life is strictly regimented to a set of routines you’ve established since Spring Training. Except on that day you get the text from the trainer, “No BP, no early work. Report at 6. Show and Go.” These day...
Q & A With Jake Doyle
Jake Doyle is a 2015 graduate of Seaford HS, where he posted a .375 career AVG and recorded 100 career hits. He was named All-County in his junior season and is now playing at Vassar College. David Moskowitz had a chance to speak with him and here is what he had to say… You attended Seaford High School. What was it like to play there? Playing at Seaford was one of the best experiences of my life. There is something special about putting on a jersey with your hometown written across the front: there is a huge sense of pride in it. Growing up I would always go to the varsity games knowing that one day it would be me on the field. Being able to play with some of my best childhood friends by my side is a privilege I will never experience again, and is a memory I look back at and wish ...
Anthony Varvaro: More Than Just a Ballplayer
Spring Training is generally filled with mindless fielding practice and a lot of downtime for pitchers when they are not in a game. That’s when players joke around or discuss their innermost thoughts. It was in this setting in February of this year when Anthony Varvaro and Rick Porcello were in the outfield talking about their post-baseball career plans. “It would be pretty cool to sit in front of the Holland Tunnel and collect money from people,” joked the now reigning AL Cy Young Winner. Both players shared a laugh–but little did Porcello know what his buddy was actually planning. Varvaro, who had six years of Major League experience at that point was a criminal justice major at St. John’s University and had aspirations of going into law enforcement. “...
Man Of Steel: How Eric Russo Finds Inspiration To Overcome Life’s Obstacles
Editors Note: Eric is a 2017 graduate of Centereach HS. He is uncommitted at the moment, but has put himself on the radar since this past summer when his velocity spiked from the upper 70s to mid 80s. ) By Eric Russo There have been many things that have held me back throughout my life both on and off of the field. Tryouts will be Jan. 15 at MacArthur HS! The most prominent of which occurred before I could even take the field. My family has had to persevere through some struggles the last few years that no family should ever have to deal with. I was born with two special needs siblings; my sister that has cerebral palsy, and my little brother that has autism. So taking care of them has always been more important and had to come before baseball. This become more prominent w...
Greg Weissert on His Successful 2016 Season
Photo Credit: Fordham University Athletics (Editor’s Note: Greg is a 2013 graduate of Bay Shore HS. He was selected by the New York Yankees in the 18th round of the MLB Draft out of Fordham University.) by Greg Weissert My last season at Fordham was the spring of 2016, and it was one that I will never forget. Although at times it was extremely stressful–with the thought of the draft never far from my mind–I tried not to let that take away from the fun and competiveness that came with playing with my teammates, maybe for the last time. Playing with the draft process in full effect was a new experience for me. I had to focus on my game, working to prepare for every start and keeping my emotions in check. It was fun and exciting, but at the same time, it was absolutely nerve wracking. 2017 tr...
Max Nielsen: Why I Chose UCONN
When Max Nielsen was in sixth grade, something was going on that would wind up shaping his future. It wasn’t anything he could control either, ironically. A southpaw named Anthony Kay was dominating hitters on Long Island to the tune of a 0.00 ERA over 55 IP. That success attracted the attention of virtually every college baseball coach in the northern hemisphere. He ultimately chose to attend the University of Connecticut (UCONN), where he would hopefully anchor the rotation for the Huskies over the next four years. In reality it was only three years, but it was good enough to get drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft by the New York Mets. That three-year tenure was not just beneficial for Kay’s future and UCONN’s success, but it also was good for future south...
Branden Falco Discusses How He Persevered Through Injuries
(Editor’s Note: Branden is a 2017 graduate of Kings Park HS. Today he announced he has committed to LIU Post. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 80s.) By Branden Falco My baseball career has been a bumpy flight. When I started playing baseball at 8-years-old, pitching was my first love. When I was 13, I started feeling tingling down my arm when I threw. I went to an orthopedic surgeon Dr. Scott Alpert and he sent me for an MRI. It came back showing a swollen rotator cuff and my labrum was very loose. After hearing that, the beginning of my freshman year I began training with Xceleration sports training. When I went there for my evaluation, the manager, Steve Wilk, stated that if I want to pitch in college, I need to shut it down until 11th grade and just play a position. This was to...
