By Sasha Kalra @sashakalra
SPECIAL TO SPORTSNET.CA
DUNEDIN, FL — The opportunity to play professional baseball is a privilege that Ian Kadish doesn’t take for granted.
An undrafted relief pitcher, Kadish spent last season splitting time between the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League and single-A Lansing Lugnuts.
The six-foot right-hander reflected on his approach towards baseball at the Bobby Mattick Training Center on a bright Monday.
“You have to sell out to the process and buy into the lifestyle,” said the Cincinnati native. “I pride myself in how hard I work and like to set the bar high for everybody else.”
The Blue Jays signed Kadish as a free agent shortly after the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. In 30 appearances last season he had 57 strikeouts en route to a 2.66 ERA, finishing with seven saves.
The former Marshall University Thundering Herd hurler is appreciative of the opportunity the Blue Jays have given him.
“All I ever asked for was an opportunity and I try to make the most of it,” he noted. “What you put in is what you’ll get out of it.”
Kadish’s mentors rave about his work ethic and continue to help him achieve his goals. Mike Maundrell, his coach at the Midland Baseball Summer Program, has worked with Kadish since he was a teenager.
They focused on developing the ‘lower half’ of Kadish’s body, and incorporated it into his pitching repertoire every day this off-season.
“We’ve been working primarily on getting more explosion in his lower body and tying that explosion into the separation of the hips and shoulders into the delivery of the baseball with less arm effort and more lower body effort,” said Maundrell.
“He works as hard now as he worked when he was 16.”
Strong relationship
The pair’s strong relationship has been cultivated through respect and mutual admiration.
“If I had never worked with him I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Kadish. “He’s like my father in baseball.”
The most effective relief pitchers have a certain type of mental toughness that allows them to embrace and thrive within high-pressure environments.
“I’ve always liked having the pressure on me,” said Kadish. “I do better under pressure.”
Chris Fiehrer, the head baseball coach at Wyoming High School, has fond memories of Kadish’s intellectual capacity.
“He was always working on the mental side of his game,” said Fiehrer. “He wasn’t just going to go out and throw as hard as he could…he wanted to be a smart pitcher.”
Fiehrer spoke with Kadish before he left for spring training this year and admires the conviction that he has shown throughout his career.
“What set Ian apart from many other players is that he was confident,” added Fiehrer. “He knew he would have to work but his confidence was contagious for other players.”
Kadish has made good impressions on many of his current and former coaches, frequently visiting his old high school to work with young players. His eyes perked up and he smiled when talking about the prospect of coaching in the future.
“That might be a possibility, but hopefully it’s another 10 to 15 years down the line.”
