Hurler ready to face world

March 1, 2013

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PUMPED: Jeremy Manley is ready for the World Championships.

 

ORIGINAL STORY - by Tony Smith

 

Black Sox pitching ace Jeremy Manley expects to be firing by the business end of the world championships after recovering from knee surgery. 

    Everyone expects the Feilding 30-year-old  to be New Zealand's main man on the mound at the International Softball Federation tournament which starts in Auckland today. 

    But Manley says it could take all four pitchers - or all five now veteran first baseman Jarrad Martin is being pressed into part-time service - for the Black Sox to regain their title. 

    Manley candidly admits he has less zip on his fastball than he did in his younger days. That's not surprising, because he battled a knee injury for almost two years until accepting surgery was needed late last year. 

    "About 10 weeks ago I had an operation to remove the loose cartilage, now I don't have any cartilage under the kneecap, it's all gone, mate." 

    The injury was to his left knee - his front leg which he plants when driving off the mound. "It's quite pivotal in the pitching process." 

    He said it was still sore when he starting pitching at buildup tournaments in Auckland last month but is "getting better by the day". 

    The Black Sox will need him in tip-top shape when the playoffs start next Friday, but Manley wants to be ready before then. 

    He was clocked at 135kmh (84mph) "in the 12th inning of a 16-inning game" in the United States in 2007. 

    "Last year at the ISC [International Softball Congress tournament in the US], I got clocked at 79mph [127kmh]. Five miles in this game is a lot. But you can make up for that by having better pitches. 

    "You learn to pitch the ball instead of just leaning back and throwing it [hard]. I've developed a couple more pitches and I'm still working on some." 

    Pitching is in Manley's DNA - he's surrounded by hurlers. His father, Glen, was a leading Manawatu pitcher in the 1980s. Younger brother Regan, who hurls for Hawke's Bay and for Parklands Christchurch United as a guest at tournaments, was unlucky not to make the Black Sox squad. 

    Jeremy Manley's wife, Ali (nee Arnold), pitched for the New Zealand White Sox at two world championships. Her father, Graham, was a top New Zealand provincial pitcher in the 1970s. 

    A young Jeremy Manley was considered a throwback to the New Zealand pitching greats of the sport's 20th century heyday - the heir apparent to Bill Massey, Kevin Herlihy, Owen Walford, Michael White, Steve Jackson, Peter Meredith, Chubb Tangaroa and Marty Grant. 

    He was expected to be No 1 at the last world championships in Saskatoon, Canada in 2009. Grant, who was then 43, still proved to be the Kiwi ace and left-hander Heinie Shannon started the final, which the Black Sox lost 5-0 to Australia. 

    Manley said Shannon, who pitched for Samoa at the 2004 tournament and New Zealand in 2009, had a lot of experience and was generous "in helping us younger fellas". 

    The final decision will be made by head coach Eddie Kohlhase and pitching coach Tangaroa, a former Manawatu player. 

    In Herlihy's era - from 1966 to 1984 - the No 1 pitcher threw every game. That was partly why Walford, Herlihy's understudy, went to pitch for the United States, whom he hurled to the world title in 1980. 

    Manley said those days are gone. "Now, with the hitting becoming so effective, it's become a bit more like baseball and teams are bringing on another pitcher when you get through a lineup once. By the time you get to the fifth inning, the hitters might have faced three different pitchers." 

    "You don't see too many [starting] pitchers throwing the whole seven innings now," said Manley, who admitted he still likes to. 

    Manley hasn't pitched for the Black Sox in New Zealand since 2008. He plays for Colorado club Pueblo Bandits but commutes from Bloomington, Illinois - wife Ali's hometown. 

    "She's been watching me throw for a long time and she can soon figure out what I am doing wrong." 

    With the world championships now held every two years, Manley might be around a lot longer. Pitchers tend to peak in their 30s. 

    But he said the aim is to "empty the tank" in Auckland, try to help the Black Sox back in the winner's circle, and take it from there. 

    Black Sox Roster Infield: Tyrone Bartorillo (Canterbury),  Tyson Byrne (Hutt Valley), Rhys Casley (captain) (Hutt Valley), Daniel  Milne (Canterbury), Nathan Nukunuku (Auckland), Brad Rona (North  Harbour). Outfield: Ben Enoka (Auckland), Donny Hale (Auckland), Wayne  Laulu (Wellington), Thomas Makea (Wellington), Jarrad Martin  (Wellington) Pitcher: Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley), Penese Iosefo  (Canterbury) Jeremy Manley (USA), Heinrick Shannon (Auckland). Catcher:  Patrick Shannon (Auckland), Aaron Stroman-Neemia (Wellington). Head  coach: Eddie Kohlhase. Assistant coach: Dave Workman Pitching coach:  Chubb Tangaroa Manager: Carl Gould 

    Black Sox Draw: (all games at Rosedale  Park, Auckland) March 1: v Mexico 7.30pm March 2: v Colombia 2.30pm  March 3: v Japan 2.30pm March 4: v Canada 7.30pm March 5: v Argentina  7.30pm March 6: v Netherlands 7.30pm March 7: v Philippines 7.30pm March  8: Playoffs March 9: Playoffs March 10: Medal games