MAY 17th, 2012-It was an honor for me to spend a little time today with a pitcher I've been following closely since his professional debut last year at Bluefield (Rookie Class, Appalachian League): Blue Jays prospect and Cincinnati native RHP Ian Kadish. Ian was more than willing to devote a bit of his time to answering a few questions I had for him about his time in pro ball, both on and off the field, and I thank him for that.
You had a great year at Bluefield in 2011. What one thing would you say was the greatest reason for your success?
If I had to pick one thing for the reason for my success in Bluefield in 2011, it would have to be my competitive nature. I compete at everything I do, no matter what the scenario. I hate losing and will go to great lengths to win. Along with that is my work ethic...I even compete to out work everybody else.
You had a great year at Bluefield in 2011. What one thing would you say was the greatest reason for your success?
If I had to pick one thing for the reason for my success in Bluefield in 2011, it would have to be my competitive nature. I compete at everything I do, no matter what the scenario. I hate losing and will go to great lengths to win. Along with that is my work ethic...I even compete to out work everybody else.
Tell me about your pitching repetoire. Is there one pitch you feel most confident in throwing? How do you approach pressure situations (runners on, small lead, etc)?
The fastball is obviously my go to pitch, but if I am in a pressure situation, I like to go to the slider. I have great confidence with all of my pitches and feel I can throw them at any time.
During this year's Spring Training, what have you tried to concentrate on the most? How would you say the Blue Jays coaches handle their young pitching prospects?
This Spring I have tried to concentrate the most on fastball command down in the zone. The Blue Jay coaches preach that and it is a huge emphasis in our program. I think they do a wonderful job with the young prospects by pushing them, but not too much. They really develop some great prospects down here.
What does it mean to you to be Jewish in a sport in which there haven't been a lot of Jewish stars in recent years? Do you feel that baseball is a thriving sport among Jewish athletes?
It means a lot to me to be Jewish in baseball. There have been some amazing Jewish players such as Sandy Koufax and Shawn Green...hopefully I can add my name to the list as well!
Have you had a moment in any level of baseball when you were ready to quit the game, altogether? What was it that changed your mind?
There was a time I will never forget where I had a breakdown because I was so frustrated with the game. I was ready to quit all together and move on with my life. The person that was there with me was my mom. I broke down and let all my frustration out and only my mom knows exactly how frustrated I really was. She got me through it though and I can't thank her enough!
Concerning the fans, has there ever been a moment when you were put in a situation that made you uncomfortable? Any fans that have been a little too aggressive?
Hahaha! There has not been a moment yet where I was uncomfortable...It takes a lot to make me uncomfortable, but I love my fans and I love interacting with them!
How do you keep yourself occupied on those long bus trips?
The long bus trips are filled with a great amount of movies, music, sleep, and more music! Anything to pass the time!
Is there one player in the Jays organization who's made an impression on you? How about the best player no one knows about?
I can't pick one player in the organization that has made an impression on me because there are so many great players here. I could go on for days about different players and it wouldn't be fair to pick just one.
If you weren't playing baseball, what would you most want to do with your life?
If I wasn't playing baseball, I would probably be in Grad School for Exercise Science. I love the way the body works and I love working out. My strength coach in college made a huge impact on me and I love what he does.
What advice would you offer to young players looking to make it in the pros?
The advice I would offer was given to me by my manager in Bluefield, Dennis Holmberg. He told me to keep chasing your dream and never give up. Work hard and sometime down the road either in the near future or far it will pay off.
Follow Ian on Twitter (@TheBearJew36) and on his personal blog page (One Love...Baseball) for some serious insight on the man, the player, and the dream chaser. You'll be glad you did.
