Tag Team 2
Veteran stalwart Dan Wilson and rising star Ben Davis discuss the art of catching Freddy Garcia and Jamie Moyer
Garcia and Moyer talk about a devastating right-left combo! Well, this season, the Mariners have another formidable tag team in catchers Dan Wilson and Ben Davis, who clearly have made their presence felt, particularly with a pitching staff that, top to bottom, ranks among the best in the Majors. Mariners Magazine knew that a story about Seattleís pitching 1-2 punch would nit be complete without talking to the dynamic duo on the receiving end of each 95 mph fastball, 85 mph change-up, and everything else in between.
Mariners Magazine: Style wise, what makes catching Freddy and Jamie unique?
Dan Wilson: With Jamie, it's more of a thinking kind of game. You are trying to mess up [the hitters] timing. With Freddy, there's a bit more of going after hitters. He's got such good stuff and throws so hard that he can get away with a little bit more than Jamie. They've got good stuff; it's just very, very different stuff.
Ben Davis: When in doubt with Jamie, throw the change-up. But with Freddy, he can throw all three pitches to either side of the plate. Heís got overpowering stuff. If a guy is sitting on a pitch, Freddy still has the ability to reach back and throw a 96-mile-an-hour sinker. He can throw it by the hitter or make a guy reach for it.
MM: How do you call a game differently for those two?
BD: I think Jamie is the most prepared pitcher in the game. Heís got a notebook on everybody, and he likes to out-think you. Freddy relies mostly on his stuff, while Jamie relies on scouting reports and setting hitters up. I think both of them rely on us because we see different things than they see from the mound. Weíll see hitters trying to make adjustments that they canít see.
MM: Have you ever caught anyone who is comparable to either Jamie or Freddy?
DW: I would compare Jamie to John Halama. There are not a lot of pitchers like Freddy. Randy Johnson was more of a power pitcher like him, but he would rely on his fastball more, and his slider. Freddy can also rely on his curve and his change-up.
BD: Freddy's sinker is comparable to Kevin Brown's. He's got so much power with it, then it just drops off the table. Sometimes Brownie could rear back and throw a four-seamer 97 miles an hour, while Freddy relies on his two-seamer a little more.
MM: What makes Moyer's changeup so tough on hitters?
DW: You can't really differentiate it from his fastball. And it's his arm speed. When he's throwing 84, 85, and not generating a lot of arm speed, then he throws the change-up with that same arm speed, the hitters have no idea whether he's throwing the change-up or fastball.
BD: It's his location, too. Hitters aren't stupid. They know he's going to throw the change-up. They get into a situation where they're sitting on the change-up, and they get it, but it may be out of the [strike] zone. Then they reach it, and they might roll it over for a ground back or pop it up.
MM: How do you know when to call for the change-up?
DW: Theres a lot of different factors. One is just to see the hitter's approach. You can tell if a guy is waiting to hit a pitch that's up in the zone or something. Those are the guys you've got to be careful of. If you get a guy who is a big swinger, a younger guy who is a hacker, you can probably throw three or four in a row and get him.
A Place to Call Their Own
Mariners Care and Seattle Mariners wives join with First Place School to help homeless families and children
It didn't take Annie Wilson long to find her life's calling. Fresh out of college in 1991, Annie began teaching inner-city children in Minneapolis, while her new husband Dan toiled in the Cincinnati Reds farm system. There is so much joy in helping children who are most in need, said Wilson. Eleven years later, the Wilsons are a world away from inner-city Minneapolis and the struggles of a minor league baseball player's salary. But they have found a way to share their good fortune through their work with First Place School, a unique program that serves families in need. Now in its 13th year, First Place enrolls about 70 students from kindergarten through the sixth grade. Each student's circumstances are unique, but they all share something in common: crisis. Due to homelessness, domestic violence, drug and alcohol dependency, or any number of issues that lead to instability, the families that come to First Place find their lives in turmoil. The kids deal with so much. They're living in shelters, hotels, cars. In their short lives they've lived more than we can imagine. First Place provides stability for them. They can relax, be together with other children in their same circumstances and be with people who understand and care about them, said Wilson.
Children and Families in Transition
Students stay at First Place for an average of 20 weeks - enough time to get settled into a routine that will help them make the transition into a public school. With small classes - a 14:1 student to teacher ratio - First Place works with each student individually to create a teaching plan to meet their needs. In the words of Executive Director Doreen Cato, We create an academic, social and emotional lesson plan for each child according to their needs. But what makes First Place so unique, and successful, according to Wilson, is its holistic approach. First Place isn't just about education. They provide a full range of services to the entire family, whether its [sic] food, clothing, or parenting services. As Cato put it, First Place only works for the children because it works for the whole family. If you don't help the parents, you're not helping the child. We can provide a stable experience for them in the classroom, but it won't matter if their world outside the school is in chaos. Our goal is to get kids and families [sic] lives back on track, get the kids into regular schools and help the family get on its feet. To that end, in addition to education, First Place offers a Family Stabilization Program that includes seven units of housing and case management services for families with children enrolled in First Place. The success of this approach is illustrated by the story of one woman who had moved her family of five children 15 times in a short period of time. Cato said that while the mother battled a drug addiction, she somehow managed to keep her family together. With help from various agencies, including First Place School, the family finally found stability and a permanent home. The mother, Josephine Howell, is now a member of the First Place Advisory Board.
A School in Transition
First Place recently concluded a successful capital campaign that raised over $6 million to purchase and renovate a beautiful building in Seattleís Central District. First Place now has a proper home, completely with kitchen, spacious classrooms, a sunny library and computer lab, and the room for staff and counselors to work with students and families closely and confidentially. Annie Wilson beamed when she talked about the new school. These children need so much, but they deserve to have new books, new clothing, a new building that they can call their own. They take pride in and have a real sense of ownership of their school. Executive Director Doreen Cato said more changes and challenges are on the horizon for First Place. Our next goal is to become a free Independent School. We're in the process of securing our state license and accreditation. The move will give the school more autonomy and, Cato hopes, enable them to serve more children and families. By the start of the 2003 school year, First Place plans to enroll its first seventh and eighth graders. By 2005 or 2006, Cato said they will reach their maximum enrollment of 150 students.
A Community Effort
First Place is truly a remarkable story, said Cato. The entire community has come together to make it happen. We don't have all the answers, but we're searching for long-term solutions. Cato summed up First Place's goal succinctly: We are going to end homelessness one family at a time.
You Can Help
You can help the Mariners Wives raise funds for First Place School. On Friday, August 16, Mariners Wives and volunteers will be in the stands at SAFECO Field selling raffle tickets to win a 2002 Nissan Altima, courtesy of Nissan of Fife, Burien/Auburn Nissan and Performance Nissan, and two baseballs autographed by the entire team. They'll also be selling grab bags for $75, each containing a baseball autographed by a member of the 2002 Seattle Mariners. Each player and member of the coaching staff has signed two-dozen baseballs. Each baseball goes in an unlabeled paper bag. Who you get is decided by luck of the draw. You may get an Ichiro Suzuki, or a Lou Piniella, or a John Moses.
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