Jordan Conley Interview-Part 2

Our interview with Miami Marlins prospect Jordan Conley continues with his stories on the draft,his pitches and his time in the NY/Penn league...

TRS: You were an undrafted free agent and then signed with the Marlins.
What was the process that you went through both in waiting to be drafted and then signing after not being selected? Were you contacted by other teams?

JC: I listened to the entire draft at my house with my Dad. I was probably about 90% sure i would get taken by someone as a pitcher. I mean I had to of filled out 10-12 prospect forms sent to me by teams. As we listened it started getting into the later rounds and I was getting pretty frustrated. Then I heard the name of another closer in the conference get called who made 2nd team relief pitcher behind me. I was fed up and didn't understand. So I helped coach the Hamilton Joes, A college summer team in my hometown who played in the Great Lakes League. During that month after the draft I was about to sign with the Florence Freedom and Independent team in the Frontier League and the Marlins called and said your leaving tomorrow. So I said I'll be there. I just wanted a chance and the Marlins gave it to me. The Rangers called a week later but I was already in Florida. That's not to say that I still didn't have a little bitterness inside from the draft. Not being drafted is still what drives me to this day. I just want to prove everyone wrong that said i was too small in high school, who didn't think I could go D1, who didn't think I was good enough to get drafted, who said I didn't throw hard enough, and the people who decided to stick me in extended spring training 2 years in row.

TRS: Why the Marlins?


JC:  I chose the Marlins because they were the first one that called. If you give me a chance then I'm indebted to you for giving me the opportunity and I going to bust my butt for you.



TRS:Tell me a bit about what you throw and what you are comfortable throwing.


JC: I throw and 4 seam fastball, changeup, and slider. I'm pretty comfortable with all three. When you don't have a power fastball then you better be able to throw all your pitches for strikes. Spotting up with the fastball is crucial for me to get ahead in the count so I don't have to show my off speed early in the count.



TRS:Which is your true "out" pitch?


JC: It would have to be my slider, but my changeup is coming along.

TRS:The NY/Penn league is known for some old ballparks and you played in one in Jamestown-any good bad facility stories?


JC: The best park in the New York Penn League was probably Aberdeen or State College but it's a big dropoff after that. Some of them were embarrassing to play at they were so bad. But the worst was probably Batavia and Jamestown was a close second. But lucky for the young Marlins they have now moved from Jamestown to Batavia. Great move right, haha. A pretty funny story in Jamestown was when second base was stolen. Literally someone stole the base off our field. The GM was convinced that it was one of the players since we lived next to the field. He even made a police report over a stolen base. He was screaming and yelling saying he was going to check every one of the players rooms and when he found it he was going to send them home. Come to find out the base turns up in a nearby field. Lets just say one of our coaches knew right where it was in the field. Is he guilty of messing with the GM? I guess we'll never know.....

Clarkson raps the Rags!

David Clarkson scored twice (6 and 7) and assisted on Adam Henrique's goal (2) to pace the New Jersey Devils to a 3-1 win in their first game of the season against the rival New York Rangers.
Patrik Elias assisted on all three goals with Martin Brodeur stopping 24 shots in his return from a game off.
The Devils will host Tampa Bay on Thursday...

Hell Raisers

1) I must admit,I was unsure that David Clarkson was going to repeat his offensive form of last season,but Clarkson has avoided the top pitfall of dirty work players.
Which is thinking that they are flashy scorers and then watching their goal totals fall.
David Clarkson isn't changing his game and as a result,his play has not suffered.

2) Adam "the Ranger Killer" Henrique continued to round into shape and centered the Elias/Clarkson line.
Henrique was especially effective on the forecheck and seems to have good chemistry with Elias and Clarkson.
I hope to see more of this line and not be temporary because it could be the Devils best line...

3) Martin Brodeur was sharp in his return with several highlight film style saves.
Brodeur stopped Rick Nash in the first with the puck crossing the line after the net was broken away.
His save on Karl Hagelin in the third was better with Marty falling stomach first on the puck like a King Kong Bundy big splash!

4) Marty might be best served this year taking more time off,if this game is any indication.
Between Brodeur's strong game against the Rangers and Johan Hedberg's play in his two starts,this makes a lot of sense to me....

5) The play of the game was not just one play,it was four minutes of play.
The first period high stick of Andy Greene that cut former Devil Aaron Asham gave the Rangers four minutes of power play time.
The PK unit that burned that penalty took the life right out of the Rangers...

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Jordan Conley Interview-Part 1

We start another interview today with Jordan Conley.

Jordan is a relief pitching prospect with the Miami Marlins and is a former standout at Xavier University.
Jordan was a member of the 2010 SAL Champion Greensboro Grasshoppers and split last season between High A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville.
Thanks to Jordan to taking the time to do an interview with us....

ThoughtsofRS:  You played shortstop at Xavier as well as being their closer,tell me a bit about playing shortstop in the college game.....

JC: I can't think of a better position on the field to play. On average I would say you are involved in more plays in a game besides the pitcher and catcher. I would rather have it come my way than anyone else. That is just the way you have to think, you have to be confident in your ability. That's why you practice to master your skill everyday. Its still the same game as high school as it is in college but it just gets faster at every level.
 

TRS: You set the record for Saves in a season at Xavier,did you think that pitching was your ticket to pro ball or did you think you had a chance as a hitter?

JC: I really never thought of myself as a pitcher. I have always done both but I have always considered myself a shortstop first. I just wanted to play the game day in and day out. I just can't understand why you would want to sit and wait to pitch on a given day and have the chance not to play at all. I really thought I was good enough to get a shot to play shortstop and hitter at the professional level. In fact I know I was. But I have learned to understand the development side of the minor leagues. I think I could have played short at the lower levels but as you see the young guys out of high school grow up and get better every year I realized that I probably wouldn't have progressed as well as them. I just think i got the most out of the ability God had given me and I wouldn't have progressed as rapidly as them. So if the Marlins come calling and want you to pitch then that's what you do. You don't pass up an opportunity to play pro ball just because you may be bitter for not getting a chance as a hitter.

TRS: What attracted you to attend Xavier,were there any other schools that you considered?

JC: I really just wanted to go back home and play. I went to John A. Logan Junior College in Illinois for two years as a position player only. Its no secret that I really wanted to go to the University of Cincinnati. Basically they told me I wasn't good enough. So when Xavier called and I was pumped, close to home and we play Cincinnati every year. They also wanted to give me an opportunity to pitch again. I really wanted that chance to prove Cincinnati wrong as well. I took a few visits to other schools but the only actual offer I received was from North Alabama.

TRS:  What were the advantages to playing at the mid-major level?

JC: I never really looked at it as mid-major. All I knew is that I got a chance to play at the division 1 level. For a guy that was planning on signing up for the Marine Corp as a Junior in high school I feel as if I've done alright for myself. As for being a small school I felt the underdog status when we played some big teams. You just always want to prove that you are worthy to be on the same field as those big school recruits. The only reason that those teams even know who Xavier is is because of basketball. My team was looking to change that perception in 2009 when we made out first regional in school history. I think we snuck up on some people that overlooked us.

TRS: The disadvantages?

JC: The problem with a small school/northern school is exposure to scouts. The only time they may see us during the course of the year is when we head south in early spring. It's very tough to be on your game early in the year being a northern school. You basically come straight out of the gym to playing teams that have been outside all winter. So unless you have a stud on your team the scouts aren't coming out to see you play back home.

In the next portion of our interview with Jordan Conley,Jordan discusses the draft,working his way through the minors and what he likes to throw....

Bernier bounces Islanders!

Johan Hedberg and Evgeni Nabokov swapped spectacular saves for almost the entire game and both looked to be headed for an overtime showdown at zero.
Steve Bernier had other plans as the Devils winger scored two goals in eighty seconds ( 2 power play and 3) in the final four minutes of the game to lift the New Jersey Devils to a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum.
David Clarkson added the final Devil goal (5 empty net) with the goalie pulled.
Johan Hedberg made 22 saves,many of them spectacular, in posting the shutout.
The Devils end a four game losing streak and will tackle the Rangers Tuesday night....

Hell Raisers

1) One would usually think that Steve Bernier would earn the first star with two goals,but Johan Hedberg gets it from me with a effort that could only be called tremendous.
Hedberg's save on Michael Grabner on a shorthanded breakaway by cutting off the corner of the net with an old fashioned pad stack was the play of the night.

2) Not to downgrade the night for Steve Bernier,who scored the two goals.
The power play goal was a nice one,but I liked the second one,which saw Bernier stuff the puck in from in close.
The Devils need to do more of the dirty work and is what I would like to see more of...

3) Too many penalties as in seven.
Looks like the penalty kill is back as all seven were stopped,but many of these were simply calls that the Devils need to avoid...

4) One call though was awful as Adam Larsson was called for interfering with John Tavares.
If by interfering you mean ,Tavares flopped to the ice while Larsson "might" have brushed against him,then I guess it was.
Tavares must have been taking the Sidney Crosby course of falling to the ice and flopping around during the lockout....

5) Mark Fayne returned to the lineup and Henrik Tallinder was scratched.
I like having all this depth along the blueline,but every night someone is getting sat down that should play.
I know all about injury,but I bet one of these guys goes at the deadline in an attempt to infuse some pop to the offense..

6) Liked what I saw from Bobby Butler in short bursts.
Butler was on the ice for the first Bernier goal and I'd like to see more of him...

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Frozen in the third

The New Jersey Devils collapsed in the third period,allowing three goals as the Pittsburgh Penguins turned a close game into a runaway 5-1 win in Pittsburgh.
Andy Greene scored the only Devils goal (1 shorthanded) in the second period.
The Devils travel to the beautiful Nassau Coliseum Sunday at three against the Islanders.

Hell Raisers

1) Bad backchecking is the story here.
Bad.
The Devils defenders were simply too passive against the Pittsburgh forecheck in the New Jersey zone.
The defensemen were very weak today and need to pick things up...

2) Martin Brodeur was very good in the first two periods,but not so strong in the third.
As stated,the defense was little help,as Marek Zidlicky screened his own man on one goal and Anton Volchenkov botched a clear on another...

3) Andy Greene did score shorthanded so that was something....

4) The Devils recalled Bobby Butler from Albany after the game in an attempt to inject some offense into the team or something else,maybe.

5) Sorry,I'm done for today,
The Devils played terrible and I was only able to half watch the first two at best after a wonderful day trying to get my furnace fixed.
What an awful day,but at least Art Modell didn't make the Hall of Fame,so there's your silver lining...

Photo Credt:AP

Slow day

Today looks like a slow day,but Saturday is the lowest day of the week for hits,so I decided to start our next interview on Monday.

I have four interviews ready to go and over the next month or so,you'll get to read all of them.
I hope that you enjoy hearing from an old friend of ours and meeting three more as part of our interview series.

I have Devils games today and tomorrow,so look for Monday for the series to begin.

Looks like a fun month!

Three OT losses in a row

The New Jersey Devils followed a familiar script as they fell behind by two goals,fought back to force overtime to gain one point and then lost in overtime to the New York Islanders 5-4 at the Rock.
All four Devils goals were scored by players scoring their first goal of the season-Steve Bernier,Ryan Carter,Henrik Tallinder and Adam Henrique.
The Devils take today off before two weekend day games against Pittsburgh and these same New York Islanders.

Hell Raisers
1) I give this team full credit,they do not quit as they have rallied from deficits in each of their three losses.
However.there has been some very sloppy hockey filled with plays that have cost games.
Tonight's was the Martin Brodeur miscue in trying to cover the puck in overtime.
Now,as many times through the years as Brodeur has saved games with his puckhandling,I feel badly about pointing out an error,but the truth is the truth.

2) Huge difference in penalty killing as the Islanders entered the game red hot on the power play and kept it up with three man advantage goals including the game winner.
Some of that might be a strong PP and considering that the Devils are usually strong on the penalty kill,I'm willing to chalk it to the former.

3) Worst call of the game came in the second period when the puck hit off the skates of an Islander,knocking him off his skates and resulted in a tripping penalty on Marek Zidlicky.
The Islanders would then score on the ensuing power play.

4) Adam Larsson finally played and had a positive and negative on the night.
Larsson made a super pass that ended in the Steve Bernier goal and showed the ability to be what we all hoped he would be-a number one defenseman.
He also tipped a Islander shot into the net as he hustled to get to the puck,when the better play would have been to let Martin Brodeur play the shot.
I like the effort,but needs to play a smarter game.

5) Adam Henrique returned from injury and scored the goal that would force overtime.
I recently wrote that the Devils needed an additional scorer,Henrique will definitely help in that aspect of the game.

6) Same thing as Adam Larsson for Henrik Tallinder.
Like his goal,of course,but his cross checking penalty in overtime was the type of play that you don't expect from a veteran-dumb.

7) Sometimes the puck bounces your way and sometimes it does not and it seemed like the Islander received lots of breaks as far as right place right time.
These things even out and walking with a point is not all bad....