Of all the positions in baseball, the pitcher can be most closely compared to being on the front lines of battle. The mentality a pitcher must possess is one of great confidence and composure. To be a closer, you have to have all that and then some; after all, you inherit the situation be it good, bad or ugly.
The art and skill level it takes to jump into a situation that you did not create and then make that situation successful is no easy task. Just ask San Jose Giants new recruit and closer, Dan Runzler.
“When you’re a starter you have a routine where you’re pitching once a week and you prepare the whole week just for that one outing," Runzler said. "As a reliever, you come to the park everyday saying 'I might pitch today. I hope I pitch today, and when I do I better shine because the game is most likely on the line.’”
Talk about having the weight of the world on your shoulders. This mentality of never knowing when your next opportunity may arise is just as much thrilling as it is difficult. Then, once called from the bullpen, there comes the actual responsibility of getting the save for your team. Runzler lives for that moment. “I always preferred relieving because on any given day you pitch," he said. "If you have a bad outing, it’s easy to rebound.”
Runzler began pitching when he was 8 years old but never saw the mound again until he was a senior in high school. A native of Southern California, Runzler played college ball for the University of California at Riverside where he was mainly a relief pitcher.
“In college I had great coaches who really took us the whole step of the way,” he said. The hard-throwing lefty appreciates the lessons he’s learned. “The best piece of advice I ever got was from my college coach, he said, ‘when you’re throwing well, it’s easy to be confident, but the real test of a player is when you’re struggling and to see how you come out of it.’”
Runzler reflects this sentiment. “It’s always good to be rolling and having fun and playing well, but in baseball it’s going to come back and get you; it’s a very humbling game, just as life can be. It’s easy to crumble," he said. "How you stand up to it shows a lot about what kind of player and person you are.”
Rightfully so, Runzler’s best pitch is his fastball. He feels he’s locating the ball well and is making good pitches in the moments that matter most. He believes that the art of being a great pitcher not only lies in one's pitches, but happens hours before taking the mound.
“I go through the same routine every time which helps me prepare for each game," Runzler said. "I like to relax and think about seeing the glove and throwing to it. Nothing too big, but it helps tremendously.”
“Runz,” as his fellow teammates call him, has had many great battles against hitters. He recalls one extra exciting matchup he faced last year. “I had a 13-pitch at-bat with a hitter," Runzler said. "He fouled off about eight pitches, then I got him looking. It feels like with every batter there’s some kind of battle going on. Some battles are just bigger than others.”
The day Runzler was called up to the San Jose Giants from Augusta, he was named to the GreenJackets All-Star team. Even though he didn’t get to participate in the game he still felt very honored to be recognized. “I did want to participate and experience all the festivities," Runzler said, "but when you get called up it’s always a great feeling.”
Ever the team player, Runzler has a strong belief that you win as a team and you lose as a team. “Our goal here is to win the championship. Personally, I try not look at my stats or anything like that. Every time you look at them, they end up raising more. We are just trying to win. I can be a little piece of it but it’s the whole picture you’ve got to look at,” he said.
As the battle rages on, Dan Runzler will be waiting and ready to lead his troops to a victory.
Dan Runzler is currently boasting four saves with a 0.44 ERA. In his latest stint he managed to get the Giants out of a bases loaded jam, recording the five final outs of the game and earned the save.
Read more at http://www.baseballinformant.com/2010/06/closing-time/
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