The winter months annually produce tweets from overzealous pitchers proclaiming personal records after being clocked throwing in the 80-90 mph range.
Never mind that all too often they have done a ‘run and gun,’ or a running start before they throw.
Ozark’s Brody Baumann won’t ever go to Twitter with such a tweet. Baumann isn’t boastful and he doesn’t search for a JUGS gun or any other sort of radar equipment to track his velocity.
“I don’t track too much,” he said. “I don’t do any of that. I just work out and throw.”
Baumann has never got caught up in the hooplah of what radar is telling him about how he is throwing.
“I guess I grew up having that feeling inside of me about how I was pitching,” he said. “I never went to those big workout places that have those (JUGS guns) 24/7. I never got up with that stuff. When I would work out, I just worked out with my Dad.”
Likewise, Baumann’s preparation for his senior season didn’t see him spend endless hours and money working out at an indoor facility.
He’s a bit old-school in that he prefers to throw outside in the off-season when the weather allows.
“I got out to the field as much as I could in the winter,” Baumann said. “I long-tossed a bunch and worked with (heavier) Plyo-balls. My arm is feeling good.”
With Ozark opening its season at U.S. Baseball Park on Friday versus Tulsa Bishop Kelly (Oklahoma) and Poplar Bluff, Baumann is the Tigers’ undisputed ace.
Last year, he sported a 3-4 W-L record over 38.2 innings while repeatedly drawing starting assignments against the COC’s elite teams. He also proved to Ozark’s top RBI-producer, driving in 27 runs.
He was named to the All-COC Second Team.
Baumann has gotten his college commitment out the way by opting to continue his career at College of the Ozarks. He is approaching this season with no undue pressure placed on himself.
“I have to have fun with the team and keep everything loose,” he said. “Senior year, I just want to go out and have fun. I’m excited for it. A lot of our team is returning and I like the younger kids coming up. It’s fun to get out here again with everyone and I think we’ll have a fun season.”
