Forkcock
03-28-2008, 07:15 AM
Wando sophomore has the arm, pedigree to intimidate opposing batters
By Philip M. Bowman (http://www.charleston.net/staff/phil_bowman/)(Contact (http://www.charleston.net/staff/phil_bowman/contact/))
The Post and Courier
Friday, March 28, 2008
http://media.charleston.net/img/photos/2008/03/28/Wandos_Drew_Cisco_t180.jpg (http://www.charleston.net/photos/2008/mar/28/8789/)
Mic Smith
The Post and Courier Wando sophomore pitcher Drew Cisco has a 3-0 record, 25 strikeouts and a microscopic 0.37 ERA this season.
He throws a fastball that clocks in at nearly 90 mph. His curveball baffles batters, and his change-up can freeze even the hottest hitters.
Wando's Drew Cisco has the arm to be a good pitcher.
He has the mindset to be a great one.
He arrived on the high school scene last spring with maturity, focus, commitment and drive. Even though he was only a freshman, Cisco quickly became the Warriors' ace, posting an 8-1 record with a 1.05 ERA. He struck out 68 batters in 53 1/3 innings and allowed only 31 hits.
Cisco is primed for another big season. He's 3-0 with an ERA of 0.37. He's struck out 25 batters in 19 innings and has allowed only seven hits.
Warrior coach Jeff Blankenship said the 6-1, 185-pound right-hander is even more intense this spring.
"He's one of the most focused players we've coached, on the mound and at the plate," Blankenship said. "He bats third in our lineup, which is a very important spot in the order. He's walked 12 times in 44 plate appearances. That's a sign of his patience, his poise. It's something he was born with. When he's out there on the mound, there are no distractions. He's that focused. Sometimes, when he walks off the field, you want to shake him to get him out of that mode so you can talk about the finer points of pitching."
Cisco can talk to Blankenship about the fine points of pitching. He can also talk to his two older brothers, including Mike, the ace of the South Carolina Gamecocks' staff. If they can't provide the answers, Cisco can turn to his grandfather, Galen, who was the Toronto Blue Jays' pitching coach in the 1990s, helping his team to World Series championships in 1992 and '93.
"He's actually got down here a good bit the last couple of years," Cisco said of his grandfather. "When he's here, we make the trip to the bullpen, and he gets a good look at us. It definitely helps to have a grandfather like that."
Cisco's family tree could have baseball bats instead of branches. His grandfather, Galen, played in the majors from 1961-69. His father, Jeff, played minor league baseball, including a stint with the old Charleston Rainbows.
The youngest Cisco said there's no pressure on him because of his surname.
"I don't feel any pressure," he said. "In fact, it's an honor to be a Cisco. It just makes me want to go out there and prove myself."
Cisco's future is bright. He's already getting recruited by the Southeast heavyweights, but he and his family prefer not to talk about the recruiting process until Mike finishes at USC, and Drew is a little older and farther along in his development.
There's also a chance that Cisco could get drafted out of high school, but signability will be a factor.
"When you talk about Drew at the next level, you could talk about it two ways," Blankenship said.
"If he goes to college, he's a two-position player. He plays shortstop when he's not pitching. He moves to the ball well. He's got the big arm and gets to the ball a little faster than you think he would. If he gets drafted out of high school, it would be as a pitcher."
Cisco is a solid hitter. He batted .484 with 17 RBIs last year. He's batting .438 this spring with nine RBIs.
"The season is going well," Cisco said. "We're growing into a team. We have a good group of young players who are blending with a good group of seniors. The main thing for me is to focus on the team. The main thing I want to do is help Wando win the state championship. That's something my brothers didn't get to do."
Blankenship was an assistant at Wando when Mike Cisco pitched for the Warriors. Ask him to compare the brothers, and he will respond, "I could, but would rather not."
Cisco plays for the Diamond Devils traveling team in the summer and fall, and the team's coach, John Rhodes, does compare him to some of the great players who have played for the Diamond Devils since the late 1990s: Drew Meyer, Matt Wieters, Reese Havens and Justin Smoak.
"He's in the Meyer-Wieters-Havens-Smoak area in terms of comparison," Rhodes said.
"He's as talented and as impactful as they were at the same age though none of them were primarily a pitcher like Drew. Pitchers tend to get more of the limelight than position players do since pitchers touch the ball on every pitch.
"Drew has that same makeup as those guys did: the maturity, focus, commitment and drive," Rhodes added. "In other words: the intangibles that separate the good ones from the great ones."
By Philip M. Bowman (http://www.charleston.net/staff/phil_bowman/)(Contact (http://www.charleston.net/staff/phil_bowman/contact/))
The Post and Courier
Friday, March 28, 2008
http://media.charleston.net/img/photos/2008/03/28/Wandos_Drew_Cisco_t180.jpg (http://www.charleston.net/photos/2008/mar/28/8789/)
Mic Smith
The Post and Courier Wando sophomore pitcher Drew Cisco has a 3-0 record, 25 strikeouts and a microscopic 0.37 ERA this season.
He throws a fastball that clocks in at nearly 90 mph. His curveball baffles batters, and his change-up can freeze even the hottest hitters.
Wando's Drew Cisco has the arm to be a good pitcher.
He has the mindset to be a great one.
He arrived on the high school scene last spring with maturity, focus, commitment and drive. Even though he was only a freshman, Cisco quickly became the Warriors' ace, posting an 8-1 record with a 1.05 ERA. He struck out 68 batters in 53 1/3 innings and allowed only 31 hits.
Cisco is primed for another big season. He's 3-0 with an ERA of 0.37. He's struck out 25 batters in 19 innings and has allowed only seven hits.
Warrior coach Jeff Blankenship said the 6-1, 185-pound right-hander is even more intense this spring.
"He's one of the most focused players we've coached, on the mound and at the plate," Blankenship said. "He bats third in our lineup, which is a very important spot in the order. He's walked 12 times in 44 plate appearances. That's a sign of his patience, his poise. It's something he was born with. When he's out there on the mound, there are no distractions. He's that focused. Sometimes, when he walks off the field, you want to shake him to get him out of that mode so you can talk about the finer points of pitching."
Cisco can talk to Blankenship about the fine points of pitching. He can also talk to his two older brothers, including Mike, the ace of the South Carolina Gamecocks' staff. If they can't provide the answers, Cisco can turn to his grandfather, Galen, who was the Toronto Blue Jays' pitching coach in the 1990s, helping his team to World Series championships in 1992 and '93.
"He's actually got down here a good bit the last couple of years," Cisco said of his grandfather. "When he's here, we make the trip to the bullpen, and he gets a good look at us. It definitely helps to have a grandfather like that."
Cisco's family tree could have baseball bats instead of branches. His grandfather, Galen, played in the majors from 1961-69. His father, Jeff, played minor league baseball, including a stint with the old Charleston Rainbows.
The youngest Cisco said there's no pressure on him because of his surname.
"I don't feel any pressure," he said. "In fact, it's an honor to be a Cisco. It just makes me want to go out there and prove myself."
Cisco's future is bright. He's already getting recruited by the Southeast heavyweights, but he and his family prefer not to talk about the recruiting process until Mike finishes at USC, and Drew is a little older and farther along in his development.
There's also a chance that Cisco could get drafted out of high school, but signability will be a factor.
"When you talk about Drew at the next level, you could talk about it two ways," Blankenship said.
"If he goes to college, he's a two-position player. He plays shortstop when he's not pitching. He moves to the ball well. He's got the big arm and gets to the ball a little faster than you think he would. If he gets drafted out of high school, it would be as a pitcher."
Cisco is a solid hitter. He batted .484 with 17 RBIs last year. He's batting .438 this spring with nine RBIs.
"The season is going well," Cisco said. "We're growing into a team. We have a good group of young players who are blending with a good group of seniors. The main thing for me is to focus on the team. The main thing I want to do is help Wando win the state championship. That's something my brothers didn't get to do."
Blankenship was an assistant at Wando when Mike Cisco pitched for the Warriors. Ask him to compare the brothers, and he will respond, "I could, but would rather not."
Cisco plays for the Diamond Devils traveling team in the summer and fall, and the team's coach, John Rhodes, does compare him to some of the great players who have played for the Diamond Devils since the late 1990s: Drew Meyer, Matt Wieters, Reese Havens and Justin Smoak.
"He's in the Meyer-Wieters-Havens-Smoak area in terms of comparison," Rhodes said.
"He's as talented and as impactful as they were at the same age though none of them were primarily a pitcher like Drew. Pitchers tend to get more of the limelight than position players do since pitchers touch the ball on every pitch.
"Drew has that same makeup as those guys did: the maturity, focus, commitment and drive," Rhodes added. "In other words: the intangibles that separate the good ones from the great ones."