Baseball players hit with hard advice
Danbury stars Tarsi, Palanzo pave path to next level
News-Times Staff
http://www.newstimes.com/ci_8427708?source=email
DANBURY -- Dan Zarnik has always dreamed of playing baseball at the next level,
but the odds, the Ridgefield High sophomore pitcher knows, are stacked against
him.
Probability aside, Zarnik believes he still can still live out his college and
major league ambitions, thanks in large part to former Danbury High and UConn
star Mike Tarsi.
Tarsi, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 12th round of baseball's
amateur draft last June, delivered a dose of hope to Zarnik and a handful of
other young ballplayers Saturday at the Danbury Westerners "Hot Stuff Baseball
Clinic and Luncheon" at the Danbury Holiday Inn.
"It's pretty inspirational," said Zarnik, who has already received letters from
Division I Clemson and Florida State. "To see that someone from the next town
over has made it to college and now the pros certainly gives you hope."
But with the hope also came reality.
"You have to completely dedicate yourself to the game (to get to the next
level)," said Tarsi, who led Danbury to the 2003 Class LL state championship and
helped UConn reach the Big East Championship game last year. "You have to work
twice as hard as everyone else to make it anywhere."
And Tarsi, the two-time Big East Pitcher of the Week, was just one of a handful
of speakers that motivated and educated its audience.
Former Danbury High and Western Connecticut State standout pitcher Greg Palanzo
seconded Tarsi's message.
"You can't just show up on the first day of pitchers and catchers
and say, 'Let's play,'" said Palanzo, who has played several seasons of
professional baseball in Italy. "You have to work extremely hard on your own."
Other presenters included Danbury High baseball coach Shaun Ratchford and
Manhattan College NCAA Compliance Officer Lindsey Peirson, who laid out the
rules and requirements for parents and players wanting to reach the next level.
"If you want to play baseball in college," Peirson said. "You have to start
planning for it as a freshman."
Former Westerners coach Chris Petersen offered tips on hitting, Bethel's Doug
Goodrich addressed the fundamentals of fielding and Bethel native Sean Fesh
tackled the art of pitching.
"We are part of the community," Westerners president Mike Malone said. "We want
to give back in any way we can."
But the most important message of the afternoon appeared to come from Tarsi,
whose big league dreams appear alive and well.
The Danbury southpaw got his first taste of professional baseball playing rookie
ball last year for the Elizabethon Twins in Elizabethon, Tenn.
And he apparently has already made an impression, as Tarsi is rated the
fourth-best left-handed hurler in the Twins' organization as he prepares to
report for his first Twins' training camp in Ft. Myers, Fla., on Thursday.
But the Danbury native knows he has plenty to learn and still has a long way to
go to reach the big leagues.
"You have to work twice as hard once you get there," Tarsi said. "You can't
afford to just fall into the crowd or you will be forgotten."
And that's a message Zarnik and others will certainly carry with them this
season and in the seasons to come.
NOTES: The Danbury Westerners have scheduled their annual breakfast for Friday,
June 6. Last year, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo was the featured speaker as the
Westerners' breakfast. Danbury has not announced the speaker yet this year. "¦
The Westerners have released their roster for the 2008 season. Twelve players on
this years' team are from Connecticut with three hailing from from Danbury
(Bobby DiNardo, Melvin Castillo and Brad Pippa) and one player each from New
Milford (Tony Patane) and Bethel (Michael Oskandy). ... Jamie Shevchik of
Keystone College (Pa.) will replace Kevin Paxson as the Westerners' manager this
year. Shevchik's assistant at Keystone, Jay Snyder, will be the hitting coach
and Fesh will coach the pitchers.
