Cutters reliever Hayes faces tough competition head on
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A professional camera can always bring out more than a polaroid.
Such is the case when one makes the leap from the collegiate level to the Draft League. Where in college it may become easier under less competition to adjust and avoid ones weaknesses, they can just as quickly be put on full display when taking on what has become a daunting showcase in the first half.
With a clubhouse that can feature recent high school graduates, to college guys from Division I to community college, and even a couple recent college graduates, there is little room to hide when facing what is most likely the toughest competition they have ever seen in their baseball careers.
For Crosscutter reliever Titan Hayes, keeping a steady head may be the best potion under stringent circumstances.
Though it may not seem the case at first glance. A first impression of meeting Hayes -- a 6-foot-2, 220-pound Oklahoman with long blonde hair reaching past the shoulders -- leaves you expecting him to be the lead in a hair metal band rather than a collegiate pitcher with aspirations of making it to The Show.
But when you observe his cool demeanor on the mound, and discuss the game with him, one quickly realizes that he has the composure and confidence of a professional.
"It's great to be out here facing this high competition," said Hayes prior to Saturday's matchup against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers."I'm out here doing the same thing at the same level that I'm playing at."
Hayes spent this past spring at San Jacinto College North, a public NJCAA school that features notable pitching alumnus Roger Clemons and Andy Pettitte.
The Oklahoman put up respectable numbers as a sophomore, finishing with a 3.26 ERA, while tossing a monstrative 35 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched as a reliever. Hayes was part of solid San Jacinto North squad, who would finish the regular season second out of five in the Region XIV South division with a 33-23 record.
Now in the Draft League, Hayes looks to showcase his composure, velocity, and K rate in Bill Town with the Crosscutters.
"(I'm here) to show that I can come out here and compete at this high of a level."
Since coming into Williamsport towards the tail end of the first series vs. State College, Hayes has become a regular figure out of the bullpen. The righty has contributed three appearances in the young season, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up three earned runs while tossing a pair of strikeouts.
His best performance would come in the opening matinee vs. Mahoning Valley, where Hayes escaped a two out, bases load jam in eighth, then pitched 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The Edin native would fall into history, however, becoming the first pitching victim to lose in the new sudden death format that the Draft League introduced this season. With the sudden death rule, giving the batting team a runner on first and three outs to score, Hayes let just one pitch off location the entire night, which resulted in an extra base hit in the gap, winning the game for Mahoning Valley.
"It was a little different. I wish I coulda given my hitters another chance to put another run up. It was tough to adjust to that rule," said Hayes the next day.
"Honestly, I told him (way to go,)" said Williamsport manager Jesse Litsch after the game. "He threw the heck out of the ball. He was a bulldog on the mound and wanted it in the tenth... it's unfortunate, but it's baseball."
Williamsport would get revenge on Mahoning Valley in the next fixture, defeating the Scrappers 8-6 on Saturday night for their first home victory of the season.
While they are still planted in the bottom of the Draft League standings heading into Sunday's rubber match, it's become more prevalent that this Crosscutters team may be able to compete this season.
With aspirations on the rise, no doubt will the composure of Titan Hayes be needed once the season really gets going.