‘HOMETOWN BOY’
Columbus, Ohio — I recently caught up with Louisa native and former Lawrence Co. Star baseball player Chandler Shepherd who is playing for Triple A Pawtucket as they traveled to Columbus for a four game series with the Clippers at Huntington park. where I was fortunate to get the interview posted below. Pawtucket could be the last stop for Shepherd, 23, on his way to Boston and his ultimate dream of pitching in the Major Leagues.
As a reliever you never know when they will get to pitch and I was lucky enough on Thursday night to see Shepherd take the mound in a 4-4 game in the 8th inning and all he did was throw the 8th, 9th and 10th innings allowing zero runs, giving up one hit, two walks, one of those intentional to give his team a chance to win in extra innings. The Paw Sox ultimately fell 5-4 in 14 innings.
On the season before Monday night’s game with Rochester, Shepherd has thrown in 8 games for the Paw Sox with a 0-0 record. He has pitched in 14 and 1/3 innings, 2.51 era, 4 runs, 1 save and 7 strikeouts on the season.
L to R Bo Brumfield, Chandler Shepherd, Jeff Cyrus and Jeff Cyrus near the locker room before Sunday afternoon’s game.
Shepherd had about 25 family and friends make the trip to Columbus for the series which is the closest his team gets to Louisa in the International league.
Chandler with Proud Sister Chelsea
Shepherd is the youngest on the active Pawtucket roster and is well on his way to pitching in the Big Leagues one day soon.
Shepherd walking off after three scoreless innings of relief for Pawtucket.
He is an humble individual with his head on straight with only big things ahead of him in the future. He treated me and my family with class while we were in Columbus.
I also want to thank Joe Santry of the Columbus Clippers and all of the people that I came in contact with whether it was in the press box, ushers, or vendors at Huntington Park. They treated a visitor with open arms and showed me hospitality at its finest.
Shepherd signing an autograph for a young Red Sox fan.
–BO BRUMFIELD
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Pawtucket Reliever and Louisa native Chandler Shepherd
(LAZER INTERVIEW BY BO BRUMFIELD)
“The Mindset coming out of the bullpen it’s a little bit different in a tie game you’re just trying to get the guys back in the dugout in order to score some runs and get the win,” said former LCHS baseball star after a Triple A game with the Pawtucket Red Sox in Columbus, Ohio. “We played in extra innings at home with Columbus and I pitched in that game as well.” I came in after Owens and actually gave up a three run home run that tied the game and it turned into 16 innings.” I am definitely getting familiar with the hitters now, you get to know them when you have pitched to them four or five times.”
“All of our guys behind the plate are great. You can still be aggressive with your pitches when a guy is setting over at third or maybe in scoring position because I trust all of my catchers, but you can’t think about that because when you start taking your foot off the brakes and take a step back you’re not on the attack anymore.” The walk with a base open is not necessarily a bad thing it puts a double play back in.” Bottom line if the guy gets to third he doesn’t score its okay he hasn’t scored a run unless he crosses Home Plate. At that point in time I wasn’t worried. You can’t elevate the ball up in the zone and give a guy a chance to hit one in the gap that’s the issue that comes into play. You’re just looking for hard contact on the ground something down at the bottom of the strike zone, something they get the barrel on top of the ball and chop it into the ground and get a double play.”
“Catcher Dan Butler really worked with me on that sequence It’s not always the pitcher we also need our catchers to help us get out of those jams.”
I knew in previous outings I hadn’t pitched more than three innings. Was I going to go more? “I don’t know. “Could I have? Absolutely,” says Shepherd. “When you walk off the field you fully expect to go back out to the mound.” You’re not out until the manager comes up and shakes your hand. Once he does that its time to root for the next pitcher going in and try to get a win.”
“I don’t necessarily pay attention to my individual numbers. It’s nice when people bring it up because I know what level I am at and the talent the hitters bring when they step in the box.” Shepherd said. “Its a reminder that maybe I do belong here and maybe I do have the stuff to compete here at a higher level and maybe the next level as well.” If I am doing my job as a reliever then my numbers are going to speak for themselves.” It’s about winning and if your team is winning then everyone’s numbers are going to be good and that’s definitely a number I look at more than my individual stats.”
“The jump from Double A to Triple A has been the most difficult or where I could tell the biggest difference in play between the levels because half their lineups have been in the big leagues and have seen the best arms in baseball.”
With that being said, they are going to hit mistakes and they’re not going to swing and help you out with pitches and help you out if you miss out of the zone.” They are really disciplined hitters which obviously makes it harder for the pitcher. From Double A to Triple A my strikeout numbers have definitely went down a lot. It’s about getting outs. A strikeout counts the same as a ground out. You have to be really locked in and fine tune your craft. Chandler said. “It’s not just throwing a baseball it’s actually pitching.”
“It’s definitely going back to when I was as a kid, My father, grandfather, uncle, and coaches I had growing up taught me you’re not just throwing the ball to a spot you’re not just throwing it over the plate. It has helped me through high school and college and I have always been able to command the ball in the zone.” Now it is commanding the ball in the zone with three or four pitches, mixing up both sides of the plate. It is almost like a “chess game” with the hitter. That’s something I have been talking personally to the veteran pitchers on our team when I am not pitching. I spoke with Casey Janssen whose got 9 or 10 years in the big leagues out of the bullpen. I talked to to him about four innings one night. Chandler said, “Janssen told me that everyone knows everthing about you and you know everything about the hitters.” Scouting reports know everything about you these days.”
“The guys are awesome. When I got called up I was a little nervous. You’re walking into a new clubhouse and the guys on this team were very welcoming when I showed up which is awesome and helped me to be myself.” When that happens it makes it easier on the field.” There is always someone I can learn from and being the youngest guy here there are things that I do differently and it’s good to get together and talk with the guys about how I would pitch this hitter or how someone else would pitch in order to get the out.” I had known some of the guys from Spring Training. Most of the guys here are from Big League Camp and I actually had the opportunity to go over and pitch in big league games in Spring Training.” I got to be around most of the guys and it made it easier when I got called up to Pawtucket.”
“The season is long and the hardest part about playing is being away from my family and not getting to see them that much, It’s tough being so far away and they can’t come and watch as much as they want.”
It was great to be this close to home and see familiar faces in the crowd.” I got to come home for two full days and got to sit and relax during the All-Star Break and just spent time with my family. I would have loved to have made it out to the field and saw everyone but the timing just wasn’t right.” I really do love it when I get to come home and spend time with the teams and see Coach Feltner and those guys.” They are always really welcoming when I come back home and giving me a place to work out. If I see some of the younger guys I can help out it’s always great and I enjoy it.”
“I still maintain relationships with Coach Feltner, Coach Holt, and Dixon. I take a lot of pride in being a Bulldog.” Once you are a Bulldog you are one forever. I like going home and knowing that purposefully or not that I am making an impact on the guys there.” That means more to me than anything just because I was there, I was one of them. It’s just a good feeling, I like being the guy they can look up to and hopefully setting a good example for them. You can be from anywhere. Louisa, Kentucky you got the best coaches around right there, They’re awesome.”
“Every time I pitch, just a simple text message means a lot to me. It nice people are paying attention. You sit down after a game and you have like 20 text messages. It’s not just my family. It’s coaches, teachers, everybody. I enjoy it a lot.”
“I want to thank everyone in Louisa for the support and encouragement they have given me. Coach Dixon always told me “Keep working harder than everybody else.” It sounds different now. I keep telling my cousin Trey Dotson that ‘You may not be the best but just keep working harder than everybody else and maybe you will be’. I love saying that to kids.”
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