ents (Mark and Kim) are in the restaurant business and they have so many friends. They would love to watch me play. So many people I have met have been so supportive of my career. "I will work as hard as I can to get there. I have a feeling that I have a good chance of being there. I think I have shown them (Philadelphia''s talent evaluators) that I have what it takes to be there.''
Slate, Sea Bright, said he played in two high school games at the stadium in the Colts'' uniform. "I''ve seen about four or five BlueClaws games there,'' the right-hander said. "It''s a great park, a great pitcher''s park. The ball does not fly there as much as it does at other parks.'' Slate enjoyed a productive 2008 season with the Gulf Coast League Phillies, Clearwater Fla., at the Rookie level.
He put up a 1-2 record and a 4.55 earned run average during the regular season. He appeared in seven games, including five starts. He pitched 27š innings, allowing 28 hits, including three homers, hit four batters, struck out 29 and walked just two as the Phillies (33-25, .569) won the North Division title.
"Control has always been the main part of my game,'' the 6-foot-6, 215-pounder said. "I have always been told growing up, "If you throw strikes, you are going to be successful.'' During my junior year, I struggled with throwing strikes. My pitching coach in high school (Ryan Spillane) worked on it with me and in my senior year I walked eight in 80 innings. I carried it to the professional level.
"I throw a lot of strikes. I am a strikeout pitcher, but I also get a lot of grounders and the defense backs me up.''
Slate helped the Phillies win the best-of-three GCL playoffs. He started and pitched four innings in the second game of the series, allowing one earned run on five hits, striking out six and walking one as his club evened the set at 1-1.
"It''s pretty cool,'' Slate said. "The Phillies will give us our rings at a ceremony next year at a spring training game for major leaguers at night.''
Slate began the 2008 season in spring training. While numerous prospects wound up with minor league teams, Slate remained in Clearwater and spent the first few weeks of the season in extended spring training.
"The one way I can describe the season is to say it was a roller coaster,'' he said. "Extended spring training is for a lot of guys who don''t make a team out of spring training. I felt I would wind up there as I had not played much pro ball (he saw limited action with the Phillies in 2007). I did real well in spring training.''
Well enough to entertain thoughts of pitching for the Williamsport (Pa.) Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League, a short-season Class A circuit.
"I was headed for their team in June,'' Slate said. "Right before the rosters came out, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which sidelined me for a month and a half. Mononucleosis is a six-month recovery disease. My spleen became real inflamed and the Phillies sent me home.
"Once I down to Clearwater, I pitched in a few simulated games. Once I got into the regular season games, everything went well, but I got real tired as the heat gets to you. It was a tough year, but I am glad I had the success I did have when I got to pitch.''
A former CBA swimming star, Slate was drafted in the 37th round by Philadelphia in 2007. Chosen 1,126th overall, Slate said his baseball ability attracted attention from Maine, Florida junior colleges, West Virginia, Connecticut and other Big East Conference schools.
"It''s an even bigger risk to go to college because you can get hurt,'' he said. ""You can lose it and the scouts can lose interest in you. A lot of guys decline when they go to college. Some people get the professional opportunity once in a lifetime. I figured I would take it. It''s working out well.'' Slate, 19, said his name wound up on the lips of Atlantic Coast Conference schools because of his swimming prowess.
"Which sport is the most fun to train for?'' he asked, repeating a reporter''s question. "Probably baseball. Swimming is six days per week for three hours per day. Swimming definitely helped me with my stamina for baseball. Swimming is tough. Few people know how tough swimming is. I probably dedicated myself to baseball during my junior year when I quit swimming.
"People told me, ''You have a lot of upside when it comes to pitching. You could have a career.'' It has always been my dream to play in the majors. When it came down to swimming, I did not have a career beyond college. I did not figure to be an Olympic star. I looked down the road and saw baseball could have a pretty good outcome.''
