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Monday October 3, 2011

MLB reports:  We welcome back Blue Jays prospect Ian Kadish to MLB reports.  The right-handed pitcher pitched for the Bluefield Blue Jays in the Rookie Appalachian League in 2011.  With a 2-3 record, 7 saves, 2.67 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, and 11/35 BB/K, the 23-year-old Kadish showed some very strong numbers pitching in the pen in his first professional season.  With a bright baseball future ahead, we are proud to announce that Ian has agreed to become a regular MLB Guest Blogger on the Reports, describing his baseball journey for our readers.  In his own words, we present part 2 of 2 of our featured guest blog of Ian Kadish, the offseason and his expections for the 2012 season:

Ian Kadish (Guest MLB Blogger):  So MLB Reports asked me to do another blog entry because there was good feedback on the first one.  This will be a 2-part entry, the first part looking back at my 2011 season and how it went and the second part will be about what my offseason will consist of and my expectations for 2012.

Part 2 – Offseason and Expectations for 2012


This offseason, I am back in Huntington, West Virginia.  Marshall is located in Huntington and there are a few different reasons why I chose to come back even though I graduated last May.  The biggest reason I chose to come back is due to the fact that I would have a great gym to train at for free.  The Strength and Conditioning Coach that I had in college told me I could train there in the offseason for free if I wanted to.  The pitching coach at Marshall also told me that I could come throw with him whenever I wanted/needed to.  He offered to have somebody catch my bullpens when the time came and he also said I could face some hitters before I left for Spring Training, which will be a great help.  That makes it so much easier for me rather than being at home because I would have to find a gym in Cincinnati and pay a monthly fee and more than likely the gym wouldn’t have everything I needed.  I also would be scrambling to find somebody/somewhere to throw when the time came.

After a long college season, followed by another professional short-season, I gave my body a week off to recuperate from all the wear and tear of the baseball season.  This offseason, my plan is to hit the weight room hard in order to become bigger, faster, and stronger in a baseball pitching aspect.  The Blue Jays gave everybody in the organization a big booklet with specific workouts in them.   I have specific goals that I am wishing to achieve in the offseason.  I also want to improve on my flaws not only in the weight room, but on the field as well.  I am going to take time off from throwing to give my arm a rest, but not too long of a rest because I can’t use spring training as a time for my arm to get in shape.  I need to go to spring training 100% ready to go…

Aside from training in the offseason,  I got a job working at Dick’s Sporting Goods.  It’s just like a Sports Authority or any other sporting good store like that.  I wanted to get a job because I do not want to rely on my parents for everything.  Many minor league players have to get a job in the offseason because not everybody signs a large signing bonus so it is not uncommon to get an offseason job.  I am actually looking forward to it because it will keep me busy when I am not training.

My expectations are just like any other minor league player’s expectations.  We all have goals we want to achieve and we all have dreams we want to come true.  I’m no different.  I am very hard on myself and push my body to great lengths, almost to failure because I know it will pay off during the season.  The work I put in off the field will prepare me for every situation on field.  There are specific expectations/goals that I have.  Of course, one of them is to hopefully receive a promotion, but before I can do that I have to better myself.  I’m going to work extremely hard this offseason, harder than I have ever worked because that’s all I know.  I have worked extremely hard to get to this point and I am still not satisfied… I’m going to get after it and hopefully the hard work will pay off…  

Thank you to Ian Kadish for preparing today’s MLB Guest Blog.  Please feel free to contact Ian on Twitter (@BearJew36)  or through his website (http://livinginthelifeofian.blogspot.com) for comments and questions.   We also thank Ian for sharing the photographs used in today’s feature from his own private collection. 

Previous Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog Entries on MLB reports:

Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog:  Part 1 – Recap of My 2011 Season   September 30, 2011

Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog:  My Baseball Journey  September 11, 2011

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