Jeff Dietz '08 has always been a baseball player. Growing up in Orlando, Fla., he first started playing the game when he was four. Ever since, baseball has been the only sport he wanted to play.
"I made the (junior varsity) basketball team in high school, but I quit the next day. It wasn't for me," Dietz said, "My whole life has been about baseball."
Sticking to baseball turned out to be a good decision. In the most recent issue of Collegiate Baseball, he was selected as the Ivy League preseason pitcher of the year. Dietz was 3-1 with a 2.73 earned-run average in Ivy League play last season. His 31 strikeouts were the second most in the conference, and he allowed just five walks.
"In my mind, Jeff is very worthy of the award," said Head Coach Marek Drabinski. Drabinski pointed out that Dietz was selected over some tough competition, including Shawn Haviland of Harvard, the returning Ivy League Pitcher of the Year.
"What makes Jeff stand out from most pitchers is his unique pitching style," Drabinski said. Dietz, a right-handed pitcher, throws side-armed and from three different arm angles. Drabinski compared Dietz to former Red Sox pitcher and current San Diego Padres reliever Cla Meredith, whose .170 batting average against led the National League last season.
The only thing about Dietz that stands out more than his side-armed throwing motion is his passion for the game.
"I just love baseball. I love spending all day at the field. Like on a Saturday or a Sunday, when you have games and you're just at the field all day, getting ready to play," he said.
It is hard to keep Dietz off the field. When he is not on the mound, he plays first base. He is also one of Brown's best hitters. Last season he was second on the team in batting average, hitting .364 while driving in 33 runs. He also scored 20 runs himself.
"I don't really have a preference between first base and pitching," Dietz said. "I like them both. I just want to play, no matter what position it is."
This season Dietz will have plenty of opportunities to play both positions, including games against some of the top teams in the country. The Bears will again have a difficult non-league schedule, including games against South Carolina, which finished last season ranked No. 13 nationally and was one game away from playing in the college world series.
"I'm really excited to play South Carolina," Dietz said. "Playing those types of teams gives you a good gauge of where you stand as a player. And as a team I think we're good enough to play with those guys. This year's team is the best team we've had since I've been here."
Dietz and Drabinski both have high expectations for the Bears this season. Both said that the team's goal is to win the Ivy League championship. Drabinski pointed out that the Bears are returning what he considers to be the deepest pitching staff he's ever had.
"This year we've just got a great pitching staff. And the thing about baseball is that if the guy on the mound gets going, a lot of times that's all you need to win," he said.
This season Dietz could be that guy on the mound for the Bears.
