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By Brian Salgado
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Saturday, June 28, 2008 |
Michigan hurler Michael Theodore puts summer ball travails to good use
 Right-handed pitcher Michael Theodore has loads of talent that will take him far in baseball. He has the confidence and the goods to make to the next level, whether that is college or the pros.
But the x-factor that will keep Theodore on the right track is an experienced, elite athlete right in his home that can guide him along the path of success.
Michael's father, Terry, was a four-year letterman for the UCLA football team from 1982 to 1985. And while there are different ways to train for football and baseball, having someone in your corner along the way for the entire ride who's taken that path himself always is going to be beneficial.
"My dad has helped me out a lot with flying me around to check out showcases and flying me to check out colleges, so I give him credit for that," Michael Theodore said. "He knows what it takes to go on to that next level. Not a lot of parents know what it takes and there are a ton of kids out there, so you have to do what you can to separate yourself to go where you want to go."
"It's kind of nice to have someone who has done it before there to help you out."
Theodore has used that athletic acumen and a fastball in the low-90s to lead Detroit Country Day's varsity squad just as a junior. When he isn't pitching for the Yellowjackets, however, he is tackling a busy travel schedule that involved numerous tournaments and tours with the South Florida Bandits summer team.
The summer between his sophomore and junior year was one of his busiest, according to Theodore. It included a tryout for the Team USA tournament, as well as the Perfect Game national tournament, along with getting picked up by the Bandits remaining games.
Detroit Country Day manager Frank Orlando said the extra experience can only help Theodore in the long run. He already believes Theodore has the tools to be an impressive player at the next level – whether it is college or the pros.
"When you're in a bigger setting or arena, you become more comfortable with bigger games," Orlando said. "Some of the teams that he has played on in summer and some of the special teams, you have a core around him that is more talented than a high school team.
"When you play on those summer teams, everyone is an all-star. It is more of a team concept in high school than it is for elite summer teams. It is a different arena and something he needs to work at and get used to."
Combine this experience with a parent who knows how to get to the next level, and Theodore has all the makings to succeed, Orlando believes.
"I think any time you have that kind of experience on a high level in an athletic arena, it has to help," Orlando said. "With the pressure of trying to perform at the highest level of athletics, the key is how well can you adjust to playing in a bigger game. His father being a college athlete at that level, any experience you have or can relate to has to help you as a player, I think it is an advantage."
When Theodore isn't trying to add a third and fourth pitch to his fastball/change up repertoire, he relaxes off the field by playing guitar. He has a Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster in his arsenal, and he said he emulates classic rockers like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix while jamming out.
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