Alex wHITE
nORTH cAROLINA tAR hEELS |
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What a difference a year makes. The last
time he was in Omaha, Alex White, the young right-handed pitcher
for the Tar Heels out of Greenville, NC was enjoying his team’s
trip to the College World Series. And then, Alex took the
mound.  Not
so much fun, after that. In two appearances, White pitched
a total of seven innings and gave up eleven runs. This year,
in the Tar Heels’ opening game against LSU in the College
World Series, White managed to pitch seven innings, scattering
only four hits and three runs – two of which were solo
homers.
When Ping!Baseball asked White after the
game what he was doing differently this year than last year
at the CWS, he said “It’s experience. It’s
more pitching repertoire. I have four pitches this year. I
had two last year. My slider last year was one of my pitches,
and it was average at best.” In addition to adding two
new pitches to his arsenal, White worked on the pitches he
already had, especially his slider. He new considers his slider
his best pitch.
This year, White earned ACC Pitcher of the
Year honors, was Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball
and, most importantly, was a Second-Team All-Ping! selection.
A 14th Round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2006 MLB
Draft, White chose, instead, to become a Tar Heel. Apparently,
it was a wise choice. Baseball America now lists him as the
ACC’s Number One Prospect for the 2009 MLB Draft.
In his last eleven starts, White has an impressive
eight wins and only one loss. Before the CWS, White had a
record of 0-3, when giving up a home run. That changed after
his first game in Omaha, when he gave up two solo homers on
what he said were “two bad pitches” in North Carolina’s
8-4 victory over LSU. But White is a different pitcher than
when he was in Omaha last. He took the leadoff homers in stride,
and battled through and allowed only two more hits the rest
of the game. “I’m a lot stronger this year,”
he told Ping!Baseball. “It’s been a long season,
and I’m still in shape.”
Ping!Baseball asked White what he would be
doing if he wasn’t playing college baseball. “Playing
basketball,” he immediately answered, as his eyes lit
up and a deft smile appeared across his face. He coyly admitted
he has a decent three-point shot. Roy Williams, UNC’s
Head Basketball Coach, and a faithful follower of Tar Heel
Baseball was in Omaha watching the Tar Heels’ game against
LSU from the stands. Or, was he actually scouting? Hmmm….
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