thedrifter
03-09-07, 07:44 AM
Reliever Speier credits military with helping him succeed
He says joining Marines at 17 helped him learn discipline and focus, key components for setup job
By Mike DiGiovanna, Times Staff Writer
March 9, 2007
TEMPE, ARIZ. — Justin Speier is the kind of guy Lee Greenwood writes songs for, an American and proud of it, a pitcher whose political beliefs clearly lean toward the direction of the arm he throws with — the right.
But that flag the new Angels reliever wears on his sleeve is not figurative; it was stitched into the uniform Speier wore during three grueling months of boot camp as a U.S. Marine and his four-year stint with the Marine Corps Reserves, an experience that continues to shape the 33-year-old.
"I have buddies in Iraq right now, one who is flying C-130s for the Air Force, and he tells me stories of how he gets shot at — it's scary," Speier said. "Then you look at what we're able to do, and you thank God. You're grateful for being able to play a kid's game and go to bed at night in this blanket of freedom the military provides us.
"The sacrifices they've made … I'll never forget it. I have a lot of respect for the people who have served in Iraq, in Vietnam. I think people, regardless of their political viewpoints or agenda, need to show a little more respect for those fighting for our country. Freedom isn't free. It has to be earned."
Speier, who is expected to bolster the Angels bullpen this season after signing a four-year, $18-million deal in November, was just out of high school, not even 18, when he joined the Marines, a decision he couldn't have made without the consent of his father, Chris, a major league infielder for 19 years.
"I was 17 at the time, my dad was real strict, and I was a little bit of a screwball growing up," Speier said. "He had to sign as my guardian to let me go in. He said, 'Where do I sign? I'll sign twice.' "
What followed, Speier said, was "the toughest thing mentally, physically and emotionally that I've ever had to do," a two-month stint at the Marine Combat Recruit Depot in San Diego and one more month of field training at Camp Pendleton.
In all, it was three months of "drill instructors yelling at you all the time, a lot of running, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups," Speier said. "I got to fire every weapon imaginable — grenade launchers, a bazooka, 9-millimeter guns…. I got to throw live grenades. A lot of cool stuff."
Speier, who attended Brophy College Prep School in Phoenix, was one of 90 recruits to start boot camp in the summer of 1991. He was one of only 60 to complete boot camp.
"The sense of pride for your country and sense of accomplishment that you feel when you graduate as a U.S. Marine is second to none," Speier said. "It was something I cherish."
It's also something from which Speier, who served one weekend a month and two weeks over the summer in the Marine Corps Reserve while attending Nicholls State University in Louisiana, continues to draw strength.
"Being in the corps helped me with the adversity you go through in baseball," Speier said. "It helped me develop the short-term memory you need as a relief pitcher. It helped me focus on my job."
That job, this season, will be as a seventh- and eighth-inning specialist, a second setup option who should ease the workload on primary setup man Scot Shields and, perhaps, close on a night when Shields and Francisco Rodriguez are unavailable.
After two superb seasons as a setup man in Toronto — 3-2 with a 2.57 earned-run average in 65 games in 2005, 2-0 with a 2.98 ERA in 58 games in 2006 — Speier had offers this winter to close or be a primary setup man. He chose to be the No. 3 man in Anaheim.
"I've set up and closed, but coming here, it wasn't about what role I'd be in, it was about being part of something special, being part of a championship-caliber club — it was a no-brainer," Speier said. "I love pitching with the game on the line, I get that extra adrenaline, but to be honest with you, it doesn't matter when I pitch."
Speier has already impressed his new teammates with his attitude.
"He could have gone to a bunch of different places with a chance to close or be the main setup guy, and he chose here," Shields said. "He said he doesn't care if he pitches the fifth inning — he came here because he thought he'd have the best chance to win. That right there is a team player."
Speier delivers all three of his pitches, a 93-mph sinking fastball, forkball and slider, from a low-three-quarters arm slot, which has been more effective against left-handed batters than right-handers.
Over the last three seasons, Speier has held left-handers to a .213 average and right-handers to a .232 mark. Left-handers hit .183 against him last season.
With the addition of Speier and veteran left-hander Darren Oliver, the Angels believe they may have their best bullpen since 2002, when Troy Percival, Rodriguez, Brendan Donnelly, Ben Weber, Scot Schoeneweis and Shields helped carry the team to a World Series championship.
"With our bullpen, in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, you have three potential closers with Speier, Shields and Rodriguez," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "That's a nice back end of the bullpen."
Shields could benefit most from Speier's presence. The resilient right-hander has pitched 284 2/3 innings over the last three seasons, more than any other major league reliever, but has suffered from fatigue in August, a month in which Shields' career ERA (4.32) is a full run higher than his career ERA in any other month.
"I like having the workload, but it will be better for the team to have everyone fresh," Shields said. "We're going to have a power arm fresh for late in the game every day, and Frankie and I should get more days off. It's definitely going to help out late in games, and late in the year."
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
Ellie
He says joining Marines at 17 helped him learn discipline and focus, key components for setup job
By Mike DiGiovanna, Times Staff Writer
March 9, 2007
TEMPE, ARIZ. — Justin Speier is the kind of guy Lee Greenwood writes songs for, an American and proud of it, a pitcher whose political beliefs clearly lean toward the direction of the arm he throws with — the right.
But that flag the new Angels reliever wears on his sleeve is not figurative; it was stitched into the uniform Speier wore during three grueling months of boot camp as a U.S. Marine and his four-year stint with the Marine Corps Reserves, an experience that continues to shape the 33-year-old.
"I have buddies in Iraq right now, one who is flying C-130s for the Air Force, and he tells me stories of how he gets shot at — it's scary," Speier said. "Then you look at what we're able to do, and you thank God. You're grateful for being able to play a kid's game and go to bed at night in this blanket of freedom the military provides us.
"The sacrifices they've made … I'll never forget it. I have a lot of respect for the people who have served in Iraq, in Vietnam. I think people, regardless of their political viewpoints or agenda, need to show a little more respect for those fighting for our country. Freedom isn't free. It has to be earned."
Speier, who is expected to bolster the Angels bullpen this season after signing a four-year, $18-million deal in November, was just out of high school, not even 18, when he joined the Marines, a decision he couldn't have made without the consent of his father, Chris, a major league infielder for 19 years.
"I was 17 at the time, my dad was real strict, and I was a little bit of a screwball growing up," Speier said. "He had to sign as my guardian to let me go in. He said, 'Where do I sign? I'll sign twice.' "
What followed, Speier said, was "the toughest thing mentally, physically and emotionally that I've ever had to do," a two-month stint at the Marine Combat Recruit Depot in San Diego and one more month of field training at Camp Pendleton.
In all, it was three months of "drill instructors yelling at you all the time, a lot of running, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups," Speier said. "I got to fire every weapon imaginable — grenade launchers, a bazooka, 9-millimeter guns…. I got to throw live grenades. A lot of cool stuff."
Speier, who attended Brophy College Prep School in Phoenix, was one of 90 recruits to start boot camp in the summer of 1991. He was one of only 60 to complete boot camp.
"The sense of pride for your country and sense of accomplishment that you feel when you graduate as a U.S. Marine is second to none," Speier said. "It was something I cherish."
It's also something from which Speier, who served one weekend a month and two weeks over the summer in the Marine Corps Reserve while attending Nicholls State University in Louisiana, continues to draw strength.
"Being in the corps helped me with the adversity you go through in baseball," Speier said. "It helped me develop the short-term memory you need as a relief pitcher. It helped me focus on my job."
That job, this season, will be as a seventh- and eighth-inning specialist, a second setup option who should ease the workload on primary setup man Scot Shields and, perhaps, close on a night when Shields and Francisco Rodriguez are unavailable.
After two superb seasons as a setup man in Toronto — 3-2 with a 2.57 earned-run average in 65 games in 2005, 2-0 with a 2.98 ERA in 58 games in 2006 — Speier had offers this winter to close or be a primary setup man. He chose to be the No. 3 man in Anaheim.
"I've set up and closed, but coming here, it wasn't about what role I'd be in, it was about being part of something special, being part of a championship-caliber club — it was a no-brainer," Speier said. "I love pitching with the game on the line, I get that extra adrenaline, but to be honest with you, it doesn't matter when I pitch."
Speier has already impressed his new teammates with his attitude.
"He could have gone to a bunch of different places with a chance to close or be the main setup guy, and he chose here," Shields said. "He said he doesn't care if he pitches the fifth inning — he came here because he thought he'd have the best chance to win. That right there is a team player."
Speier delivers all three of his pitches, a 93-mph sinking fastball, forkball and slider, from a low-three-quarters arm slot, which has been more effective against left-handed batters than right-handers.
Over the last three seasons, Speier has held left-handers to a .213 average and right-handers to a .232 mark. Left-handers hit .183 against him last season.
With the addition of Speier and veteran left-hander Darren Oliver, the Angels believe they may have their best bullpen since 2002, when Troy Percival, Rodriguez, Brendan Donnelly, Ben Weber, Scot Schoeneweis and Shields helped carry the team to a World Series championship.
"With our bullpen, in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, you have three potential closers with Speier, Shields and Rodriguez," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "That's a nice back end of the bullpen."
Shields could benefit most from Speier's presence. The resilient right-hander has pitched 284 2/3 innings over the last three seasons, more than any other major league reliever, but has suffered from fatigue in August, a month in which Shields' career ERA (4.32) is a full run higher than his career ERA in any other month.
"I like having the workload, but it will be better for the team to have everyone fresh," Shields said. "We're going to have a power arm fresh for late in the game every day, and Frankie and I should get more days off. It's definitely going to help out late in games, and late in the year."
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
Ellie