Baseball Talk With Salisbury's Brian Ernst

graduate , a talented pitcher and first baseman at East Stroudsburg University, might have a shot at the Major Leagues when the scouts come looking the first week of June. Ernst, who will play this summer for the Lehigh Valley Catz, part of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, talked baseball with Patch.

Patch: A good hitting pitcher can be a boon to a team in a close game, so why do most lose this skill once they reach the “show?" The common wisdom is it isn’t worth giving pitchers, who play once in four days, at most, batting practice at the expense of daily players.

Ernst: Each player needs to focus on and hone his unique skills.

Patch: Why is it so easy to hit a hanging curve?

Ernst: Because you can see it so well. To hit the ball, you have to see it out of the pitcher’s hand. Your swing must begin by the time it’s a third of the way to the plate.

Patch: Do you try to second-guess what a pitcher will throw?

Ernst: No, that will really mess you up. You just try to see the ball well.

Patch: Day games or night games?

Ernst: Day games. Despite the floodlights, sunshine is best for hitters.

Patch: What's your tip for infielders?

Ernst: To concentrate on a ground ball, count the number of hops.

Ernst says that the pressure of a tight game does not bother him. He seems to thrive on it. If he can continue to make his change-up effective, we might be seeing lots of him on ESPN and on MLB TV.