Heaney's gift helping Cowboy arms improve
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State's trip to a big-league ballpark meant a look at big-league amenities. Despite its age and upcoming replacement, the Cowboys' Allie P. Reynolds Stadium has some similar benefits, thanks to a Major League alum.
OSU beat Michigan at Dodger Stadium as part of this past weekend's trip to Los Angeles. As one of 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, the Dodgers' home features MLB's Statcast technology, which provides various advanced metrics for pitchers, batters and fielders. Measurements for pitchers such as release height, precise velocity and pitch spin rate are available, as are exit velocity and launch angle for batters and catch probably and arm strength for fielders.
A pitcher who plays his home games up Interstate 5 from Dodger Stadium — and used to play them at Allie P. — has helped bring similar technology to Stillwater. Last spring, Los Angeles Angels lefthander Andrew Heaney, the 2012 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year while at OSU, donated a TrackMan system, the same product MLB uses for Statcast, to the program. The system is affixed behind home plate at Allie P.
The addition has enabled OSU pitching coach Rob Walton, already nicknamed “The Wizard” for his seemingly magical ability to improve Cowboy pitchers, to add a mathematical element to his analysis.
“It literally calculates everything,” OSU righthander Jensen Elliott said. “It's more stuff than we need to know, but it's pretty cool.
“We can see all that stuff that the big leaguers get to see.”
With TrackMan, Elliott learned he threw his slider and fastball from different arm slots and has since worked with Walton to correct the issue, adding deception. If a pitcher is releasing different pitches from different arm angles, it can tip an opposing batter on what pitch is coming.
Heaney's contribution, one of up to $30,000, speaks strongly of his connection with the program, given that he never played for the current coaching staff. The Marlins selected Heaney with the
ninth overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. Four days afterward, Josh Holliday was introduced as the coach of his alma mater.
But Heaney has become known for his humanitarian efforts. He regularly has been the Angels' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to a player who excels on the field and in the community.
“Andrew's been a great friend to OSU baseball,” Holliday said. “He's a loyal ex-player who loved his time here. He's been really open about that, how much being here meant to him and how much he loves Cowboy baseball. He's just been a very giving soul.
“We're just glad he loves Oklahoma State so much that he would give back his hard-earned money to help these kids have a good experience.”