EVERETT — It’s a big jump from college baseball to the professional ranks, and Joe Venturino knows that better than most.
The Everett AquaSox infielder got off to a slow start when he was initially promoted in July after seven games with the Arizona Mariners. In the past 10 games, however, Venturino is hitting .333 with nine runs and five RBI.
“I changed my approach up a little bit,” Venturino said. “When I first got here I was taking a lot of pitches, trying to see what they have and trying to time the fastball. By that point timing the fastball, you’re down 0-1 and you don’t even see the fastball anymore. … The more I’ve been playing I’ve been more aggressive getting the fastball early in the count and I’ve been able to put a good piece of the bat on it.”
Venturino is a native of Staten Island, New York, and was selected by the Mariners in the 36th round of this year’s draft from Division III Ramapo College of New Jersey.
“In college I took the first pitch almost every single at-bat for almost two years because the pitching was not superior,” Venturino said. “I could fall behind 0-2 and still hit .400, honestly, in that league. Now it’s obviously a big change and it took me a few at-bats to realize you can’t be doing that here. It’s just a quick little adjustment, which is fine.”
Venturino was one of 20 D-III players picked in this year’s draft, and the first Ramapo player selected since 2013.
His father, Phil, spent four years as a pitcher in the minor leagues and reached the Triple-A level. The elder Venturino was able to help his son at the plate by imparting wisdom in the form of a pitcher’s point of view.
“He would come at you with a strike-one fastball,” Venturino said. “The goal for a pitcher is to get ahead of a batter. So his goal is to get ahead and I’m sitting here realizing that I’m taking that first pitch that’s probably the best pitch (of the at-bat). I talked to him about it and talked to (hitting coach Brian Hunter) about it and realized I have to be more aggressive, and it’s been working out.”
Newsome turns in strong performance Friday
Everett starting pitcher Ljay Newsome was nearly flawless Friday as he earned his fifth victory with 6 2/3 innings of two-hit, one-run baseball with six strikeouts in the AquaSox’s 7-2 win over Salem-Keizer.
“He had a great performance,” Everett manager Rob Mummau said. “He had his best fastball of the year (Friday) night. He was able to elevate it a few times and work it up and down, change eye levels and be effective all night.”
Newsome’s lone mistake came in the second when Gio Brusa hit his Northwest League-leading seventh home run over the fence in right-center for a solo home run.
“I think he just left it in the middle of the plate about thigh-high,” Mummau said. “Bruso is a good hitter. He’s got power and he got it over the short fence.”
Newsome, a 19-year-old from Maryland who was the NWL Pitcher of the Week earlier this season and named a league All-Star, is 5-2 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP (walks plus hits divided by innings pitched) this season. His ERA is tied for fifth among eligible NWL hurlers, and his five victories are tied for second-most in the league. He is also second in WHIP.
Second-half North Division pennant in Everett’s sights
The AquaSox entered Saturday’s game with an 11-4 second-half record, a three-game lead over Spokane and a five-game lead over Tri-City.
Spokane won the first-half title, so essentially the AquaSox are battling with Tri-City and Vancouver for the second playoff spot. If the Indians win the second-half title as well, the next playoff spot would go to whichever remaining team had the highest season-long winning percentage. Right now that’s Everett at 29-24 overall. Tri-City is sitting at 25-28 while Vancouver is 20-33.
“That’s our priority right there, not only developing the players, but winning,” Mummau said. “We talk about it all the time as an organization and it’s the same thing here with the AquaSox.”
Notes
Seattle Mariners reliever Steve Cishek will pitch for the AquaSox Monday and Wednesday on a rehab assignment. Cishek (2-6, 25 saves, 3.40 ERA in 44 appearances with Seattle) will be the fifth M’s pitcher and sixth Seattle player to rehab with Everett this season. Cishek has been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with a hip injury. … Entering Saturday, Everett outfielder Eric Filia lead the league in hitting (.323) and RBI (33). Teammate Nick Zammarelli was third in hitting (.316) while Bryson Brigman lead the league in runs (34). Filia was also second in on-base percentage (.429) and walks (32).
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