Our next interview is with Martin Dewald, who had a very busy, but also successful 2010 season. First, he reached the NCAA Division II World Series with Georgia College & State. Afterwards he helped the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe to qualify for the European Cup Final Four as the first German team ever. In July he was the number-four starter for Team Germany, winning the bronze medal. In September he again pitched for the Heidekoepfe, in the German Finals against Regensburg and in the Final Four in Barcelona, where he defeated Telemarket Rimini in the semi-finals.
Mister-Baseball: Could you give our readers a short summary of your career so far?
Martin Dewald: Well, I started playing baseball when I was 11 years old with the Mannheim Amigos. Then I went on to play for Heidenheim on their 1st League team when I was 16 years old and moved there by all myself in order avoid problems with school that I had in Mannheim getting time off for National Team events and such. I was integrated in senior National Team stuff that year as well and soon somewhat realized that I might really have a chance to be able to play in the US somewhere. And after a couple crucial injuries, such as a broken collar bone and a broken hand, I realized how life without baseball isn’t that great after all. So I got my mind set on trying everything I can to be able to play baseball on a high level in the US somehow.
Then it was Coach Frady who got me in touch with some Junior Colleges in the US in order combine playing baseball and continuing to study in case the whole baseball thing wouldn’t work out. Gordon College was the one to give me a shot and I went there right after I graduated high school in Germany. Over the summer break I then went back to Germany to play for the Mannheim Tornados and moved back home, so that my parents were able to see me at least for a little bit of the year. After 2 years at Gordon College I got recruited to play at the Georgia College & State University, where I played for the next 2 years. Then after that was done and three closely failed attempts to win the German Championship with Mannheim, I decided to go back to play for Heidenheim again. And currently I am back in the US finishing up my Marketing degree wondering what next year will bring.
MRBB: You had a pretty successful season in four different competitions. With your college team you reached the semi-finals at the NCAA Division II World Series, you won the bronze medal at the Euros with Germany, got to the European Final Four with Heidenheim and lost in the German Finals. What would you consider your highlight of 2010 and why?
MD: This whole year was pretty amazing and besides having one at least one of the couple events, there really isn’t anything that could have been better. The highlight in this whole year, I believe that Germany was able to show the world how far they have come baseball wise. A German played a big role in getting a team to the NCAA II World series, Germany finished 3rd in the European Championship, where everybody saw that there even could have been more in it, and then a German team standing in the finals of the European Final Four.
Personally, I think, being part and able to contribute n some crucial wins, such as the big wins against the Dutch and Spanish team at the European Qualifier, but mainly the win against the Swedish Team at the European Cup to clinch 3rd place. I still think of the situation…bases loaded, full-count, the guy at bat that cause the benches to clear earlier that game, throwing cutter inside…well and the rest was just a big party then. [Laughs]
MRBB: You’re switching between a reliever and a starter role pretty often. How do you prepare for it and do you pitch differently in either?
MD: I get that question a lot…well the answer is not really. I approach every time I pitch and try to dominate every inning. So when I start I do the same thing, just that I wonder sometimes for how long I will still have enough juice left in my arm to be able to dominate the next inning. To sum it up, I don’t pitch any different and I don’t hold back.
MRBB: How many miles did you travel via plane this year and how did you manage the jetlag?
MD: [Laughs]…many I guess, especially over the last two years. I guess from last year’s experience where I got on the plane on Fridays, landed Saturday mornings, a couple hours after that, I pitched a game, then took the plane again on Sundays to fly back and hit the books and practice with my college team, I somewhat pretty much became immune of jetlag.
MRBB: Due to studying in the US, you hadn’t much practice time with your teammates in Heidenheim. Especially looking at the battery, was it difficult to get comfortable with the catcher, even though you obviously know Simon Guehring from the past couple of years with the national team?
MD: No, not at all. I’ve played with Simon when I first got to Heidenheim, so I have known him for a long time. Plus Simon is an outstanding Catcher. There is not much to get used to. You do what he tells you to do or throw…and then you are in good hands.
MRBB: Besides the schedule, what are the main differences between college ball and the Bundesliga? How would you rank the German league in comparison?
MD: That is hard to say. Mainly because of the different schedules there is more depth to the teams in college. But if my college team would play a single game every weekend against a team from Germany, the chances of the series being tied or pretty close after like 20 games is very high, I would say. If they were to play three-game series, I don’t know if there would be many won series for German Bundesliga teams. Also the fact that the lineup is strong 1 through 9, whereas in German Club teams you often have 1 or 2 weaker spots. There are many single players in Germany that would probably do fairly well in college, just the overall teams is just hard to say. I hope that somewhat answers the question.
MRBB: When you would have to give a scouting report about yourself, what would you say? What pitches do you throw and which do you trust during a game?
MD: I throw a cutter, a slider, a curveball, a changeup, oh yeah, and a fastball…every now and then. I think it is hard to have a scouting report on me, because I adjust to how I pitch to the hitter’s approach. But you can say that I do throw a lot of off-speed pitches, and mix in fast balls every now and then. I mean hitters practice hitting fastballs so why throw them what they see every day during batting practice. Numbers wise, on a good day my fastball is around 87-89mph, my cutter 80-83mph and my curveball around 74-78mph.
MRBB: What are your plans for 2011?
MD: To be honest I don’t really know yet. There are a couple opportunities I have baseball wise in Europe, Australia and the US. But I also might have the chance to start a job in the US next year or I might even try to get a Masters degree. There is something I will do and it will hopefully involve baseball in some sort of way. Thank you very much, and thanks to a great baseball season 2010!
Mister-Baseball thanks Martin Dewald for answering our questions.
Photo: © Georgia College & State University (portrait, top right), Iris Drobny (pitching for Germany in Stuttgart, middle left), Walter Keller www.catchthefever.de (game 5, German finals, bottom right)