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(Special  to the Independent News)

Forty-two participants of Hazelwood’s 2010 Baseball Camp got more than they bargained for when St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Kyle McClellan showed up with his friend Jason Motte, another Redbird bullpen hurdler known for having a 100 mph fastball.  Both of them answered questions and signed autographs for all of the campers between the ages of six and 12.

From some of the questions that were asked, McClellan revealed that his favorite pitch is the curve ball.  On the other hand, Motte’s favorite pitch is the fastball.  When Motte was asked how fast he can throw a fastball, he said his fastest pitches have been clocked around 100 and 101 mph.  McClellan’s fastest pitch has been clocked at 95 mph.  They also explained the difference between a 2-seam fastball and a 4-seam fastball, and how the ball moves across home plate with both pitches.

When asked how they made it to the Major Leagues, McClellan told the crowd that he was drafted in 2002 right out of high school when he graduated from Hazelwood West High School.  Beforehand, he was planning to play college baseball at the University of Missouri.  Motte was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003 from the minors.  He said, “Major league baseball is a lot better than the minor league.”  He recalls being amazed at how big the stadiums are in the major leagues.  He would sit and just stare up into the stadium and look at all the people during his first couple of games.

Here are other interesting facts learned by the campers:  Motte started out as a catcher and then was converted to being a pitcher about five years ago.  And, McClellan throws his important pitches from the stretch while he’s warming up in the bullpen.

McClellan congratulated all the kids for coming out to participate in the Baseball Camp.  He pointed out that when he was their age, he played on some of the same baseball fields they’re using now.  During the summer, McClellan would always try to play a game of baseball everyday.  He said all of his hard work paid off.  “It’s not as difficult as it seems for one of you to end up where I’m standing in a few years as a MLB player, and talk to a group of kids about baseball,” McClellan noted.

For the past two years, Hazelwood’s Baseball Camps have been hosted by The Fieldhouse Training Center, one of the largest baseball and softball training facilities in the region.     This Hazelwood business is run by McClellan’s father, Terry.  McClellan attributes much of his baseball success to the strong support he receives from his father and mother, Kathy.  His brother, Matt, was the varsity baseball coach for Hazelwood West High School.

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