Ben Buchanan-- a Gamer

I've been watching Ben pitch for 2 years. He pitches all the big games and always does well. I have never seen the kid pitch a bad game. He mixes his pitches well and the batters are usually off stride or thinking curveball while Ben blasts a fastball by him.

He has always pitched well when Braves is watching. Ben is something like 20-0 when I am around....the only loss he has suffered that I have witnessed was his dad's fault. I was trying to keep pace with his Dad, Steve, explaining how I am Ben's good luck charm. But Steve paces back and forth ALL game long. He has worn a pit between homeplate and the dugout and that's where I landed the night that Ben lost. I stumbled and tripped in that pit and every time I would ask for Steve's help he would mutter something and keep on walking.

By the time I got out of that pit, Ben gave up 2 HR's to Myers Park and it was too late for me to help...

Well, I plan to see a lot of Ben this summer and I really like his father, but I think I'll just plant myself and just watch Steve pace himself into his pit...I'll also watch Ben start up his new undefeated streak!!

This young man knows how to pitch. He has unnatural composure and confidence. The bigger the game..the more he wants the ball. He is definitely on Braves All Conference team and come June 1st, Ben will be another player in my "corral" advising him what decisions to make...Pros ( and Braves 25% fee ) or College ( and Braves 15% fee ). I figure if he goes to college, he will be a little smarter, so my fee will be less).

Braves salute to an excellent player, having an excellent season. I can't wait to get him on our team for a change

 

Come on now, Ben is too good to let slip off of the first screen in less than a week!

I have had the privilege of competing against this guy for the past two years, and without hesitation I will say that he is very much a "gamer". However, I will take that one step further and say that he is only a "gamer" because of all of the time that he devotes to the game. That is why I would not only classify Ben as a "gamer", but as a "true player".

I have seen him pitch against my team about five times and another five teams I have watched from the stands. He is one of the few guys that I would pay to go see pitch.

For those who have not seen Ben, this is why I say that:
1. He is prepared. If you really watch Ben, you can see that he has every a plan for every pitch to every batter.

2. He is a great competitor. The kid has won countless ball games, and when I say ballgames, I mean the BIG ONES. He wants the rock when no one else does.

3. He is consistent. I am yet to see Ben take the mound and have an "ok" outing. He has pitched well enough to win everytime I have seen him and that is all that you can ask of a pitcher.

4. He is a team player. His actions on the hill and in the dugout are positive, unselfish and you can tell that he is one of those "quiet leaders" that the younger guys want to look up to.

5. He is worker (if you can even call practicing baseball work). I had the opportunity to work with 4 On Deck teams one evening in the winter and the last group of pitchers consisted of about 8 juniors from the Charlotte area. Now here I am only a year older than these guys and I could look in the guys eyes and see that their minds were made up that I was only a year older than them, I was not their coach, therefore they were going to have a 20 minute break in my station...except for Ben. Ben was grilling me about my opinions on certain areas of pitching and was the one guy to step up and actually work on a towel drill, as well as a few other drills that I had learned a week before then while I worked with Dr. Tom House. If you do not know Tom House, he just works with pitchers like Randy Johnson, Rob Nenn and Mark Prior. I think he knows a little bit about pitching.

Anyways... Ben is one of the best around. I look forward to seeing which program will be lucky enough to have him sign on their dotted line.
There are many things that I have left out. That is intentional, this post is for the people who have not seen Ben pitch, not for Ben. Ben is the type of player who works to make his game better, thus making his team better. He doesnt do it for the praises from people on this board or from the Charlotte Observer.

I tip my hat to Ben (and the entire East Meck team) for the many great games that we have had throughout my career here. One thing I know for sure though, is that I gotta get off of this computer and go get my work in because while I have been typing all of this, Ben and the rest of the East Meck team is out there working and preparing for that chance of us playing one another again next week.

 

No..he doesn't, but one of the purposes of this Board is to promote deserving players....and Ben has not been mentioned very often and I believe he was way overdue.

That was well said UpandIN...Great post!!!!!