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START SPREADING THE NEWS...FORMER UMBC PITCHER WITASICK IN WORLD SERIES WITH YANKEES
10/23/2001
 Jay Witasick with UMBC skipper John Jancuska. |
Start spreading the news.....Former UMBC pitcher Jay Witasick, a reliever for the American League Champion New York Yankees, will attempt to help lead the Bronx Bombers to their fourth straight World Series title against the Arizona Diamondbacks. "There's no question that this is a dream come true for me," Witasick told UMBCRetrivers.com. "As a kid you fantasize about playing in the World Series, but doing it wearing the Yankee pinstripes is even more special." In the wake of September 11, Witasick said that the celebration following the American League Championship Series was relatively subdued, but the team did have a private moment in the team locker room to enjoy their accomplishment. "Though we are a small part of society, we understand how much this means to New York. We feel a deep sense of pride. It's nice that we're able to give people something to look forward to and serve as a distraction. The resilience of this team and city seem to go hand in hand" While baseball fans everywhere wonder how the Yankees continue to find a way to win, Witasick believes he can provide some basic answers. "For one, we have tremendous leadership, he stated. "Our veterans are not afraid to speak up and show the way. Because our team has been in this situation so many times, everyone knows what to expect. In addition, our coaching staff and scouts have us incredibly prepared before each game. All of these factors help us to be able to close the deal." Witasick (Bel Air, MD), who helped lead the Retrievers to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1992, went 8-2 and posted a 3.30 ERA this past season. In addition, the hard throwing righthander fanned 106 batters in 79.0 innings.