Oak Hill's Bender Catching Fish and Hitters With Hook

Joel Bender has been working in Arizona for over a month.

The 6'3", 22-year old graduate of Oak Hills high school is enthusiastically working on pitching in the major leagues.  He releases any stress involved by fishing with his teammates.

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His curve ball or "hook" as its informally known in baseball is the way he gets hitters out.  His fishing hook has been just as successful as his facebook page has some trophy catches on them.

"I am working hard on a change up," said Bender, whose speech pattern speeds up  when he talks baseball.  "Last year I started to throw it more.  I was hitting both sides of the plate with it.  As I got tired later in the season, my arm slot dropped a little.  When hitters know the count you like to throw it and they have faced you a few times, they can pick it up."

Bender has been under the watchful eyes of the Reds' developmental staff, including the Dayton Dragon's pitching coach, Tony Fassas who had a nasty breaking pitch.

"I was getting a lot of swings and misses with it," Bender said.  "Before I would get a lot of foul balls with it."

The lefthander did some self experimentation in the bullpen and re-discovered a pitch he threw as an Oak Hills Highlander.  He drops down and gets a sweeping breaking ball similar to Bronson Arroyo's sweeping slider.

"I started throwing the change up that I threw in high school and it had a huge break to it," Bender said.  "I tried it in a game. I thought why not?  Then the coach asked me what it was and we started working on it."

Bender is looking forward to this season. He believes that he will be going to High A Bakersfield, then hopes to be promoted to Pensacola.

"I know the California League is a hitters league, with short fences.  It is hot there and the teams are all around.  You commute but go home after road games," Bender said.

Bender was the Reds' choice in the 27th round.  He has a four-year head start on college players now coming out in the draft.