THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605100196
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
JOHN CURTICE REMEMBERS as a freshman on the Great Bridge junior varsity baseball team rushing to the varsity field after practice to watch Western Branch's Jimmy Anderson pitch against the Wildcats.
Curtice wasn't disappointed. Anderson, who now plays for Class A Lynchburg in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, struck out 22 batters in 10 innings that day.
``He's my role model,'' Curtice said of Anderson. ``I made sure I was at every game we played against Western Branch.''
Two years later Curtice has made himself the envy of every young lefthander with professional aspirations. He pitched a two-hit shutout against First Colonial in his first varsity start and was 4-1 with a 1.43 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 29 innings through Wednesday.
Those numbers evoke comparisons with Anderson.
``John is about the same as Jimmy was when he was a junior,'' Florida Marlins scout Ducky Davis said. ``I'm sure the kid will get drafted.''
Curtice's fastball has been clocked consistently in the mid-80s, similar to Anderson's. His curveball doesn't have quite the same bite, but the day Davis saw Curtice he was impressed with both his curve and slider.
What ultimately sets the two lefthanders apart - and what tantalizes scouts - is the difference in size. Curtice is 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. Anderson is 5-10.
``The only thing I questioned about Anderson was his size,'' Great Bridge coach Martin Oliver said. ``He dominated high school hitters, but taking the next step? The one thing John has that Jimmy didn't was size.''
A sore elbow limited Curtice to only 13 innings on the JV team last year. But once it healed he blossomed.
He pitched a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the AAU 15-under Nationals in Millington, Tenn., and came back to Great Bridge in the fall excited about the prospect of contributing on the varsity.
``I played fall ball, worked on my conditioning and just threw more,'' Curtice said.
Curtice added more than 5 mph to his fastball and - just as importantly - learned to locate it.
He has cut his walks by more than half - from more than five per game in the fall to one every 2.9 innings this spring.
The result has been one dominating performance after another.
The First Colonial game stands out because it was his first start and came against the most successful program in the region over the past decade.
``When I first saw our schedule, I thought, that was the team I wanted to face,'' Curtice said. ``I knew they were the best.''
Curtice was even more overpowering in a 2-1 victory over Churchland. He stopped the Truckers on four hits and struck out 15.
Curtice's run of success is reflected now in his attitude on the mound.
``I love pitching,'' he said. ``It's a power thing. You feel like you're in control, you're running the show.''
Not even his first loss, 4-0 to Indian River last Saturday, can change that. Only two of the Braves' runs were earned and he struck out 12.
``He had a tough time with his location against Indian River,'' Oliver said. ``It seemed like he went to 3-2 on every batter. He threw 56 pitches in the first two innings and finished with 135.''
Curtice is just beginning to draw attention from recruiters and scouts and with both he and Mike Cuddyer back next season every Great Bridge game should resemble a circus.
Cuddyer has been invited to try out for the U.S. Junior National team as an infielder and a pitcher. When Cuddyer pitches for Great Bridge Curtice usually plays first base.
If Curtice doesn't make it as a pitcher he can always fall back on first, which he still considers his best position. He is batting .389 with three home runs and 13 RBIs and hasn't committed a error.
Curtice is a big college baseball fan and took his SAT last weekend.
``It was tough,'' he said. ``Different than I thought it would be.''
He's an average student in the classroom and with his baseball career taking off sometimes thinks about the major league draft.
``If I get drafted I'd have to look at college and pro baseball and see where the best opportunity lies,'' said Curtice. ``But I'd like to go pro.''
If that happens Curtice will have something else in common with Anderson. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
John Curtice of Great Bridge
Has a 4-1 record with a 1.43 ERA.
by CNB