Subscribe Subscribe
 Haddock has been solid both in the rotation, and out of the bullpen this season. |
After a dissapointing freshman season, Haddock has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the Orange Empire Conference.
April 15, 2011
By Tom Sheridan
Cypress, Calif. - One of the first presents Connor Haddock remembers getting as a child was a Wiffle ball and bat that his parents gave him when he was 3-years-old. Flash forward 17 years, and the Cypress College sophomore is still playing the game he loves, only now as the anchor of the Chargers' starting rotation.
After only making six appearances his freshman season at Cypress, Haddock re-dedicated himself in the off-season, and has emerged as the ace of this year's staff.
Haddock leads the team in innings pitched (64.1), wins with a 6-3 record, and earned run average (3.08). Haddock also ranks second on the team in strikeouts (42) and appearances with 13.
When Haddock was 5-years-old, his father Stan moved his family to the East Coast for work in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina - just a short car ride down I-40 from the home of USA Baseball, and minutes away from Wake Forest University. Around that same time, another Charger hurler, Cory Sullivan, had moved on to star for the Deacons, and earn First-Team All America honors in 1989-1999.
Haddock played ball there until he was 13-years-old when his family returned to Orange County to put down roots in Yorba Linda, Calif. Haddock had begun to develop the killer changeup he has now, and would go on to become a three-year letter-winner at El Dorado High School in Placentia, Calif., where he finished his career for the Golden Hawks with a 2.89 ERA.
He began to get looks from a number of NCAA Division I schools, but a shoulder injury halfway through his junior year set him back for his senior campaign. Fortunately for the Chargers, Cypress head coach Scott Pickler never lost interest, and turned an unfortunate situation into a success story.
"I was looking into going to a couple of other [Junior] colleges from around the area, but I thought Cypress would be the best fit," Haddock said.
Haddock still had aspirations of pitching at the Division I level, and knew how successful the Cypress baseball program has been over the years in moving its players on to four-year universities, and beyond, so he seized the opportunity to become a Charger.
Initially Haddock thought that he would get on the field a little more than he did his freshman season, but with such a sophomore laden staff the opportunities just weren't there.
"It was a little disappointing because I definitely thought that I could come in and contribute, but you play the hand that you're dealt," Haddock said. "I just carried that into the off-season to push me to get better."
The Cypress coaching staff saw Haddock's potential and knew that he could be a valuable contributor to the success of the Chargers' storied program when they challenged him to get in better shape during the off-season, and prepare for the upcoming year.
"We challenged him in our end of the year meeting to get in shape," Cypress pitching coach Taylor Cameron said. "We told him that if he wanted to play Division I baseball then he had to get his body right."
Haddock took that challenge, and used it to fuel a grueling workout regimen over the summer. By the time he showed up for Fall-ball, he'd dropped 30 pounds. His coaches were impressed by all the hard work he put in, and his teammates grew a new level of respect for him after seeing the results of his dedication and determination first hand.
All that time in the gym has paid dividends for Haddock in 2011. He's tied for the Orange Empire Conference lead in wins, and has the fifth lowest ERA in the league - of pitchers with at least 45 innings of work.
"Last year he didn't believe in himself," Pickler said. "He's been our most consistent pitcher all year because now he's in shape and confident every time he steps on the mound."
Coming into this season, Pickler knew he would have to lean on Haddock to anchor the pitching staff. After beginning the year in the starting rotation, Cypress had some injuries and needed him in relief where he could be used a few times a week. As a reliever he picked up three of his six wins.
"I actually like coming out of the bullpen," Haddock said. "My adrenaline starts pumping when they call my name and tell me to get down there to get hot, but to be honest, I just like to pitch. It doesn't matter if I'm starting or coming out of the pen, as long as I'm on the bump."
As the season progressed, and the Charger bullpen situation stabilized, Haddock got his chance to return to the rotation. In the four games he's started since, Haddock has gone 3-1 with wins over Saddleback, Golden West and Irvine Valley in OEC play - his only loss came against the top team in the league, Santa Ana College.
Now, several Division I schools are beginning to take notice. Haddock's been talking to the University of Washington out of the PAC-10 Conference, as well as UC San Diego, Bakersfield, and Liberty University – where his teammate Bryan Aanderud just signed a letter-of-intent to play at next season. Another Cypress infielder, shortstop Joey Boney, has already signed on with Loyola Marymount University to play for the Lions in 2012.
"I'm leaning towards Washington and UC San Diego right now," Haddock said. "Washington is a PAC-10 school and that would be an amazing conference to play in, and San Diego is one of my favorite cities."
Much of the Chargers' success down the stretch run will hinge on how well Haddock performs on the mound, but as long as he keeps pitching the way he's been all season, Cypress should have a good chance at making a deep run into the postseason.
"I think we play well when Haddock is on the mound because the guys have confidence in him," Pickler said. "They know he's going to go out there and throw strikes, and give them opportunities to play defense."
