Morel mows opponents down
Emerson ace lefty strikes out batters by dozens, points to possible pro career
Jhosandy Morel came to the United States from his native Dominican Republic just four years ago, hoping to get recognized as a legitimate baseball prospect.
At the time, Emerson High School head coach Ishmael Falcone didn’t know anything about Morel, but it didn’t take long for Falcone to realize that Morel was something special.
"From the minute I saw how loose his arm was and how well he threw the ball, I knew we had a pitcher," Falcone said. "He loved to pitch and was just looking for the chance."
In his first varsity game as a freshman, Morel defeated St. Peter’s Prep, the team that went on to win the HCIAA championship. That was just a small sign of what bigger things lay ahead.
Since that time, the fireballing left-handed Morel has blazed his way through most of Hudson County, striking out batters left and right in his path. Morel said he never pays much attention to his strikeout totals, which lately have gone through the roof.
"It never crosses my mind," Morel said. "After the game, I may go and check to see how many strikeouts I may have, but never during the game, because it might distract my concentration."
Lately, Morel’s concentration has been very keen and his strikeout totals have been spectacular.
In the last two weeks, Morel pitched a four-hitter against Bayonne, striking out 14 in a 4-2 victory. In his next start, Morel fanned an astonishing 18 batters in a 2-1 win over North Bergen, surrendering just three hits. He is averaging 13 strikeouts every time he takes the mound.
Last Tuesday, while Emerson was defeating Dickinson, 10-6, Morel added 11 strikeouts in a game that wasn’t really his best. Morel was also a factor at the plate, collecting a long two-run homer and an RBI double in the victory.
For his efforts, Morel has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Falcone likes the way Morel approaches the game.
"He just takes the ball and goes," said Falcone of his ace lefty, who has a 5-1 record and a 2.75 earned run average thus far. "He’s a workhorse. He reminds me a lot of (former North Bergen All-State pitcher) Steve Baum with the way he comes at people. Just give him the ball and he’s going to do the job. And now, he knows that if he’s not going to beat you on the mound, he’s going to do it with his bat as well."
Morel likes the idea that he gets the ball in every big situation for the Bulldogs.
"It makes me feel that I’m important," Morel said. "I know I’m going to pitch in the big game and it shows me that the coaches and my teammates have confidence in me. I think it’s important when a team has confidence in you."
If there is a criticism of Morel, it’s his violent pitching motion. His front leg flies forward and almost bends backward when he lands. His arms flail away like a person who can’t swim. Needless to say, he doesn’t have the best pitching mechanics.
"We worked so hard in trying to make him change," Falcone said. "When he falls, he winds up at third base, like [former Philadelphia Phillies reliever] Mitch Williams. We tried to correct him, but when we did, he wasn’t comfortable and started to experience pain, so we decided not to mess with it. I tell people show me a lefty that has good mechanics. We’ve tried everything to work with him, but that’s just his thing. He’s been successful, so we’re not going to change it."
Morel knows that he doesn’t have a conventional pitching style.
"I know I’m awkward," Morel said. "I’ve listened to suggestions to try to change, but I feel uncomfortable any other way. I just try to pitch the way I know how."
Whatever the style, Morel is catching the eyes of some professional scouts. Representatives from the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates were on hand at Roosevelt Stadium last Tuesday to closely monitor Morel’s progress, complete with Juggs guns to measure how fast his pitches were traveling.
"I know they’re there," Morel said. "But I try to concentrate on the catcher and not think about why they’re there."
"It’s tough to pitch a game when they have the guns pointed at you," Falcone said. "But I think he’s handling it well. And I think he’s going to get drafted [in the major league baseball draft June 5]. The scouts all introduce themselves to Jhosandy and tell him how interested they are. It all started last year and has continued this year. But it doesn’t bother him. He wants to be a ballplayer. He feels that if it’s going to make him nervous, then he shouldn’t be playing ball."
Morel is keeping the faith that he will be selected in the draft.
"If that happens, the first thing that will happen will be, ‘Wow,’ " Morel said. "I would be very happy. That’s my dream. It’s been my dream ever since the Braves signed [former Emerson teammate] Gabe Romero. When scouts came to see Gabe, that gave me the idea that I could have the same thing happen to me."
Morel has been utilizing three pitches – a fastball, a tough curveball and a change-up that Morel rarely uses.
"We have been working so hard with him to use the change, because it’s a good pitch," Falcone said. "We try to sell it to him that we need him to be deceptive, but he’s so afraid to do so. Otherwise, he’s like a pitching machine, throwing it straight."
Morel has also been pitching with some added inspiration. His mother died last year, which has caused Morel to become more focused and determined in her memory.
"Losing my mom has made me want to work harder, to do something good for my father and little brother," Morel said. "Hopefully, I can help them. She’s definitely an inspiration to me."
Falcone said that Morel is a well-liked member of the team.
"People like him and he gets along well with his teammates," Falcone said. "He’s also very respectful to everyone and I like that in him."
Falcone also likes the fact that he can throw hard and strike out the opposition more often than not. If Morel continues to pitch the way he has recently, then the chances are that he will receive that phone call of a lifetime in a few weeks.