After taking a look at the Cyclones bullpen and seeing names like Stephen Clyne, Eddie Kunz and Dan McDonald, it is easy to see how a guy like Will Morgan could get lost in the crowd. Not the hardest thrower in the Cyclones bullpen, and not armed with the electric off-speed pitches guys like Josh Appell and Edgar Ramirez have to compensate for their lack of velocity, Morgan is forced to bring something else to the mound when he is called upon: heart.
Armed with a fastball clocked only in the upper 80s, an above average slider and a changeup that he is still developing, Morgan has somehow managed to dominate the middle to late innings for the Cyclones this season, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA. Originally, he wanted to be the team’s closer in the beginning of the season after helping Lewis & Clark State College win a NAIA National Championship. Yet, Morgan has dealt with his role as a set up man with class and knows that he can still be a huge factor in the team’s success.
“I’ve always loved closing,” said Morgan. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but I just don’t throw hard enough. I’m not disappointed; I’m just happy to be out here.”
Going 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 67.2 innings this season at Lewis & Clark, you would expect Morgan to be exhausted, playing through the often tumultuous and stress-filled NY-Penn League schedule. However, thanks to record attendance every night at Keyspan Park, Morgan, who admittedly loves playing in front of big crowds, somehow still has the energy to do what he does best—get hitters out.
“It feels so great to play here,” said Morgan. “We just got back from playing Batavia and there were probably 500 people in the stands and they were dead silent. This place has so much energy. Every time I come on the mound here I want to do my best and hear these fans cheer.”
Considering how successful he has been this season, it would easy for the young righty to gloat about his accomplishments. However, if you ask Morgan, he is not the type to take all the credit for his success and feels that his pitching coach, Hector Berrios, has been intricate in helping him through what could have been a rocky first season in professional baseball.
“Any problem that I have, all I have to do is ask him and he has an answer,” said Morgan. “He has an answer for everything. If my ball is up, he’ll show me how to fix it, or if my slider is just spinning, like it was earlier in the season he has the answer. Now, my slider is working great. He’s awesome. He’s really smart and knows what he’s doing. ”
A proponent of tough love and hard work, Berrios has gotten the most out of Morgan and has helped the young reliever motivate the rest of the staff.
“If someone messes up, he gets on them,” said Morgan. “We’re like brothers out there and he understands that. We all push each other, especially because we want to see everyone succeed and we all want to win. With these hitters, you have to stay on top of your game and hit your spots. Hector let’s us know that everyday.”
While Morgan appreciates the help of Berrios this season, he is also extremely happy to be playing behind the efficient Cyclones defense.
“They’re so solid,” said Morgan. “They make things so easy for me. They’ve saved my life so many times this season.”
Turning what could have been negatives into blooming positives, Morgan is on pace to have one of the best seasons in Cyclones history, easily comparable to that of Joe Smith’s stellar 2006 campaign. Refusing to get too greedy, Morgan has even grown to love his role as a set up man and has taken his career to the next level as a result.
“I’m really happy with where I am right now,” said Morgan. “You can’t ask for more than setting up two power pitchers like Clyne or McDonald. They have really good stuff and I’m really good friends with them, so it’s really fun seeing them go out there and get three outs after I go out there.”
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