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September 22, 2003
Interview with Edward Campusano
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Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.
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Campusano already making a
name for himself It didn't take long after arriving in the United States for Edward Campusano to get into his first minor league game for the Cubs of the rookie level Arizona League. The lanky, 21-year-old southpaw from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic was sent to the hill in a relief role on July 31st, less just 24 hours after reporting to the Cubs' minor league facility in Mesa, Arizona.
It didn't take much longer for the effusive Campusano to earn the well-deserved nickname of "Captain Insano." "The guys and the manager gave me that nickname," said Campusano, who speaks only limited English, through an interpreter. He agreed that the Captain Insano moniker fits his personality. It's a name that Campusano has written under the bill of his blue Cubs cap. Now in Arizona playing with the Cubs' Instructional League team, Campusano's first minor league season was a good growth year for the young lefthander. After compiling a 1.31 ERA in 20 2/3 innings for the Cubs' entry in the Dominican Summer League, including a solid 21-5 strikeout to walk ratio, Campusano pitched another 22 innings in the Arizona League, finishing with a 4.91 ERA. Campusano noticed a big difference in the hitters between the two leagues. "The guys there (Dominican league) were signed to learn," he commented, "where as here (Arizona League) the batters already knew how to hit a lot of different pitches. I had to mix my pitches a lot more and just throw the fastball for show more than anything else." While his fastball picked up a couple of miles an hour over the summer, topping out at 92 in Arizona, it was the changeup that was Campusano's most successful pitch. Rick Tronerud, Campusano's Arizona League pitching coach, agreed that Campusano is at his best when changing speeds. "He commands an off-speed pitch right now," said Tronerud, "and his changeup is very good. He's coming along with his curve ball, which I think is going to be pretty good pitch as well. Velocity-wise, he'll be just below average to average, but with above average movement on it." What makes Campusano stand out, aside from his magnetic personality, is his desire to get better. Tronerud calls his young southpaw's work ethic "pretty special." The 6'4", 175 pound Campusano knows what he needs to do to continue to advance through the minor league system. "A lot of players ... lose their focus," he said. "I knew what I needed to do back home and I will do it here. My mind is telling me that I'm moving up." Campusano shows a lot of confidence and desire for someone that really didn't care about the game at first. He was encouraged to play by his father, a warehouse foreman in San Pedro de Macoris. The senior Campusano frequently watched major league games on television, and would tell his son that he wanted to see him there one day. "I didn't care much for baseball," said Campusano, "but my father really wanted me to play. One day, I got motivated and told my mother that I was going to come out and play." His mother made sure Campusano finished high school first. There were a lot of teams trying to sign him while still in school, but Mrs. Campusano insisted her son be prepared in case the baseball thing didn't work out. The family emphasis on education wasn't lost on Campusano. If he hadn't signed a baseball contract, Campusano said he would have gone on to college to study accounting. But when Jose Serra, the Cubs' scout in the Dominican Republic, came calling, there was no question as to which career path Campusano would choose. "I always wanted to come to the United States," he said. "I knew that to get ahead I needed to come here."
Campusano is also aware that learning to speak English is a part of his development as a ballplayer. "I'm working really hard at it," he stated. "My brother used to tell me to learn English ... There are a lot of kids in the Dominican Republic that just don't know any English. They have a lot of good skills, but they won't be able to talk to you." The Cubs' organization provides regular English classes for its Latin players at the minor league facility. While still in the early phase of learning the language, Campusano expects to pick it up quickly. He feels the same way about his pitching. He's pleased with the lessons learned from the Cubs thus far, stating that they have given him the confidence to make his own decisions with pitches. The Cubs have also provided Campusano and his teammates with a tremendous support system. He has phone numbers for all of his coaches, with instructions to call at any time if he needs anything. "I feel that they care," he said. Campusano's magnetic personality is also a strong point; it didn't take long for him to become a popular figure in the clubhouse. On days when he's not scheduled to pitch, Campusano entertains his teammates by singing merengue songs, a popular form of music in the Dominican Republic. "I like to sing," he said, but admitted that he's never sung in front of an audience. Tronerud agreed that Campusano's popularity in the clubhouse will help him throughout his career. "He'll certainly be a good team guy and well-liked on the team," Tronerud said. "Those are all integral parts of the season." In the end, however, it will have to be his left arm, not his singing voice or his sense of humor, that will get Campusano to the big leagues. Edward Campusano has no doubt he'll make it. --- Bill Mitchell Thanks to Ben Diaz for his assistance with this interview. |
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