Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

The college baseball season will begin this weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C. for Rutgers-Newark and veteran catcher Anthony Palladino couldn’t be more excited.

Of course, Palladino is thrilled that he’s going to begin his senior season, holding a vital role as a team leader for the Scarlet Raiders, who won 23 games and won a share of the ECAC Metro championship last year.

Palladino has worked hard during the off-season at becoming a better hitter. He’s already earned a reputation as a solid defensive catcher with a strong arm.

There lies the excitement for the new season. Palladino will be getting a chance to air out that talented and powerful right arm on the mound. He’s going to hold dual roles this season, as the starting catcher, then heading to the bullpen to serve as an important relief pitcher.

“I’m tremendously excited about it,” said Palladino, who has been the Scarlet Raiders’ main backstop for the last two seasons. “I didn’t think it was possible. I’m glad the coaches are giving me the opportunity.”

“This is his time,” R-N head coach Mark Rizzi said. “He’s given us stability behind the plate for the last two years and has been a good receiver who has a good rapport with the pitchers. He’s paid his dues with this program and I think he’s ready to play like a senior. He’s going to be a leader on the field as a catcher and then he’s going to be a pitcher late in games.”

The idea of Palladino experimenting as a pitcher began in earnest last March, when the Scarlet Raiders were on their grueling California trip and the bullpen was being used time and time again.

“I thought that the bullpen arms needed a little rest, so I headed out there to help them out,” Palladino said. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to pitch in a game, but I wanted to help out.”

While Palladino didn’t get a chance to pitch in a game during the collegiate season, he did get to take the mound a bit during summer baseball, when he joined many of his teammates on the Ramapo Valley Giants of the semi-pro Metropolitan Baseball League in Bergen County.

“I guess I threw anywhere between 10-to-12 innings,” Palladino said. “But it felt really good. I hadn’t pitched at all since my freshman year of high school (Emerson Borough in Bergen County), but being back on the mound seemed to come naturally for me.”

Rizzi had no idea what to think of Palladino’s transformation, going from behind the plate to the mound.

“He throws the ball well and incredibly, he has a very good slider,” Rizzi said. “He throws the ball very hard and has a good arm. He’s a big kid with a little bit of velocity. He’s hard to hit. The ball comes up quickly on you. We’re all very excited about it. I think he’s going to do very well. We’re counting on him in both areas.”

Palladino said that he always had a bit of a curveball and that the slider came off that pitch.

“I changed the grip a little and it helped,” Palladino said.

It also helped to having a pitching expert in his family. Palladino’s younger brother, David, was a 13th round draft pick as a pitcher by the Los Angeles Dodgers last year out of Emerson Borough High School. The 6-foot-8 David Palladino is considered one of the best pitching prospects in New Jersey and instead of signing with the Dodgers, he chose to attend the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

“I played with David over the summer and he watched me pitch,” Palladino said. “He gave me tips about what I needed to work on. He was a huge help. It’s good to know he had confidence in me.”

Palladino also worked on his hitting with R-N assistant coach Joel Burgos during the off-season. Palladino hit .247 with 11 RBI last year, but wants to improve on those numbers.

“I feel real confident about the way I’ve been at the plate,” Palladino said. “I’ve become more of a line drive hitter. Hopefully, this will be a big year for me and I can go out on top.”

Rizzi is curious to see how Palladino can go from being a catcher to a pitcher.

“Sometimes, that can get tiring, especially for a catcher,” Rizzi said. “We’ll see how it works. So far, we’ve worked on it in practices and it’s worked well. But it will be different in games. The end result is that he’s been doing a good job in both. He’s also a team leader and the younger guys look up to him. I think we’re all excited to see how this plays out. I think he’s going to be one of our best relief pitchers, because right now, he’s been very good. And we all know what he can do as a catcher.”

Palladino is trying to temper his excitement.

“I really excited about it,” Palladino said. “I guess I haven’t been dwelling on it, but now, as the season is beginning, it’s beginning to sink in. The adrenaline is flowing and I can’t wait to get the ball in my hands. I like the idea that I can control the game with the ball in my hands. We’ll see what happens.”

And who knows? Maybe this might be the start of a new career for Palladino as a pitcher. Maybe Palladino can get a big hit late in a game, then go out to the mound to try to protect the lead for himself.

“That would be awesome,” Palladino said. “It’s a great feeling right now. It really could be a perfect world.”