CWL 2008
CWL Special Feature
THE HOT SEAT (PAT KEY)

By J.D. Cannon
4.17.08





In 2008, the CWL is changing from “The Chase” to a team format. The change has impacted every player in the league, but none more so than Pat Key.

After finishing 15th out of the 17 players vying for CWL supremacy in 2007, a lot of things have been said about Key’s game. One thing that can be said now is the guy can put a squad together pretty well. Pat knows that slinging the plastic is more important than any other aspect of this game. If you can’t pitch, you can’t win, so why not sign three Cy Young caliber players; Andy McMahan, Bryan Stafford, Mike McDowell and throw in my dark horse for the ROY and Defensive Player of the Year awards Jonathan Cope, all of the sudden, Goodfellas is coming in to the 2008 season ranked 6th in the nation by the NWLA.

Goodfellas starts their season off Saturday against divisional rival Str8 Rippin @ 3pm. This series promises to be a in your face, bring you’re A game, power pitching versus power hitting matchup that should mirror the intensity of a Yankees-Red Sox game. Key has some thoughts on this weekend and some other areas, so I picked his brain and found out just what’s going on inside that melon of his.


HS: How long have you been playing wiffleball?

PK: This will be my 3rd year in the league, but I have played on and off again in my neighborhood since I was a kid.

HS: What would you say is your biggest strength on the diamond?

PK: I seem to have the ability to pull off clutch hits at very critical times. My plate discipline is improving as well.

HS: What about the area you want to improve?

PK: Pretty much everything else.

HS: There are so many rookies throughout the league, how did you manage to get such a solid group of vets together?

PK: I got to work on my team pretty early, plain and simple.

HS: With easily the deepest pitching staff in the league, are you going to throw all three horses or stick with a two man rotation?

PK: I’m not sure how I’m going to do that yet. For right now, I may use a two man rotation and bring the other on in relief, but I haven’t completely decided yet.

HS: Andy McMahan has CY Young stuff evident of his winning the award in 2006, but he gave up some shots in Spring Training, does that worry you at all?

PK: Not at all, that’s why it’s Spring Training.

HS: Goodfellas catches a lot of crap for their defense and hitting; do have any comments for these “experts”?

PK: That stuff doesn’t really bother me. What happens on the field is the only thing that matters to me.

HS: You added a 5th player to your roster, do you think that will help or hurt your squad?

PK: It should help or I wouldn’t have done it. Adding Cope gave us instant credibility in defense. The issue is making sure he and everyone else shows up. We have great team players on Goodfellas, so I’m not worried about any ego issues. I feel that everyone brings something special to the table and we will be at our best with the entire group there.

HS: The National League is stacked. So how do you get Goodfellas in a position to represent in The Series?

PK: I don’t really agree that the NL is “stacked”, but making it to the series will depend on our team’s ability to play in sync and our willingness to go the extra mile that’s needed to get there.

HS: What do you expect out of the matchup this weekend with Str8 Rippin?

PK: I think both teams have a lot of hype, but every game is critical this weekend. I am looking for us to come of the gates early and have a very solid series against them, but obviously, with the Catlett’s on the bump, nothing will come easy.