Showcase Q&A: Scotland County’s Dale discusses baseball career, favorite players and attending JWCC
The fourth annual Muddy River Showcase takes place June 21 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The girls game will tip at 2 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 4 p.m. General admission is $10.
MEMPHIS, Mo. — A lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, Vince Dale grew up emulating Cardinals great Matt Carpenter.
“He played thrid base and hit left-handed, and that’s what I did a lot growing up, so I tried to copy my batting stance after him,” Dale said.
Baseball is a game of adjustments, though.
“When I was like 12 or 13, my dad was like, ‘This isn’t working,’ so we switched a couple things up,” Dale said.
Even more recently, Dale studied a different left-handed batter and modeled some of the things that slugger does.
“This year, I struggled in the middle of the season and went into a slump for about a month,” Dale said. “I started watching Bryce Harper, like how he loads and swings through the ball, so I started doing like a Bryce Harper swing. That really helped me through districts and on.”
That ability to analyze the game and make minor tweaks has allowed Dale, a recent Scotland County graduate, to earn a baseball scholarship from John Wood Community College.
“They’ve done a lot of great things the last couple years, and for them to ask me to come be a part of that is just really special,” Dale said. “Not many people get guaranteed spots and get a scholarship to come play there. For me to get a scholarship and for them to ask me to come be a part of that, the brotherhood they’ve got over there is pretty special.”
Before he takes to the baseball diamond at John Wood, he will play his final organized basketball game at JWCC’s Student Activity Center when he represents Scotland County for the Missouri boys in the fourth annual Muddy River Showcase.
Dale was unsure if he wanted to play in the showcase, but JWCC baseball coach and athletic director Adam Hightower convinced him to participate.
“Hightower actually texted me and asked if I wanted to play in it,” Dale said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know. I don’t want to get hurt or something,’ but he goes, ‘It would be cool to see you hoop one last time,’ and I said, ‘You know what, why not?’”
Dale discussed some of his favorite moments from his time at Scotland County, his mentality on the basketball court, his future in coaching and more with Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey in this Showcase Q&A.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about playing in the Muddy River Showcase?
A: Just to go have fun, really. All the guys on the Missouri squad I’ve either played against or played with since I was little or known them through the media and everything. We’ve become friends through social media. For me, it’s one last hoorah before I put the shoes back on the shelf.
Q: Describe Vince Dale the basketball player, and describe Vince Dale the baseball player.
A: The basketball player, you give me the ball in the paint, more than likely I’m scoring or I’m making a double move or sometimes even triple moves on guys that are bigger than me. Ask Preston Brewer about those. The baseball side of me is I hope you don’t like me when I’m on the mound, or if you’re a pitcher, don’t leave anything in the zone.
Q: Where else in the field do you play when you’re not pitching?
A: Everywhere besides catcher and center field, really. I think I played every position this year besides catcher and center field.
Q: How has that versatility helped you throughout your career?
A: I think being familiar with so many spots will only help me be able to play somewhere my first year, but it will also help my team win. Whatever helps the team win is what I’ll do.
Q: Do you know where you’ll be playing in college?
A: In my national letter of intent, I signed as a DH, but Hightower did say on my visit that if I want to pitch and play the field, I can.
Q: What’s your favorite memory from playing baseball?
A: Probably beating the No. 4 or 5 team in the state, Putnam County, in the district semifinal game, throwing a shutout, a one-hit shutout, actually.
Q: How much adrenaline was going through you that game?
A: A lot. Half of that team I’d played with growing up through travel ball, so they knew me and how I pitched. Being able to get it done on the mound was very exciting for me. For us to go on that run we went on at the end of the season and for us to beat them twice in eight days like we did, it was awesome.
Q: Who’s your favorite baseball player?
A: Yadi (Yadier Molina). Either Yadi or Waino (Adam Wainwright), one of the two.
Q: What have your pitching lessons helped in particular?
A: Mechanics I would say. Baseball is a game of little things — a higher leg kick, hinging at the hips, what a pitch grip can do. For them to let me come down every once in a while and work out down there, I’ve been very grateful for that.
Q: How often do you go down there?
A: I try to go down there once or twice a year. Usually if I’m in St. Louis for a tournament, I’ll swing by and play a little catch with Brett or whoever’s in there. Usually in the winter time, we try and make one trip down there.
Q: Are you a superstitious guy?
A: Yeah, I would say I am. Definitely don’t step on the white line when you’re warming up or anything. That’s one of the big ones. I have to wear eye black. Eye black is a key piece to the game. Look good, play good, you know. Pitching wise, I’m the complete opposite of most pitchers. I do my bands last. When I’m stretching and everything, you’ll see me do my bands last. I’ll play catch and everything, and then I’ll do my bands. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve just kind of always done that.
Q: Was it something you just did one day and were like, “Oh, OK?”
A: Yeah, I played a little catch one day, and I was like, “Oh, crap, I forgot to do my bands,” so I went and did my bands. I went out to pitch and I threw like a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts, and I was like, “This is something I’m going to keep doing.”
Q: When did you start playing basketball?
A: I started playing basketball when I was in first or second grade, when I moved to Memphis. We played a bunch of little tournaments just around Memphis.
Q: Do you ever tell people, “Hey, I’m from Memphis?” Like they don’t know it’s a different Memphis?
A: Yeah, I just say, “Hey, I’m from Memphis,” and people are like, “Do you mean Memphis?” And I’m like, “Sure.” It’s a little runnig joke we have over there.
Q: What are you studying at John Wood?
A: I’m going to do sports management. I want to be a coach at the collegiate level or come back and do high school or something like that. If I get a four-year opportunity after John Wood, I’m going to go do an ag business type deal.
Q: What made you want to get into coaching?
A: Just all the coaches who have helped me through the years. Seeing them help us players succeed makes me want to help younger players succeed, as well. I give baseball lessons to the younger kids around my town. I’m just trying to give back for what people have done for me.
Q: How long have you been giving lessons?
A: This is my second year.
Q: About how many kids do you work with?
A: I’d say 15 to 20.
Q: So, you’re molding the Memphis talent, I guess.
A: Yeah, and a lot of kids who are in junior high or high school right now, usually at practice, I’ll be like, “Hey, try this.” We’ll do it for a couple practices, then we’ll go to a game, and it will work. The junior high kids that have travel ball practices and can’t make it to me, they just text me or send me videos, and I’ll be like, “Yeah, that works.”
Q: Do you have any coaches in your family?
A: Well, my mom was my coach in basketball growing up, and my dad helped coach some travel ball teams I played on, but he stopped when I was 14. He said, “It’s time for me to retire and start helping your younger brother.”
Q: What’s your brother’s name? How old is he?
A: Zavier. He just turned 12. He’s probably 5-10, 200 pounds. He’s a big boy. When Mom and Dad take him to tournaments, they have to bring the birth certificate.
Q: He sounds like an offensive lineman.
A: He is, but he’s quick. That’s the part we don’t understand.
Q: Do you see a little bit of yourself in him?
A: To be honest, I do and I don’t. We have different interests. I liked football, as well. I was a four-year starter at Scotland County, but for him to love it and not like basketball as much as I do, it’s just a big difference. He plays basketball because Mom and Dad make him, but he doesn’t really care for it. Football is his thing.
Q: How are you occupying your summer?
A: I’m working for my dad. My dad’s a seed salesman for AgVenture. I’ve been lifting weights, the college get-ready stuff before the season starts and I have to report, and just enjoying time with family.
Q: How much different does this summer feel compared to the last three or four?
A: It’s pretty different having to get ready for college and train a different way. The high school game and college game are totally different, so I’m trying to get some experience with different college hitters and college pitchers. For me to play travel ball this summer with a team that’s a lot of college guys is pretty special, I’d say.
Q: Who are you playing for this summer?
A: Titans Baseball out of Queen City.
Q: Are you still going to find some time to hoop while you’re at John Wood?
Q: We’ll see. I might do a little hooping here in there just to keep the legs loose.
Check out more of the Muddy River Showcase Q&As at the links below:
Payson Seymour’s Blake Schwartz
South Shelby’s Callie McWilliams
West Hancock’s Lewis Siegfried
Quincy Notre Dame’s Alex Dance
Central-Southeastern’s Lauren Miller
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