Thanks to a rigorous summer workout, Matt Klimis has helped turn around the Spongers ship.
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published April 9, 2004
Matt Klimis didn't really like what he saw last year. There were two pitchers - better pitchers - ahead of him in the rotation limiting his innings, he wasn't particularly adept at swinging the bat, and his team was being buried beneath a fog of apathy.
As a junior, there was little he could.
As a senior, there has been nothing he can't do.
Thanks to a rigorous summer workout and a newfound determination to turn around the Spongers ship, the well-spoken and confident Klimis has become Tarpon Springs' best pitcher, one of the best hitters and a leader for a team that desperately needed one.
He picked up about three miles per hour on his fastball, and developed two other pitches he throws for strikes over the summer to answer any questions about the Spongers' pitching.
"Last year he was our number three pitcher," said Tarpon Springs coach Dan Genna. "In high school baseball, it's tough for your No. 3 and 4 to get their innings. But he took his offseason conditioning pretty serious. He came out from the starting gate and wanted the No. 1 job.
"All I ask from a kid is that he's got a good attitude and he hustles, and Matt has both of those. Plus, he can play."
Genna also credits the right-handed Klimis with filling a leadership void, something his teammates have taken notice of.
"He's a good presence," said senior shortstop Tim Gayson. "He's always positive, he keeps everyone loose and he doesn't let us argue. We didn't have that last year."
After enduring two losing seasons, Klimis said he wasn't ready for another.
"Last year was like babysitting," he said. "I just wanted to try and make this more of a team."
That team has been better than expected this season. While they continue to search for that defining win over a county power, the Spongers are rolling along. Klimis' two-hitter Wednesday in a 10-0 win over Largo improved their record to 12-4.
Tonight, the Spongers play arguably their biggest game of the year against Class 4A, District 10 foe Ridgewood. Tarpon is 5-1 in the district, with the only loss coming against the unbeaten Rams.
Klimis has helped replace two of the county's best pitchers, Mark Davis and Raleigh Evans, who both graduated. In his first season as a starter, he's 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 30 innings.
At the plate, he leads the Spongers with two homers and 24 RBI, and has raised his batting average to .346.
Genna says that's leadership of the best kind - by example.
"He's doing well, so the younger kids see it and that's what they want to try and work on," he said.
"We definitely respect him, and listen to what he's saying" said junior outfielder Kyle Midgette.
There has been a profound change in effectiveness of the way the Spongers play baseball this season, marked by hustle, aggressive base running and pitching, or as the players call it - Genna Ball. The Spongers top four hitters - Kyle Hammond, Gayson, Midgette and Klimis - are batting a combined .405, with 46 steals and 74 runs scored.
And pitchers Justin Wilson (2-0) and Bobby Hartman (1-0) have proven to be able complements to Klimis.
Last week, Genna asked his team to forget about the first half of the season and write down some new goals on a piece of paper. His hope is not to let complacency take the sizzle out of a hot start that has the Spongers envisioning the team's first playoff berth since 1998.
Klimis says the team's new attitude should ease Genna's concerns.
Especially if they follow their confident leader's approach.
"I've thought we had a good team for a while now; we're just now finally poking our heads out little bit," Klimis said. "I think everyone on the team is starting to learn how good we are. We won't fade. Losing is just not an option at this point."
