The Preps : Boys’ Player of the Week : Wilson’s Fitness Plan Builds His Reputation

Mike Wilson of La Quinta High School was determined to improve as a pitcher this season.

The question was, how?

As a junior in 1987, Wilson was 13-2 with a 2.08 earned-run average and was a 3-A All-Southern Section selection. Wilson was pretty sure he could post similar numbers as a senior.

But, Wilson, The Times’ player of the week, was looking beyond high school.

“I told Mike, if he had plans to keep playing baseball after high school, he had to make himself stronger,” La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest said.

Said Wilson, “I had to improve my physical strength. I weighed just 150 pounds last year and I wasn’t strong enough to compete on a higher level.”

So, Wilson went to the Sports Trauma and Athletic Rehabilitation program in Santa Ana. From July until a week before the 1988 baseball season began, he worked on a program designed to increase his strength and stamina.

As a result, Wilson weighs 175 this season, and is even more overpowering than he was last year.

Last week, Wilson threw a four-hitter as La Quinta defeated Western, 6-1, in the championship game of the Anaheim Lions tournament. He also saved two games during the tournament.

For the season, Wilson is 5-1 and has a 0.33 ERA, allowing only 2 earned runs in 44 innings. Excellent numbers, but Wilson is most pleased about his increased strikeouts.

Last season, Wilson struck out 75 in 84 innings, an average of 6.2 per game. This year he is averaging 8 strikeouts per game with 50 strikeouts in 44 innings.

“Last year, I would use my curve, where others would use a fastball,” Wilson said. “That’s changed. I can go after guys now and not worry about them hitting a rope.”

Wilson’s fastball was clocked at 75 miles per hour last year, but he throws in the 82-83-m.p.h. range this season. The difference has been the training program, according to Wilson.

Steve Odgers , who works for the Santa Ana center, designed the program, which involved weightlifting and regular exercising three times a week.

For the first three weeks, Wilson did sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups. Then came the weights, mainly squats and curls.

“Steve showed me a new way to do curls that strengthened the elbow,” Wilson said. “I haven’t had anything close to a sore elbow this year.”

And Wilson plans to keep working, with his eyes on a possible college scholarship.

“The schools that have talked to me said I needed to get stronger,” Wilson said. “I plan to get up to 185 pounds, maybe more, before the end of the summer.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Eric Ekdahl of Mission Viejo went 7 for 12 with 6 runs batted in, as the Diablos won the Santa Ana tournament for the third consecutive year.

Brent Smith of Sonora had two home runs, two doubles and six RBIs in the Anaheim Lions tournament.

Tom Szymanski of Servite drove in 12 runs, as the Friars won three of four games in the Las Vegas tournament.

Mike Wilson

La Quinta High School

Position: Pitcher

Height, Class: 6-1, 175, senior

Last Week: Wilson won one game and saved two, as La Quinta won the Anaheim Lions tournament title.

Season: Wilson is 5-1 with 2 saves. He has allowed just two earned runs in 44 innings and has struck out 50.