In his time at Alamo Heights, Angel Tijerina has been a steady presence at first base, on the mound and at the plate, as his hard work allows his to remain consistent in many facets of the game. Not only is he a key part of Head Coach Jason Thompson’s plans but he also plays a pivotal role in keeping smiles on the faces of everyone in the dugout during games and practices.
As the Mules keep on rolling through district play, Tijerina sat down with me to discuss his lifetime involvement around a baseball diamond, how he developed a love for pitching and also to tell me why Clayton Kerhsaw and him would do well together on an island.
When did you start playing baseball?
My parents put me in baseball when I was two years old. Of course I don’t remember it, but I’ve been playing since I was two and I’d say I started remembering when I was four or five, but I’ve been playing baseball my whole life.
What has it been like growing up always around the game?
It has its ups and it has its downs. Ups, you’re just out with a great group of guys every time and it’s just amazing to see how the team comes together. Then to feel the bat hit the ball, it’s amazing. The down is you can be up there, the best players, the best team, and you can lose the game and now you’re back at the bottom with everyone else.
When did you make varsity?
I made varsity my sophomore year. I didn’t really play much my sophomore year. I just pitched an inning or two every now and then, but I officially made the roster when I was a sophomore.
What has been your favorite memory with Alamo Heights baseball?
I’ll say my junior year when our last game of the season, we didn’t make playoffs but saying goodbye to all the seniors. It was sad then, but then to come back the next day and say ‘I’m a senior now, I’ve got to lead this team and step up,’ and now just this year everything coming up together, being undefeated [in district play] as of right now, it’s pretty amazing.
When did you know you wanted to be a pitcher?
I gotta say my freshman year. I didn’t know the strength of my arm fully at first and then at the end of my freshman year, I was just like, ‘I didn’t know my arm could do this,’ so it all started coming together. I started throwing harder. I gained six miles on my fastball, my breaking stuff was looking better, and that’s when I really focused on pitching.
Do you prepare differently when you might pitch in a game?
Yeah I take longer to throw. For example, my last start I came out during 4th period and threw. Then, we had to be back at the field at 4:30p.m. and we were going out to SAISD, so we got here to hit, and I was out on the field throwing already before practice even started. I hit, and when we got there I was already out throwing and stretching. I just throw a lot because it takes me a lot to get warm, so I just throw the ball a bunch and it really helps me out.
So that’s when you know you will pitch. Is it hard being out in the field now knowing that you could come in to pitch later?
It’s a little bit hard. Usually I throw with Hunter Campbell and we both stretch it out and throw from like third to second base on the left field side, get a good stretch in. If I come in two innings later just in relief, I try in the bullpen to get as far as I can and just throw it hard and focus on throwing it down. That really helps.
Is there any Major League pitcher you try to be like?
Clayton Kershaw. He’s a lefty and I’m a righty but he’s a beast on the mound.
What’s one pitch you don’t throw that you wish you could throw?
A knuckle ball. I wish I could command a knuckle ball. I mean, I can throw it when warming up, but I can’t pitch it. I have tried during the game, but it came out like a four-seam fastball.
Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
I just listen to a lot of music. On the bus ride there I’ll be listening to music the whole time. Yeah I’ll talk to my friends still but mostly listen to music. I get off the bus and listen to music. I kind of stay in my own zone a little bit.
What’s your go to song before a game?
It has to be “Moonlight” by XXXTentacion. My walkup song is “Suavemente” [by Elvis Crespo]. It just has a nice ring to it. Basically the song translates to like cool guy or smooth guy, and everytime I hear it it makes me calm down and feel like I’m going to hit this ball. It basically makes me not stress about it.
What is your next step after high school?
Right now I’m still deciding between colleges. I want to go Blinn or Schreiner. At both I’m going to walk on for baseball, but they’re both really good schools for sports.
What’s your dream job outside of baseball?
To be a lawyer. Any type of lawyer would be amazing
If you filled out a March Madness bracket, who do you have as your winner?
I have Duke winning it. [My bracket] is looking solid right now. It could be better. I know for the first two days I had an almost perfect bracket, but UC Irvine got a hold of Kansas State, but it’s looking pretty good right now.
If you were stranded on an island with one person, who would you choose and why?
I would say Clayton Kershaw, just because we would have nothing around and it would be a good time to talk about his career and just his pitching, what gets him through it and all that stuff. How he holds, fastball, his curveball and all that. I think that would be pretty cool.
If you could have dinner with three people, past or present, who would they be and why? What would you eat?
David Ortiz, Clayton Kershaw and Derek Jeter, and we would eat at an Italian restaurant. I would love to have dinner with those three just because David Ortiz was one of the greatest designated hitters in the world, Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers and Derek Jeter, the captain, everyone knows him. Just to have those three at the same dinner table as you just talking about baseball, I feel like that would be really fun.
You’ve been the answer to this question before. If you need a laugh in the dugout or at practice, who do you go to?
It has to be the same guys: Hunter [Campbell] and Rob [Ellwood]. Every time I go up to them they put a smile on my face. I can be mad or ticked off about anything and they’ll just throw a smile on my face for some reason. They’re great guys.
If you had to tell the world one thing about yourself, what would you say?
Don’t sleep on me.