Raider Baseball adds Niceville's Chris Krenek to their roster
7/6/2010 – Niceville's Krenek inks with Raiders
Hard-throwing pitcher will stay home, lend talented arm to NWF State College
By ADAM ROSENBERG Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4484 | arosenberg@nwfdailynews.com
Unlike many people his age, Chris Krenek seems to see the big picture.
Others might see spending their freshman year of college at home as a drag. Krenek sees free rent and home-cooked meals.
The recent Niceville graduate has signed to continue his baseball career at Northwest Florida State College, adding another quality arm to the Raiders' recruiting class. Krenek proved to be a valuable member of Niceville's bullpen and gives NWF State coach Doug Martin a hard-throwing hurler.
"He has an arm that still has the potential to develop," Martin said. "He didn't pitch too much until this season and he really came on. Every time you saw him, he got a little bit better."
Taller than 6-feet with a slender build, Krenek has an ideal pitcher's body. That frame already produces a fastball in the high 80s, and Martin thinks that velocity could increase as he gains strength.
"If you wanted to make the perfect pitcher with the body type and what you want him to look like, he would be the guy," Martin said. "He's a long guy with good height, and he's got long arms and long fingers. There's a nice, loose feel to his arm stroke when he throws."
Martin is unsure whether Krenek will wind up in the bullpen or the starting rotation. Krenek projects possibly more as a reliever, as he's able to overpower opponents in spurts with his impressive velocity. However, if his secondary pitches develop further, Krenek could also find himself vying for a starting job.
The signing brings Krenek full circle in many ways. As a kid, he attended NWF State baseball camps to learn from the Raider coaching staff. Now, he'll be playing his home games on the same field.
"It feels good," Krenek said. "It's close to my home and it's in one of the best conferences in Florida. It will be great competition."
Krenek will be joined on the NWF State roster by fellow recent Niceville graduates Michael Coelho and Kyle Kennedy, in addition to former teammates Jordan Demos, Danny Collins and Robert Price. As if the Niceville reunion isn't enough, Krenek will be made even more comfortable by the fact that he'll be sleeping in his own bed and eating meals cooked by his mother.
"It doesn't really bother me," Krenek said. "It's cheaper and I have all kinds of food at the house. It's not too bad."