On Board with Josh Banks

Whether it's slinging fastballs off the mound at Alliance Bank Stadium or flinging a fishing line into the ocean off the coast of Costa Rica, Syracuse Chiefs pitcher Josh Banks is equally satisfied with the competition of the task at hand.

"I'm real competitive," Banks said. "In baseball I'm going to challenge you. It gives me a rush, but not like when I'm fishing. If I land a big one it gives me a huge adrenaline rush. Sometimes just for fear of being pulled over the side by the big catch. Even baseball doesn't get my heart pumping like that."

Still, intense battles with hitters and tight situations that come up as a baseball game unfolds present Banks with the opportunity to get his juices flowing.

"I don't like losing. The tighter the game the better, that's when I pitch my best. Fishing I'm always trying to outdo one of the other 13 guys on the trip."

Banks goes fishing for five days every year with a group of former and current ball players, including former Chief and current Toronto starter Josh Towers. The group usually fishes off the coast of Costa Rica but went to the Bahamas this past off-season, where Banks landed an 8-foot bull shark.

"Towers and I have caught the biggest fish the last two years," Banks said. "We're the two worst at fishing among the 14 of us, but we still land the big ones. The bull shark gave me a fight, but I landed it in about 45 minutes. Two years ago off the coast of Costa Rica it took twice as long to reel in a rare rooster fish. It went about 90 pounds and put up one major fight."

"It's fun if you like it," Banks said of his favorite hobby. "If you don't like fishing or smelling like fish, it's kind of miserable (going on the annual trip)."

In addition to fishing, Banks also enjoys playing cards, his new Nintendo Wii, and snow skiing, although he doesn't get to snow ski anymore due to his baseball contract restrictions.

Banks is also a sucker for a good "who done it?" television show. "I like any movie or television show that makes you think," Banks said when asked about his television viewing preferences. "The Deadliest Catch", "CSI", "Cold Case Files" are among the show he watched regularly, but he also has a spot for comedy, and his favorite television show is "Entourage" on HBO.

Growing up in the Baltimore, Maryland area, Banks honed his pitching skills at Severna Park High School where he met his high school sweetheart (and future wife) Lindsey.

Josh, the youngest of Chuck and Judy Banks' four children, is a rather quiet and reserved person like his mom, but the 24-year old was able to eke out enough of his dad's talkative side to ask Lindsey for her hand, which led to a terrific wedding last December.

The young couple doesn't have any children at this time and none planned for the foreseeable future. So for now taking care of their two dogs, a boxer and miniature dachshund, takes up most of Lindsey's time in their new South Carolina home.

"Lindsey did most of the move herself," Josh said. "She does a lot of the stuff when I'm not around. She's able to take care of things, which makes it easier for me."

Back in high school Banks had a revelation about his surname and at the same time became every headline writers' dream. At 15 years-old and the youngest member of the team, Banks was tossing a no-hitter into the ninth inning of the state semi-finals against a team that had scored 45 runs in their previous three games. He finally surrendered a single but won the game and has lived with headlines such as "You can Bank on a win" or "Take it to the Bank" ever since.

"My family enjoys those types of headlines," Banks said stressing on how close-knit the family ties are. "If they like it I'm okay with it."

And speaking of close, Banks isn't permitted to go a day without calling his father, even if it's just to say hello. "If I miss calling him even for a day he'll freak out that something's wrong." the youngest of the Banks said.

He also was influenced by his brother Jeff at an early age, although he didn't know it until later in life. "Jeff went to Towson," Banks, who pitched for Florida International, said of his older brother. "I never knew how much that influenced me."

DID YOU KNOW?

While a senior at Florida International, Banks once pitched 24 innings in one week including 16 frames in back-to-back games.

Banks has always been a workhorse when he's pitching. In college he would always let his coach know he was ready to pitch. "I liked to pitch," Banks said of his marathon innings. "That was when I was younger and it really didn't bother me."

At one time in his career Banks relied on his fastball to overpower hitters, but he has worked hard at developing a variety of pitches in order to make the leap into a big league starting rotation.

"I've developed a two-seamer," Banks said of his repertoire. "It has allowed me to get more ground balls this season than ever before. I'm working on keeping the ball down and keeping it in the park."

That's quite an eye-opening statement from the right-hander who has always been known for offering up the home run ball every now and again. Banks is currently 5-4 with a 5.20 ERA in 12 starts with two complete games under his belt, but he has allowed a team-high 11 homers. He has 44 strikeouts and allowed only nine walks.

"It's not like I'm trying to do it," Banks said of his propensity for the home run ball. "I struggle as a fly ball pitcher. I'm trying to limit the big innings."

There have been big innings even this season for Banks, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"Josh has come a long way the last couple of years," Chiefs pitching coach Rick Langford said. "He's a command guy that works fastballs to both sides of the plate. We're trying to get him to develop his slider and curveball to create a little more power. He lacks a put-away pitch. His split finger fastball could be that pitch if he can keep it in a downward plane and (throw it) harder. He's a fundamentally sound guy and that pitch could be the difference of him reaching the big leagues."

So will his competitive fire burn strong enough to take him to the next level? Working in Banks' favor is the fact that he is currently on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, so Toronto wouldn't have to juggle its roster to bring him up when the time comes, but there is still work to be done.

"He needs to develop an out pitch," Toronto Blue Jays Director of Player Development Dick Scott said. "His secondary pitches need to improve a little and he has to try to keep the ball down in the zone. He tends to leave his fastball up and that's why he gives up so many home runs."

Scott keeps close tabs on all the Blue Jays prospects and really likes Banks' in-game and off-day work ethics.

"There are times he goes to the mound without his best stuff," Scott continued. "By the time you look up he's pitched into the sixth or seventh inning because he finds a way to get the job done. He'll spend time when it's his turn to chart a game from the stands and he'll keep notes on the opposing hitters so he can improve himself. He always has a handle of what's going on and uses that to his advantage on days he doesn't have his best stuff. He has a good presence on the mound."