In his mother’s words, baseball is Adan Longoria’s life. Longoria, a two-time Plant City Little League All-Star and state champion, is helping the Plant City 9-10-11 team make a run through sectionals at Lakewood Ranch this week. As a pitcher and infielder, Longoria’s coaches are counting on him to be an important cog in the team’s machine this summer as it looks to get back to the Tournament of State Champions.
Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.
How long have you been playing baseball?
About seven years. I’m 12.
What got you into the sport?
I’ve always watched in since I was little. I told my dad I wanted to do it, so he signed me up … I always watched the Red Sox and David Ortiz. He kind of inspired me to do it.
Which positions do you play?
I usually play third, first and catcher, besides pitching. My favorite thing is to pitch. I like to pitch a lot.
What can you throw on the mound?
My best pitch is my breaking ball, but I also have a fastball, a knuckleball and a changeup.
The knuckleball is not an easy pitch to throw. How did you pick it up?
I looked up how to throw it and I saw a documentary about R.A. Dickey and Tim Wakefield. My dad and I wanted to try it out. It took about a week or two. I couldn’t get the grip real good.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on a baseball field?
The coolest thing I’ve done was in our third game at Cooperstown, we were down by three and I hit a home run to give us the lead.
What’s the coolest thing about playing in tournaments like that?
Seeing how good you can really be against other kids that are really experienced.
What are your strengths as a player?
Pitching. Usually catching. I can be good at the plate, sometimes.
Where do you want to get better?
I want to figure out things that I can do to pitch faster. I really want to focus on pitching.
Who’s your favorite pitcher?
Chris Sale.
What’s the best baseball movie?
My favorite baseball movie is the Perfect Game.
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened with one of your teams?
At Cooperstown, when we were at our bunks after our coach picked up our laundry, one of our coaches pulled out this girl’s underwear.
Do you play any other sports?
I kind of want to get into basketball, but I think baseball is my main sport.