HIGH SCHOOL REPORT
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mike Goodman is attending his third high school in three years, but all that moving doesn't bother the son of the Commanding General of Marine Forces in the Pacific. The Radford senior fits in on the baseball diamond wherever he goes. CLICK FOR LARGE
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Mobile Mike Goodman
Radford's 6-foot-5, 270-pound pitcher easily adapts to new surroundings
IT DOESN'T TAKE Radford pitcher Michael Goodman too long to adapt to a new environment.
That's because he's been doing it his whole life.
The Rams' all-purpose athlete is at his third high school in three years -- he was previously at American schools in Korea and Japan -- and has taken his most recent relocation in stride. That comes with the territory of having a father who's the Commanding General of Marine Forces in the Pacific.
Now that he's here, people are discovering something that everybody at his previous homes have: besides adapting, Goodman is pretty good at baseball, too.
And Radford is happy to have him. In two starts so far this season, he struck out 14 of a possible 15 batters in a 14-0 win against Waialua last month, and fanned 10 in a 2-0 victory over Waipahu last Wednesday. He also played basketball and football for Radford this school year.
Goodman, who played tight end, has a standing football scholarship offer from New Mexico State.
Big Mike gets along well with people who are shorter than he is. At 6-foot-5, 270 pounds and a head taller than the rest of his team, he gets along with pretty much everybody.
Goodman thinks all the vagabond adventures he's had in life have been to his advantage as a baseball player and as a person. He's also played baseball in Texas, Virginia, and Florida.
"Truthfully, I don't feel uncomfortable in any situation," the senior left-hander said. "Nothing really fazes me anymore. Move to a new place, meet new people, I'm not afraid of anybody, walking and talking to adults, it really doesn't matter.
"My dad's friend's are 3-star generals and stuff," he added. "It's helped me adapt well to any situation."
IT'S HARD TO CONCEIVE a person of his stature blending in seamlessly wherever he goes, but those who know him say that's just what happens.
"He's a big guy by nature and his size alone is intimidating on the mound," said Radford coach James Sunday. "But he is always supporting his teammates. Being so transient, he relates well with the other players who are with the military and move around a lot. You bond fast on the team. They're kind of all in the same boat."
Bruce Voelker, 18, a former teammate at Seoul American High School, visited during the recent spring break.
"I think everywhere you go, especially from being a military kid, you adapt really well," Voelker said.
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
In his two starts, Radford's Michael Goodman struck out a combined 24 batters.
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Goodman has also had the advantage of being able to learn new tricks and take away new things from each place he's been. He learned a greater appreciation of discipline from playing in Korea, whereas in America the emphasis is on power.
His pitching velocity was up to 89 or 90 mph before he broke his hand in Korea last year, but has since gotten it back up to the mid-80s. He also handled changing his writing hand smoothly. On Monday, he displayed his versatility by playing first base in a win at Nanakuli. He's also a switch-hitter at the plate when the situation demands it.
At his next stop in life, adjusting will probably be a bit easier for him. Wherever he chooses to go off to college -- he's looking at Wagner (N.Y.), UCLA, Kansas and UC Irvine right now -- he'll find himself playing alongside athletes who are tailored more to his specifications.
"I've always been big (as a kid)," he said. "There have been guys bigger than me, but it'll probably feel better to be semi-normal than being like a freak as I am here," he said with a laugh.
Genetic success is in his blood, though. His father, John, was a pitcher and quarterback at Arizona State before a one-year stint with the New Orleans Saints. Now he is a commander of a different sort.
HIGH STANDARDS to live up to, perhaps, but having been around it all his life, Goodman doesn't see having a 3-star general as a father as anything extraordinary. What is more special to him is that his dad taught him everything he knows about the game of baseball.
"I just want to make sure I represent him everywhere I go," Goodman said. "He's taught me everything I know about the game. He's my No. 1 coach and No. 1 fan."
Goodman was taught at a very young age, but barely needed encouragement.
"He could catch and throw a baseball before he could walk," said his mother, Gayle Goodman.
He started playing in a league at age 4.
These days, his philosophy on the mound is this: "You never let anyone dig in, you never let anyone time you. Work fast, change speeds, throw strikes," Goodman said quickly. "That's usually what I do."
To devastating effect, too.
Waipahu coach Milton Takenaka coached him last summer in American Legion ball, so he already had a good idea what he was capable of. After Goodman struck out 10 batters in the 2-0 win, Takenaka was impressed.
"He was already pretty good. I guess now his arm is in a lot better shape as far as baseball is concerned. He's looking a lot better as far as the command of his pitching. With him on the mound there, they're definitely contenders (in the OIA)," Takenaka said.
His biggest test so far this season happens today, when he pitches against No. 3 Waianae.
Whatever happens this season, Goodman will be moving to a new home again sometime this year. But while he doesn't know exactly where he'll end up, he's confident he'll fit in there just fine.
"It's always been easy to find a team and just play," he said.
"Baseball's everywhere, baseball's all over the world. I've adapted well, everywhere I go."