Donnie Sippel faced a strange adjustment last year after a call-up to the Springdale American Legion baseball team.

Sippel arrived from juniors, got his uniform and sat. And watched. And kept score. Then, he sat and watched all summer long.

“Since coach-pitch, I’ve always been the player, playing, so it was a different point of view,” Sippel said. “It was kind of (humbling). I’ve never kept score before or ran for foul balls. When you sit the bench, you see the game in a new way. You see how little things can turn into big things and change the course of a game.”

The hands-off education is paying off this summer for the 16-year old pitcher. Along with fellow pitcher J.T. Healy, Sippel is being counted on to get Springdale (8-8) to the playoffs in an up-for-grabs Allegheny River League.

Plum leads the division, with Springdale, Penn Hills, Monroeville and Shaler all in contention.

“The best part about the kid is he listens,” Springdale manager Frank Sweeney said. “He’s been a heck of a surprise. From last year to now, he’s like an 18- or 19-year-old.”

So far, Sippel has been the winning pitcher in half of the team’s victories while striking out 46 batters in 40 innings. The lanky right-hander has allowed only 24 hits. He came within one strike of pitching a perfect game against West Deer.

His attention to detail comes from training year-round with Steve Sweeney, Frank’s son and the assistant manager of Springdale.

“Pitch ahead in the count. We’ve been on him regularly about that,” Frank Sweeney said. “Steve always watches Donnie, if his arm’s at the right angle, holding runners on, don’t always use the same look so the runner can’t pick up anything you do consistently.”

After seeing limited at-bats with Fox Chapel High School last season, Sippel has found a home in Springdale’s No. 3 batting slot with three home runs and 18 RBI. He and Healy, the cleanup batter, are both above a .400 average.

“It started with West Deer the first time we played them,” said the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Sippel. “I started looking at it from the pitcher’s hand and being able to set up for a nice, solid swing. With baseball, it’s easier to sit back and relax when you’re doing well. If you try to do too much, it can backfire in your face.”

Sippel, whose fastball consistently reaches the mid-80s, also throws a curve and is working on mastering a changeup and a slider. He said he hopes to refine the four-pitch arsenal in time for the start of the 2010 WPIAL season.

“The wins, as a coach, you would always like to have more, but growth is bigger, and so is learning from your mistakes,” said . “He’s got a live arm and all the tools. Playing for Mr. Sweeney and his son has helped. They don’t get enough credit. We’ll be counting on Donnie big-time. He’ll be a major part of our success, if we’re to succeed.”

Sippel intends to continue his patient, methodical ways — like watching from the bench one year ago.

“It’s how the Sweeneys want it,” Sippel said. “You have to show you can do something right before you go and do it.”

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