March 26, 2006
Making Suggestions
This is the kind of article we should see in spring training. Roger Mooney details the changes Devil Rays pitchers made based on suggestions by new pitching coach Mike Butcher. Here's an example:
McClung used to have four check points in his delivery, the last being to stick out his left arm and pick up the target with his glove. But in his hurry to regain his form after returning from elbow surgery in 2003, McClung forgot about using his glove as a sight.
While throwing off the practice mound a few days into camp, Butcher asked McClung, "You ever get out there with your glove?"
"And that's when it hit me. Get out there with the glove. I used to do that," McClung said. "I started doing it in the bullpen, and I had immediate results. I'm not going to say it's a magic fix, that I won't walk so many guys, but I feel like I can put the ball where I wanted to."
If he can get McClung and Kazmir to reduce their walks, they're likely to be very strong pitchers in 2006. There's a ton of upside potential on this club, and it will be intereting to see if Maddon and his new staff can help bring it out.
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From what we can gather here in Philly, Brett Myers horrible 2004 was due in large part to then-pitching coach Joe Kerrigan giving Myers way to many checkpoints to keep track of during his delivery. Then, last year, with Kerrigan gone, an effort was made to keep things simple and Myers bounced back to have a very decent year.
I've always thought of Scott Kazmir as a great pitcher--as do many--but has walked too many people. I wonder if "getting the glove out there" will make some difference.