FanPost

A Test, name the pitchers

Both of these pitchers were very similar and their stats from last year were nearly identical. Yet one gets the benefit of the doubt more than the other.

"When things are going well, the game just kind of happens," [Pitching Coach] said. "If you give up a couple of runs, it's like, 'OK, I gave up a couple of runs, but now I'll just hold them right here.' But when things aren't going well, your thought process is a little bit different, where all of a sudden something can take you out of your rhythm. Now, you're thinking that you have hit a bump and you don't know how long it's going to take to get back to where you were."

"You can go out there and have an absolutely horrible game, maybe a 'C' game as far as your stuff, and still win the ballgame," [Pitcher] said. "Or, you can have your 'A' stuff and lose a ballgame. But all in all, in the end, the only result I want is the win."

"You really try to work on coming in with a consistent frame of mind day in and day out," said [Coach], describing the zen-like mental state that all pitchers strive for but that almost none of them ever achieve.

http://bit.ly/dzwHW5


[Pitcher] entered Spring Training in an improved frame of mind. He often lost his cool last season. He fretted about his ERA. He frustrated himself with things that were out of control. He had bad body language on the mound. But [Pitching coach] and others see a more focused [Pitcher , like he is ready to bury 2009 deep into the memory banks of [Team] fans everywhere.

"Last year, [Pitcher] played against himself more than the opponent," [Coach] said. "He fought himself the whole year. You could see his body language and frustration. This year, he's competing against hitters, and he's in a great frame of mind. He's executing pitches and he has weapons right now. And he took it to heart this winter and went and did a lot of good work."

http://bit.ly/9IsnVf

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