BRADENTON, Fla. — Mitch Keller was in sync on the mound with Yasmani Grandal, and so they had been doing one thing that the Pirates’ new catcher inspired the group’s All-Star to attempt again at Pirate Metropolis: Throw his cutter extra in opposition to right-handed hitters.
Normally, Keller makes use of his cutter extra in opposition to left-handers to introduce some spin and horizontal motion whereas not touchdown the pitch in a southpaw’s prime zone. Proper-handers get extra sweepers, which offer horizontal motion and may dive away from the hitter.
However Grandal likes how Keller’s cutter performs off his sinker and needs him to experiment.
“Shake me off in order for you,” Grandal stated following the Pirates’ 13-4 win over the Braves at LECOM Park Tuesday. “Simply perceive once I name one thing, I simply wish to see the way it performs off different issues.”
They tried it out in Keller’s first spring begin on Sunday, and the Pirates’ newly prolonged ace felt good concerning the outcomes.
“He is been round for some time and has caught loads of good pitchers and seen loads of video games,” Keller stated. “He is very skilled again there. It is one other studying expertise for me and the way I can get higher and use my stuff higher. I am actually excited for it.”
“It is Spring Coaching,” Grandal stated. “The benefit of that is you’ll be able to experiment as a lot as you’ll be able to, and loads of instances you try this. Good issues come out of it.”
It has been a busy couple of weeks of cramming for Grandal. Ideally, he would spend many of the offseason attending to know his new pitchers via texting and calls in order that they will hit the bottom operating when Spring Coaching begins. Nevertheless, he wasn’t afforded that luxurious this winter. He did not find yourself agreeing to a contract with the Pirates till Feb. 14. Because of this, there’s been extra studying on the fly.
The 2 good issues for him are that he has loads of expertise to fall again on and a pitching employees that desires to pay attention.
“I really like throwing to Yaz,” stated Tuesday’s starter Marco Gonzales. “He is been superior to work with. I believe he actually will get me — who I’m as a pitcher. I’ve confronted him and a bunch and I believe he understands what I am attempting to do.”
Certainly one of Gonzales’ major tasks this winter was getting his cutter again, and he threw it extra Tuesday than he did in any begin moreover his first final season. Once more, just a little little bit of experimentation.
With youthful guys like Luis Ortiz, it is extra about constructing confidence. Having them study to belief their stuff and, when vital, simply hit the glove. After retiring the primary two hitters of his inning on Tuesday, Ortiz fell behind early within the rely to Sean Murphy. Grandal stood up and signaled to his pitcher to only hit the mitt. Ortiz did, and Murphy was retired.
It was a veteran transfer from a place in any other case stuffed with youthful gamers. Henry Davis is attempting to earn his spot as one in every of two catchers the group carries out of Spring Coaching, however he and the opposite choices of Jason Delay and Ali Sánchez haven’t had an entire 12 months within the Majors but.
“We now have a really younger catching employees behind Yaz, so we needed to make it possible for we added a veteran,” stated supervisor Derek Shelton. “The factor I like probably the most is Ortiz is 3-0 to Murphy and [Grandal] stood up in entrance of the plate and was like, ‘Hey, let’s put the ball in play right here.’ That is encouraging. We’ll want that.”
There might be experimentation with these youthful pitchers too – two spots within the rotation are up for grabs in spring competitions, in any case – however after Grandal feels they’re extra assured.
“As we get into it, we’ll get into video and we’ll begin speaking about, ‘You bought this man out right here as a result of take a look at how this factor regarded,” Grandal stated. “‘Have a look at the place the situation was and the way they play off one another.’ However I believe reinforcement with these guys is assault the strike zone, assault the hitters.”
The Pirates have some query marks within the rotation, even with extra veterans like Gonzales. That makes a veteran catcher who is aware of his employees necessary for a younger group.
“Work in progress, however we’re getting there,” Grandal stated.
