Just a few weeks left in camps, April approaches silently. Most camps have their phenoms still participating in games, the top prospects continue to get long looks. It is no different in Dunedin, where Jays brain trust followed Henderson Alvarez face a group of fuzzy faced Yankee farm kids.
It was a scheduled day off for the club, but a handful of scrubs performed, while John Farrell , Bruce Walton, and others watched a 21 yr old Venezuelan work on sliders, and off speed pitches.
The idea is Alvarez needs to develop control of his slider in different zones, and this was a good opportunity to experiment. We got caught up in the games so much, we forget it is a time of learning for young players. Pitchers need a chance to fail, and see what works, and what their next side session will be focused on.
Roving pitching instructor Pat Hentgen spoke to that last weekend, "side sessions, practice sessions", and "how you prepare" are key components for how pitchers learn, and get better. Poor practise habits usually doom a pitcher to mediocrity, or demotion.
Hentgen raved about all the wealth of talent in the system, but as a proud part of the organisation, I would be surprised if he wasn't.
Low A, High A and Double AA are well stocked...Hutchinson, McGuire, Jenkins, Syndagaard, Sanchez...the list grows yearly. It pushes forward and upward, and less talented arms will fall to the side. Always to challenge for a job. The teaching aspect is what Hentgen will focus on, the practise sessions, the prep. Making sure they all get it. Young players usually are a sponge for knowledge, but some believe their fastball is their ticket to the Show. It helps, but it won't keep them there.
Pat has street cred, a Cy Young, World Series rings, so the kids will listen. It's a good roll for Hentgen, and allows more knowledge to be passed on, while Walton focuses on the 10 -11 heading north. Alavarez snaps off another hard slider, and Walton makes more notes. Kid can use this in a game, against righties.
The next side session will be spent honing that new found slider, pounding it down in the zone. That is what Walton preaches, " down in the zone"...that is his mantra. If you watched Brett Cecil face the Phils you saw the results of Pappy's preaching first hand. Cecil was effective when his ball moved in the zone, and cutters and off speed were kept down. Shane Victorino hit an off speed pitch for a triple, and the pitch was up, so lessons learned.
More lessons planned today against Boston, but before school starts for real, more must be taught, and practised. It is approaching the "dog days" of camp, soon arms will go dead, only to recover stronger.
But the teaching thing, that goes on and on.
Strasbourg broken down in frames, why, so he can learn release points, this learnin' thing is forever thing.
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