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Do IT this week: Layering
By David Lee Morgan Jr.
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 06:02 p.m. EDT, Apr 30, 2009
CLEVELAND: At age 30, Indians right-handed reliever Vinnie Chulk is still having the time of his life in the big leagues.
Before a recent game against the Boston Red Sox, Chulk bounced around the clubhouse like it was his first time in the big leagues.
It's not.
Chulk spent parts of seasons in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays (2003-2006) and the San Francisco Giants (2006-2008).
He has also spent parts of seven seasons in the minors, dating to his rookie season in 2000.
''Going up and down, I really don't change who I am, I just change what I'm doing at the time I got sent down because obviously, what I was doing wasn't working,'' Chulk said.
Coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his 2007 season, he was 0-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 27 appearances for the Giants last year.
He finished the season at Triple-A Fresno, where he was 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA and two saves in 22 games (242/3 innings).
The Indians signed Chulk to a minor-league contract in February along with a nonroster invite to major-league spring training. He pitched well for the Indians in spring training but started the season at Triple-A Columbus.
His contract was purchased by the Indians on April 11 and since then, he has been steady.
He has a 1.93 ERA in six appearances (91/3 innings).
Chulk said his age and experience has helped him stay focused.
''It is pretty much a battle at this level,'' Chulk said. ''I do feel I have the mental toughness and there have been times where I have been sent down [to Triple-A], but if I want to keep doing what I'm doing, I have to be mentally tough.
''I think I'm getting smarter and getting to know a lot of the hitters. I know I can get guys [out] on certain pitches that I've gotten them out on before and that confidence and maturity helps a lot.''
He said opposing batters can play mind games.
''Obviously, when you're a pitcher, you're going to go with your strengths, for the most part,'' Chulk said. ''Unless this guy has a .500 box on the outside corner, then you're going to go inside most of the time.
''But a lot of hitters, like a Manny Ramirez, will make adjustments and throw you off. They'll set you up and you don't even know they're doing it. They try to look bad on a pitch on purpose. I've seen it happen before where I've thrown the same exact pitch twice and on the first one, he looks like he's never seen it before. Then the second one I throw, he knocks it out of the park. That's just something I learned through my experiences.''
Chulk is just grateful for where he is and knows that nothing can be taken for granted at this level.
Utility infielder Tony Graffanino said he can relate to Chulk's journeyman experiences.
''Going through what we've gone through helps you relate and communicate to your teammates and other people better because you understand that the game is not as easy as it looks to people sometimes,'' said Graffanino, who will turn 37 in June. ''You understand that there's going to be a lot more people in our situation than just having that smooth and easy path to the big leagues.''
Graffanino has spent time in the majors for 13 seasons and, like Chulk, has shuffled back and forth between the minors and the big leagues since 1990.
He said those experiences are what helps players like himself and Chulk persevere.
''For some guys, the road's a little easier,'' Graffanino said. ''They perform well, catch some breaks when they need to and they get to the big leagues and stay for an extended period of time.''
That wasn't Graffanino's route.
His path to the big leagues started in '90, in the minors. His first year in the major leagues wasn't until 1996.
''For other guys, myself included, it's a grind,'' Graffanino said. ''You have to keep plugging along, keep putting your work in, but the biggest thing is believing in yourself because if you don't believe in yourself, you might as well change professions. This is not a job for someone that is weak-minded.''
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reached at dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com Read the Tribe Matters blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
CLEVELAND: At age 30, Indians right-handed reliever Vinnie Chulk is still having the time of his life in the big leagues.
Before a recent game against the Boston Red Sox, Chulk bounced around the clubhouse like it was his first time in the big leagues.
It's not.
Chulk spent parts of seasons in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays (2003-2006) and the San Francisco Giants (2006-2008).
He has also spent parts of seven seasons in the minors, dating to his rookie season in 2000.
''Going up and down, I really don't change who I am, I just change what I'm doing at the time I got sent down because obviously, what I was doing wasn't working,'' Chulk said.
Coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his 2007 season, he was 0-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 27 appearances for the Giants last year.
He finished the season at Triple-A Fresno, where he was 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA and two saves in 22 games (242/3 innings).
The Indians signed Chulk to a minor-league contract in February along with a nonroster invite to major-league spring training. He pitched well for the Indians in spring training but started the season at Triple-A Columbus.
His contract was purchased by the Indians on April 11 and since then, he has been steady.
He has a 1.93 ERA in six appearances (91/3 innings).
Chulk said his age and experience has helped him stay focused.
''It is pretty much a battle at this level,'' Chulk said. ''I do feel I have the mental toughness and there have been times where I have been sent down [to Triple-A], but if I want to keep doing what I'm doing, I have to be mentally tough.
''I think I'm getting smarter and getting to know a lot of the hitters. I know I can get guys [out] on certain pitches that I've gotten them out on before and that confidence and maturity helps a lot.''
He said opposing batters can play mind games.
''Obviously, when you're a pitcher, you're going to go with your strengths, for the most part,'' Chulk said. ''Unless this guy has a .500 box on the outside corner, then you're going to go inside most of the time.
''But a lot of hitters, like a Manny Ramirez, will make adjustments and throw you off. They'll set you up and you don't even know they're doing it. They try to look bad on a pitch on purpose. I've seen it happen before where I've thrown the same exact pitch twice and on the first one, he looks like he's never seen it before. Then the second one I throw, he knocks it out of the park. That's just something I learned through my experiences.''
Chulk is just grateful for where he is and knows that nothing can be taken for granted at this level.
Utility infielder Tony Graffanino said he can relate to Chulk's journeyman experiences.
''Going through what we've gone through helps you relate and communicate to your teammates and other people better because you understand that the game is not as easy as it looks to people sometimes,'' said Graffanino, who will turn 37 in June. ''You understand that there's going to be a lot more people in our situation than just having that smooth and easy path to the big leagues.''
Graffanino has spent time in the majors for 13 seasons and, like Chulk, has shuffled back and forth between the minors and the big leagues since 1990.
He said those experiences are what helps players like himself and Chulk persevere.
''For some guys, the road's a little easier,'' Graffanino said. ''They perform well, catch some breaks when they need to and they get to the big leagues and stay for an extended period of time.''
That wasn't Graffanino's route.
His path to the big leagues started in '90, in the minors. His first year in the major leagues wasn't until 1996.
''For other guys, myself included, it's a grind,'' Graffanino said. ''You have to keep plugging along, keep putting your work in, but the biggest thing is believing in yourself because if you don't believe in yourself, you might as well change professions. This is not a job for someone that is weak-minded.''
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reached at dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com Read the Tribe Matters blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
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