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Minor-league outings used to fix a faulty pitch
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 10:06 p.m. EDT, Jul 07, 2009
CHICAGO: How many pitchers are rewarded with a promotion to the big leagues after giving up 10 runs in 71/3 innings during their final two minor-league starts?
At least one: Aaron Laffey.
Laffey will be the Indians' starter tonight against the Chicago White Sox in his first major-league appearance since May 22, the day before he was placed on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.
At the time, Laffey had been transformed from starter to reliever because of a bullpen that had fallen into a sea of quicksand and was sinking fast. The relief corps has stabilized — at least it has pulled one leg out of the muck — and manager Eric Wedge needs Laffey's skills to shore up a shaky rotation.
It is a measure of the starters' instability that Laffey is being allowed to come off the DL, despite the ineffectiveness he showed in his last two rehabilitation starts, one with the Aeros and the other with Triple-A Columbus.
In his July 2 outing with the Clippers, Laffey gave up seven runs in four innings. In his previous start, for the Aeros, he gave up three runs in 31/3 innings. Worse, he walked six. But all of these indiscretions are being overlooked.
''The walks were a concern,'' Wedge said today. ''The next start, he threw the ball over the plate better; he was working on his four-seamer. Afterward, we talked about it and felt that this was the time to get him up here.''
Working on his four-seam fastball led to some unwanted results at Columbus.
''The first inning was a nightmare,'' Laffey said. ''After that, I stayed on top of the ball and threw strikes. For the most part, I kept the ball on the ground. The outing was validated by [Clippers pitching coach] Scott Radinsky's report.''
Laffey's two-seam sinker was in good working order, but he was having trouble taming the four-seamer and wasn't going to quit throwing it until he conquered the pitch.
''It took me four innings to establish the pitch,'' he said. ''For me, it wasn't about the results. I have to have command of the four-seamer. I can't just rely on my sinker.''
Wedge seemed satisfied with that explanation. What didn't sit well with the Tribe brass were the six walks issued in the Aeros' game.
''When I walked all those guys, they told me it was more about results,'' Laffey said.
Had the results been better, Laffey would have been activated earlier.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
CHICAGO: How many pitchers are rewarded with a promotion to the big leagues after giving up 10 runs in 71/3 innings during their final two minor-league starts?
At least one: Aaron Laffey.
Laffey will be the Indians' starter tonight against the Chicago White Sox in his first major-league appearance since May 22, the day before he was placed on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.
At the time, Laffey had been transformed from starter to reliever because of a bullpen that had fallen into a sea of quicksand and was sinking fast. The relief corps has stabilized — at least it has pulled one leg out of the muck — and manager Eric Wedge needs Laffey's skills to shore up a shaky rotation.
It is a measure of the starters' instability that Laffey is being allowed to come off the DL, despite the ineffectiveness he showed in his last two rehabilitation starts, one with the Aeros and the other with Triple-A Columbus.
In his July 2 outing with the Clippers, Laffey gave up seven runs in four innings. In his previous start, for the Aeros, he gave up three runs in 31/3 innings. Worse, he walked six. But all of these indiscretions are being overlooked.
''The walks were a concern,'' Wedge said today. ''The next start, he threw the ball over the plate better; he was working on his four-seamer. Afterward, we talked about it and felt that this was the time to get him up here.''
Working on his four-seam fastball led to some unwanted results at Columbus.
''The first inning was a nightmare,'' Laffey said. ''After that, I stayed on top of the ball and threw strikes. For the most part, I kept the ball on the ground. The outing was validated by [Clippers pitching coach] Scott Radinsky's report.''
Laffey's two-seam sinker was in good working order, but he was having trouble taming the four-seamer and wasn't going to quit throwing it until he conquered the pitch.
''It took me four innings to establish the pitch,'' he said. ''For me, it wasn't about the results. I have to have command of the four-seamer. I can't just rely on my sinker.''
Wedge seemed satisfied with that explanation. What didn't sit well with the Tribe brass were the six walks issued in the Aeros' game.
''When I walked all those guys, they told me it was more about results,'' Laffey said.
Had the results been better, Laffey would have been activated earlier.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
Comments
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, OH
Posted 08:02 AM, 07/08/2009
Shapiro to Wedge: "Don't worry, skipper. Help is on the way. We're bringing up a guy with an ERA over 12 in his last two outings. Now get out there and manage"
