azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
When a Diamondbacks catcher makes a quick trip to the mound, it isn't necessarily to go over signs or talk about the next pitch.
Sometimes, the pitcher and catcher just talk about their golf games, the weather, or what they plan on having for dinner.
Don't laugh. Talking about everything under the sun besides baseball is a common practice to settle down a pitcher, keep his mechanics in line or shake off whatever rust has built up in a particular inning.
Chris Snyder, competing with Koyie Hill for Arizona's starting catcher job, said it's usually not very hard to come up with a subject.
He's had a number of interesting little chats with everyone from left-hander Brad Halsey to Brandon Webb.
"Yeah, it isn't always necessarily about baseball," Snyder said. "Sometimes, I might just go out there and say, 'Hey, have you heard this one song before? Why don't you get this song in your head? It's cool.' Just little things that don't even have to do with baseball, something to get rid of a guy being too locked in and over-focused."
A technical conversation can put more stress on the pitcher, especially if he is young, and opposing hitters can sense it. The smart ones can tell by a hurler's body language.
"When hitters see you out there struggling and fighting with yourself, that's like smelling blood," said manager Bob Melvin, a former major league catcher.
"That's when the sharks start circling."
A mound visit can be particularly effective in spring training, where younger pitchers tend to rush their throws to the plate to try to impress the manager and win a spot on the club.
"I won't even talk to the pitcher at times," Melvin said. "You just want to give him time to slow down and take a deep breath, because sometimes that's all it is. You're looking over there and you notice he's never taken a deep breath. Well, if you're not doing that, you don't get oxygen in the system and therefore things tighten up."
Even veteran pitchers don't mind mindless conversations when they find themselves in a rut.
"I've had it happen to me, where a catcher and some of the other guys will come out and say something we were talking about the day before or whatever," Diamondbacks pitcher Russ Ortiz said.
"You're just trying to find ways to break the cycle of what's going on out there. It helps you to forget about it and move on."
D-Backs Report
At Phoenix Municipal Stadium:
Athletics 5, Diamondbacks 0
Diamondbacks record: 3-2 (after first of two split-squad games)
At the plate: C Craig Ansman went 2 for 2 with a double after replacing Luis Gonzalez as the DH. Gonzo went 0 for 2 and is still looking for his first hit of the spring. . . . 3B Troy Glaus went 0 for 2 and RF Shawn Green 0 for 3.
On the mound: RHP Russ Ortiz allowed a leadoff single to Mark Kotsay and walked two batters in the first, then fell behind 3-0 to Eric Byrnes, who drove in three runs with a double to center field. . . . RHP Lance Cormier pitched 2 2/3 effective innings. RHP Casey Daigle allowed a solo home run to the first batter he faced, Erubiel Durazo. . . . RHP Juan Acevedo retired the side in the ninth.
In the field: C Koyie Hill nailed Mark Ellis on an attempted steal in the second but couldn't throw out catcher Jason Kendall. Hill also was charged with a passed ball. . . . Manager Bob Melvin said he was impressed with SS Royce Clayton and 2B Craig Counsell, who were always in the right spots defensively.
He said it: "He struggled a little bit with his command, obviously. He was rushing a little bit, his arm was late, then he'd make the adjustment. That's what spring training is all about. He didn't have his own shoes on today. He didn't have his, and he had to wear somebody else's." - Melvin on Ortiz
Today: Diamondbacks vs. Oakland, Tucson Electric Park, 1:05 p.m. The Diamondbacks will start RHP Brandon Webb vs. Athletics RHP Dan Haren.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0308dbacks0308.html
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
When a Diamondbacks catcher makes a quick trip to the mound, it isn't necessarily to go over signs or talk about the next pitch.
Sometimes, the pitcher and catcher just talk about their golf games, the weather, or what they plan on having for dinner.
Don't laugh. Talking about everything under the sun besides baseball is a common practice to settle down a pitcher, keep his mechanics in line or shake off whatever rust has built up in a particular inning.
Chris Snyder, competing with Koyie Hill for Arizona's starting catcher job, said it's usually not very hard to come up with a subject.
He's had a number of interesting little chats with everyone from left-hander Brad Halsey to Brandon Webb.
"Yeah, it isn't always necessarily about baseball," Snyder said. "Sometimes, I might just go out there and say, 'Hey, have you heard this one song before? Why don't you get this song in your head? It's cool.' Just little things that don't even have to do with baseball, something to get rid of a guy being too locked in and over-focused."
A technical conversation can put more stress on the pitcher, especially if he is young, and opposing hitters can sense it. The smart ones can tell by a hurler's body language.
"When hitters see you out there struggling and fighting with yourself, that's like smelling blood," said manager Bob Melvin, a former major league catcher.
"That's when the sharks start circling."
A mound visit can be particularly effective in spring training, where younger pitchers tend to rush their throws to the plate to try to impress the manager and win a spot on the club.
"I won't even talk to the pitcher at times," Melvin said. "You just want to give him time to slow down and take a deep breath, because sometimes that's all it is. You're looking over there and you notice he's never taken a deep breath. Well, if you're not doing that, you don't get oxygen in the system and therefore things tighten up."
Even veteran pitchers don't mind mindless conversations when they find themselves in a rut.
"I've had it happen to me, where a catcher and some of the other guys will come out and say something we were talking about the day before or whatever," Diamondbacks pitcher Russ Ortiz said.
"You're just trying to find ways to break the cycle of what's going on out there. It helps you to forget about it and move on."
D-Backs Report
At Phoenix Municipal Stadium:
Athletics 5, Diamondbacks 0
Diamondbacks record: 3-2 (after first of two split-squad games)
At the plate: C Craig Ansman went 2 for 2 with a double after replacing Luis Gonzalez as the DH. Gonzo went 0 for 2 and is still looking for his first hit of the spring. . . . 3B Troy Glaus went 0 for 2 and RF Shawn Green 0 for 3.
On the mound: RHP Russ Ortiz allowed a leadoff single to Mark Kotsay and walked two batters in the first, then fell behind 3-0 to Eric Byrnes, who drove in three runs with a double to center field. . . . RHP Lance Cormier pitched 2 2/3 effective innings. RHP Casey Daigle allowed a solo home run to the first batter he faced, Erubiel Durazo. . . . RHP Juan Acevedo retired the side in the ninth.
In the field: C Koyie Hill nailed Mark Ellis on an attempted steal in the second but couldn't throw out catcher Jason Kendall. Hill also was charged with a passed ball. . . . Manager Bob Melvin said he was impressed with SS Royce Clayton and 2B Craig Counsell, who were always in the right spots defensively.
He said it: "He struggled a little bit with his command, obviously. He was rushing a little bit, his arm was late, then he'd make the adjustment. That's what spring training is all about. He didn't have his own shoes on today. He didn't have his, and he had to wear somebody else's." - Melvin on Ortiz
Today: Diamondbacks vs. Oakland, Tucson Electric Park, 1:05 p.m. The Diamondbacks will start RHP Brandon Webb vs. Athletics RHP Dan Haren.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0308dbacks0308.html
