azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
TUCSON - As a member of the Montreal Expos, Javier Vazquez was one of those opposing pitchers the Diamondbacks absolutely hated to face.
On Thursday, the righthander showed why during an eight-minute tour de force on Arizona’s first day of live batting practice.
"He was in midseason form," manager Bob Melvin said. "I don’t think he threw two pitches where he didn’t want to. He was that impressive."
Fastballs, curveballs, sliders, inside, outside — almost every delivery had good stuff and pinpoint accuracy, making Melvin feel good about selecting Vazquez as the DBacks’ opening-day starter.
Vazquez, one of baseball’s most anonymous tough pitchers in Montreal, was in the spotlight with the New York Yankees last year. He had a spotty second half of the season and was sent to Arizona as part of the deal for Randy Johnson.
Having been pleased with the handful of bullpen sessions he threw before leaving his home in Puerto Rico for Tucson, Vazquez said he is not holding anything back.
"I feel really good," Vazquez said. "I think my mechanics are there right now. I’m throwing everything."
FINALLY PITCHING
For the first time in almost two years, reliever Brandon Lyon is throwing without worrying if his arm will withstand his next pitch.
"When you’re injured, your whole focus is getting yourself healthy," Lyon said. "That’s the last thing on my mind now. My mind is on getting focused for the season."
Lyon has not been 100 percent since July 2003, when he started having right elbow soreness with the Boston Red Sox. After being dealt to Arizona in the Curt Schilling trade, Lyon underwent nerve transposition surgery in March and missed all of last season.
Lyon’s fastball and sinker have been praised in camp. He has yet to throw breaking pitches off a mound, but he expects to in his next bullpen session this weekend.
When Cactus League play starts, Lyon expects to be fully ready to contend for a bullpen job.
"Health-wise, I’m there," Lyon said. "Pitching, I’m really close. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be throwing everything."
ESTES UPDATE
Left-hander Shawn Estes, tabbed for the No. 3 or 4 spot in the Arizona rotation, pitched off a mound for the first time this spring.
Out with a foot sprain originally suffered in the winter and aggravated while playing with his dog, Estes threw for about 10 minutes on Thursday. He graded out well and has been put on a normal schedule, Melvin said.
"He was a little ginger the first couple of throws, but everything was fine," Melvin said.
EXTRA POINTS
Melvin said it is "possible" that relief pitcher Jose Jimenez, a nonroster invitee who has been unable to leave his native Dominican Republic, could arrive at camp today or Saturday. . . .
If Brad Halsey, a left-hander acquired from New York in the Johnson deal, does not win the fifth spot in the rotation, he likely will start at Class AAA Tucson rather than be part of the D-Backs’ bullpen.
"I would be hard-pressed to put Halsey in the bullpen if he doesn’t start," Melvin said.
Right-hander Oscar Villarreal, a starter and reliever in his two-year career, would be a bullpen option if he does not make the rotation. . . . Left fielder Luis Gonzalez was excused from Thursday’s workout to tend to a family matter. . . . The D-Backs will conduct an intrasquad game on Wednesday, a day before the Cactus League opener against the White Sox.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36987
TUCSON - As a member of the Montreal Expos, Javier Vazquez was one of those opposing pitchers the Diamondbacks absolutely hated to face.
On Thursday, the righthander showed why during an eight-minute tour de force on Arizona’s first day of live batting practice.
"He was in midseason form," manager Bob Melvin said. "I don’t think he threw two pitches where he didn’t want to. He was that impressive."
Fastballs, curveballs, sliders, inside, outside — almost every delivery had good stuff and pinpoint accuracy, making Melvin feel good about selecting Vazquez as the DBacks’ opening-day starter.
Vazquez, one of baseball’s most anonymous tough pitchers in Montreal, was in the spotlight with the New York Yankees last year. He had a spotty second half of the season and was sent to Arizona as part of the deal for Randy Johnson.
Having been pleased with the handful of bullpen sessions he threw before leaving his home in Puerto Rico for Tucson, Vazquez said he is not holding anything back.
"I feel really good," Vazquez said. "I think my mechanics are there right now. I’m throwing everything."
FINALLY PITCHING
For the first time in almost two years, reliever Brandon Lyon is throwing without worrying if his arm will withstand his next pitch.
"When you’re injured, your whole focus is getting yourself healthy," Lyon said. "That’s the last thing on my mind now. My mind is on getting focused for the season."
Lyon has not been 100 percent since July 2003, when he started having right elbow soreness with the Boston Red Sox. After being dealt to Arizona in the Curt Schilling trade, Lyon underwent nerve transposition surgery in March and missed all of last season.
Lyon’s fastball and sinker have been praised in camp. He has yet to throw breaking pitches off a mound, but he expects to in his next bullpen session this weekend.
When Cactus League play starts, Lyon expects to be fully ready to contend for a bullpen job.
"Health-wise, I’m there," Lyon said. "Pitching, I’m really close. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be throwing everything."
ESTES UPDATE
Left-hander Shawn Estes, tabbed for the No. 3 or 4 spot in the Arizona rotation, pitched off a mound for the first time this spring.
Out with a foot sprain originally suffered in the winter and aggravated while playing with his dog, Estes threw for about 10 minutes on Thursday. He graded out well and has been put on a normal schedule, Melvin said.
"He was a little ginger the first couple of throws, but everything was fine," Melvin said.
EXTRA POINTS
Melvin said it is "possible" that relief pitcher Jose Jimenez, a nonroster invitee who has been unable to leave his native Dominican Republic, could arrive at camp today or Saturday. . . .
If Brad Halsey, a left-hander acquired from New York in the Johnson deal, does not win the fifth spot in the rotation, he likely will start at Class AAA Tucson rather than be part of the D-Backs’ bullpen.
"I would be hard-pressed to put Halsey in the bullpen if he doesn’t start," Melvin said.
Right-hander Oscar Villarreal, a starter and reliever in his two-year career, would be a bullpen option if he does not make the rotation. . . . Left fielder Luis Gonzalez was excused from Thursday’s workout to tend to a family matter. . . . The D-Backs will conduct an intrasquad game on Wednesday, a day before the Cactus League opener against the White Sox.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36987
