azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
When walking to the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse through the service-level tunnel at Bank One Ballpark, one realizes the mantle of responsibility that Javier Vazquez inherits today.
As the locker room entrance approaches on the right, painted on the wall are the lineups from each of Arizona’s seven previous openingday games. For every lineup from 1999-2004, the same name is listed in the pitcher’s spot: Randy Johnson.
When the Big Unit was traded to the New York Yankees — Vazquez was one of three players the D-Backs got in return — Johnson left behind four National League Cy Young Awards and a colossal contribution to a World Series championship in 2001.
Vazquez is well aware of the significance of his taking the ball for today’s regular season opener against the Chicago Cubs at BOB. However, he is not intimidated by it.
"I know what kind of pitcher Randy Johnson is and what he meant to this organization," said Vazquez, a sevenyear veteran who is making his third opening-day start. "I know he did great here.
"But I’m confident in my abilities."
So is manager Bob Melvin, who — despite Arizona also acquiring Russ Ortiz and Shawn Estes, both 15-game winners in 2004 — wasted little time in naming Vazquez opening-day starter when spring training began.
"We felt like he was our No. 1 starter," Melvin said. "He’s been a No. 1 starter for a while. The guys who are here and played against him know the effect he can have on a team, so he was a natural decision. We have four guys we feel good about, but Javy was the lead guy."
For Vazquez, who is 78-78 with a 4.26 ERA in his career, today’s game is about a first opportunity to prove that — after well-documented struggles with the Yankees over the second half of last year — he is once again the hurler that bedeviled hitters as a Montreal Expo.
"He’s a guy who was dominant on some bad teams in Montreal," D-Backs left fielder Luis Gonzalez said. "When you change leagues as a pitcher, that is a tough transition. He’s a guy who, I think, feels more comfortable in the National League. He knows the hitters and players here."
Hailed as an acquisition to help bring the World Series trophy back to the Bronx, Vazquez pitched like it for the first half of 2004, going 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA and being named an American League All-Star.
But inconsistency resulting from bad mechanics — and magnified on the highpressure New York stage — plagued Vazquez afterward. He went 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA in the second half and was relegated to relief duty in the American League championship series against the Boston Red Sox.
"We never could fix it," Vazquez said. "When your team is in the hunt for the playoffs, you can’t start tinkering with stuff. You can only throw your game every time out and hope that works."
Vazquez had problems with his release point and arm slot, making his usually heavy-moving repertoire (fastball, curve, slider and circle change) flatten out.
After studying tape during the winter and working with D-Backs pitching coach Mark Davis this spring, Vazquez said his mechanics are sound again and — perhaps most important — his head is clear.
"A lot of pitchers go through the kind of things I went through the second half of last season," Vazquez said. "I have a lot of confidence in myself to know that those struggles were from last season, and that’s it. I know what kind of pitcher I am. I know I’m going to help this team."
Reserve first baseman Tony Clark, a teammate with the Yankees last year, talked with Vazquez often during the spring and found him to be focused and comfortable.
"I think the page has been turned," Clark said. "When the decision was made to bring him over here, knowing I would have a chance to be here too, I was excited about the possibilities.
"I think everyone is going to be surprised by the things he will do around here every five days."
How long Vazquez will pitch for Arizona, however, is unclear.
Since he was traded in the middle of a multiyear contract — Vazquez is owed $33.5 million through 2007 — he can demand a trade at the end of this season. He has expressed a preference to play for an East Coast team to be closer to his home in Puerto Rico.
Vazquez said he has not decided on his post-2005 plans.
"My decision will be later in the year, but I feel great here," Vazquez said. "I like my teammates and the group we’ve put on the field, and hopefully, things will work out for the best."
Today, Vazquez’s name gets added to the wall by the D-Backs’ clubhouse. And the team is pleased with how that worked out.
"You are never going to replace a Randy Johnson," Melvin said, "but Javy is a No. 1 guy, and we feel it’s a great fit."
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39017
When walking to the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse through the service-level tunnel at Bank One Ballpark, one realizes the mantle of responsibility that Javier Vazquez inherits today.
As the locker room entrance approaches on the right, painted on the wall are the lineups from each of Arizona’s seven previous openingday games. For every lineup from 1999-2004, the same name is listed in the pitcher’s spot: Randy Johnson.
When the Big Unit was traded to the New York Yankees — Vazquez was one of three players the D-Backs got in return — Johnson left behind four National League Cy Young Awards and a colossal contribution to a World Series championship in 2001.
Vazquez is well aware of the significance of his taking the ball for today’s regular season opener against the Chicago Cubs at BOB. However, he is not intimidated by it.
"I know what kind of pitcher Randy Johnson is and what he meant to this organization," said Vazquez, a sevenyear veteran who is making his third opening-day start. "I know he did great here.
"But I’m confident in my abilities."
So is manager Bob Melvin, who — despite Arizona also acquiring Russ Ortiz and Shawn Estes, both 15-game winners in 2004 — wasted little time in naming Vazquez opening-day starter when spring training began.
"We felt like he was our No. 1 starter," Melvin said. "He’s been a No. 1 starter for a while. The guys who are here and played against him know the effect he can have on a team, so he was a natural decision. We have four guys we feel good about, but Javy was the lead guy."
For Vazquez, who is 78-78 with a 4.26 ERA in his career, today’s game is about a first opportunity to prove that — after well-documented struggles with the Yankees over the second half of last year — he is once again the hurler that bedeviled hitters as a Montreal Expo.
"He’s a guy who was dominant on some bad teams in Montreal," D-Backs left fielder Luis Gonzalez said. "When you change leagues as a pitcher, that is a tough transition. He’s a guy who, I think, feels more comfortable in the National League. He knows the hitters and players here."
Hailed as an acquisition to help bring the World Series trophy back to the Bronx, Vazquez pitched like it for the first half of 2004, going 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA and being named an American League All-Star.
But inconsistency resulting from bad mechanics — and magnified on the highpressure New York stage — plagued Vazquez afterward. He went 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA in the second half and was relegated to relief duty in the American League championship series against the Boston Red Sox.
"We never could fix it," Vazquez said. "When your team is in the hunt for the playoffs, you can’t start tinkering with stuff. You can only throw your game every time out and hope that works."
Vazquez had problems with his release point and arm slot, making his usually heavy-moving repertoire (fastball, curve, slider and circle change) flatten out.
After studying tape during the winter and working with D-Backs pitching coach Mark Davis this spring, Vazquez said his mechanics are sound again and — perhaps most important — his head is clear.
"A lot of pitchers go through the kind of things I went through the second half of last season," Vazquez said. "I have a lot of confidence in myself to know that those struggles were from last season, and that’s it. I know what kind of pitcher I am. I know I’m going to help this team."
Reserve first baseman Tony Clark, a teammate with the Yankees last year, talked with Vazquez often during the spring and found him to be focused and comfortable.
"I think the page has been turned," Clark said. "When the decision was made to bring him over here, knowing I would have a chance to be here too, I was excited about the possibilities.
"I think everyone is going to be surprised by the things he will do around here every five days."
How long Vazquez will pitch for Arizona, however, is unclear.
Since he was traded in the middle of a multiyear contract — Vazquez is owed $33.5 million through 2007 — he can demand a trade at the end of this season. He has expressed a preference to play for an East Coast team to be closer to his home in Puerto Rico.
Vazquez said he has not decided on his post-2005 plans.
"My decision will be later in the year, but I feel great here," Vazquez said. "I like my teammates and the group we’ve put on the field, and hopefully, things will work out for the best."
Today, Vazquez’s name gets added to the wall by the D-Backs’ clubhouse. And the team is pleased with how that worked out.
"You are never going to replace a Randy Johnson," Melvin said, "but Javy is a No. 1 guy, and we feel it’s a great fit."
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39017
