Padres Spring Training Report – Feb. 22, 2015

It’s day three of workouts for pitchers and catchers in Padres camp. Yes all went smoothly with more bullpens and fielding practice, and yes the point of this period prior to the arrival of the position players is to give the pitchers extra time to get their arms ready.  We’re here early soaking up radiation in the desert sun because of the hurlers.  It’s allllll about those million dollar arms right now…or is it?

As a former pitcher Buddy Black is rightfully given a lot of credit for his work with the Padres pitching staff. He and Darren Balsley are recognized throughout the league for their understanding of what it takes to be a successful pitcher at the highest level, and their ability to get the most out of their staff.  The caliber of arms in camp this year is the best I’ve seen in my 12 years of covering this club!  But there’s another side to the success of a pitching staff, and Buddy understands the importance of that part as well.

There have been several on the field group meetings held by Buddy this spring, and guess how many have been delivered directly to his pitchers?  Would you believe NONE?  Nope, the most vocal and impassioned messages have been directed towards his catchers!

As a former pitcher Buddy appreciates as much as any manager in MLB the importance of not just the technical side of catching (which we’ll look at in a moment), but perhaps more importantly the connection that must exist between catchers and their staff.

It’s one thing for a catcher to put down his fingers for a signal, it’s a completely different thing to give that sign in such a way that empowers the pitcher and instills in him the confidence that not only is this the right pitch to throw, but that he can execute it perfectly to get this big out that he needs right now with the game on the line.  It’s a relationship of trust that needs to be built up before that big pitch is needed.  It needs to be consciously worked on and nurtured, and like any other influential relationship it requires not only positive reinforcement and pats on the back when things are going well, but also the occasional kick in the pants and call for accountability when complacency or self doubt creep in.

Buddy has made it clear that he expects his catchers to be interactive, and demand accountability out of their pitchers every time they squat behind the plate.  The message was sent loud and clear on day one of camp, and has been echoed each day since.  During the bullpen sessions after the “POP” of the mitt you can hear “THAT’S it!”, “Right there, NICE!”, “HEY, come on now get that $%&# down!” as these backstops take ownership of their pitcher’s effort and performance.  Trust me as a pitcher you KNOW whether or not your catcher is in it with you. You can tell when he’s thinking more about the bad at bat he just had instead of the pitch you need to make to keep a run from scoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they did during practice one day last year, after the bullpen sessions today the pitchers and catchers met so that each pitcher could go over with every catcher in camp what pitches throws, when he likes to throw them, where he likes to throw them, and how he wants his receiver to set up for him in different pitch situations.  Catchers then follow up with questions if necessary, and coaches sometimes chime in with probing questions to understand deeper what the mindset is.  It’s a great exercise that helps everyone to be on the same page, learn about each guy, and open up valuable teaching moment discussions.  It’s so simple, and make so much sense, yet not every team does it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the technical work to becoming a better receiver that is definitely not being overlooked. For the first time in several years the Pads have a dedicated catching coordinator in Ryley Westman. Each day literally before the sun rises Westman, along with AA manager and former catcher Jamie Quirk, has had the catchers out there working on drills to improve their blocking, footwork, and framing.  Before they even take the field for the team stretch the catchers in camp have already spent a good part of their morning refining their skills.

I’ve been asked many times in recent weeks about which of the new players I think will have the most impact on this team.  The obvious answers are of course are Shields, or the established power threats Upton (playing on a contract year), and Kemp (playing with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove), but the other name I think about is the new catcher from Oakland, Derek Norris.  Let’s be honest, he made the A.L. All-Star team last year for his bat not his defense, and has some large shoes to fill on that end in Rivera and Grandal both of whom are fine receivers.  He’s been out each morning working with Westman, and the results are already showing.  I commented today to Ryley what a good target Derek had been setting the past few days, with good initial location at the knees and very little unnecessary moment as the pitch was being delivered. He agreed, and noted that just 3 days ago that may not have been the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bottom line is this.  Yes, this pitching staff is exciting to talk about especially with the addition of Shields.  But just as much if not more emphasis during the early part of this spring has been put on getting the catching corps physically sharp, as well as mentally connected and committed. No doubt it will pay off.

One health note, Casey Kelly strained his groin muscle and will take a couple of days off. Buddy did not make it sound as though initial diagnosis was serious.  Everyone else is healthy, and 17 of 24 remaining position players have already reported to camp.  Causing some buzz was Will Myers first batting practice session since arriving to AZ, during which he reportedly was crushing the ball.  Only BP but still…very nice!

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