What about Hamels' fourth pitch?
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
What about Hamels' fourth pitch?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Much of the off-season talk about Cole Hamels centered around adding a new pitch. Both Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee spoke near the end of last season about what good it would do Hamels to add another breaking ball along with his curveball and how he would likely come to spring with a new pitch.
Since Hamels arrived here, the coaching staff has eased away that philosophy. So what changed?
"Nothing changed," Dubee said recently. "The third pitch is the first step. Well, where's his third pitch? We have to see where he is with his curveball. If we don't think he's going to be consistent enough, then we might have to add a fourth. The biggest part is that he's much better prepared now, mentally and physically.
"It's hard to work on two at once. Let's try to establish some consistency with the curveball first. He has shown that the curveball is a very workable pitch when he commands it and throws it enough. Let's do that first."
Dubee's point is smart. If the Phillies have faith in Hamels' curveball -- and it is apparent that's the case -- then they want the focus on that pitch alone.
But this wasn't the case late last season. The following are excerpts from an Oct. 31 Inquirer story:
A starting pitcher can win with two pitches - look at what A.J. Burnett did with a fastball and curveball in Game 2 - but he can't do it consistently. In an era when teams play each other within their division up to 18 times, a reality that can lead to familiarity, it is imperative that a starter have a deep arsenal of pitches to keep hitters off balance.
This is why Hamels will work on adding another breaking ball, either a slider or a cutter, to his pitch mix during spring training.
"Putting another pitch in the back of the hitter's mind can only help me," Hamels said yesterday.
Hamels does not intend to junk his curveball. Ideally, he'd improve that pitch and gain more confidence throwing it.
(snip)
Dubee has talked to Hamels about adding a slider or cutter to his repertoire. In fact, Hamels said, he experimented with a slider in August. He said he threw one of them against Pittsburgh on Aug. 26.
"It got hit, so I didn't throw it again," he said.
Spring training is more conducive to learning a new pitch, and Hamels will give it a serious effort when the Phillies report to Clearwater in February.
"We'd like to see him keep the curveball and add a more commandable breaking ball," Dubee said.
Dubee said the slider and the cutter were less complex breaking balls than the curveball and thus easier to control. Hamels' curveball, when on, breaks downward from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock. A slider or cutter is thrown harder than a curveball. Its break is later, sharper and more lateral than a curveball.
"He needs something sharp, like a cutter, to go away from lefties and hard in on righties,'' Manuel said.
Dubee sounded very different when talking about Hamels' possible cutter last week.
"We'll play that by ear," Dubee said. "If we need to add that, it could be something we add. If something flares up then we might have to back away from it. But he actually threw a few last year, just starting to tinker with it and it never caused a problem."
It wasn't necessarily a vote of confidence in a fourth pitch, but Dubee left the door open. And it's very possible before this spring is over we will be talking about Hamels' cutter again.
Hamels said he worked some on the cutter during the off-season.
"Any time you're able to add something else, that adds another pitch and another possibility to throw at a guy and for them to also now have to realize there's not only two pitches now," Hamels said. "You may be able to throw three or four. You can't really narrow it down as much."
Regardless, there will be a resolution before the season starts. Dubee said Hamels will not try to develop a pitch during the regular season. Should the staff not see enough improvement in the curveball over the coming weeks, the fourth pitch could become a factor.
Comment removed.
"Man up" Hamels.— dannyray- I just hope his FB is better this year. Toooooo Moyer-like last year!— 4thand10
I am paying a lot of attention to stories about Hamels, because when the Phillies traded Cliff Lee, they essentially bet the season on Hamels' ability to again be effective. Hope he has that third and/or fourth pitch down once play begins.- I also want to see him grow some facial hair ..give him a meaner look.— Prausch
- I wish the media would let the AJ Burnett game go already,,, if you or I had a strike zone as wide as the Grand Canyon that he was given that night,,,,, we too could have gotten MLB players out that night,,,,,
I listened to an interview with Jamie Moyer during the off season. He was asked about Hamels, and he said he does not need a third pitch. He just needs to command his fastball better. Moyer felt his two pitches, especially his change up, were plenty when he was throwing them the way he did in '08. I trust Moyer. His body may be shot, but the man knows how to pitch.— John621- Moyer has twice the pitching brain and pitching knowledge than Doobie,...i trust Moyer anytime over Doobie— SyddBarrett
- 4th pitch?? He dont even have 3.
- ease up, haters - this team is still waiting for its first WS win since 1980 without Cole.— Bobby G
- I am a little worried and skeptic when it comes to Hamels. With all the talk surrounding his 3rd/4th pitch, they have all been iffy/unsure/work-in-progress type of news. I rather it be something thats more firming, like Hamels come out and say "I have great command of my curveball and feel confident to throw it anytime". I mean, c'mon, its spring training (optimism camp), if you are unsure in the spring, how are you going to gain the confidence to throw it in the season? I rather have Hamels go in with 2 excellent pitches than 3 medicore pitches. Nevertheless, I hope he develops that 3rd pitch— penncrow19
- Cole Hamels will be fine.
- I HAVE A REALLY REALLY STUPID QUESTION,WHY HAVE THEY WAITED TILL NOW TO ADD A THIRD AND FOURTH PITCH?HOW LONG HAS HAMELS BEEN IN THE PHILS ORGANIZATION?— soliteryman
- You guys are ridiculous sometimes....no baseball player can go out on the field and give 110% every single game like they are some sort of machine (and fyi, all machines break down too)....life impacts them the same way we take our personal lives into our jobs, it's human nature. 1, he didn't train the right way last offseason, he admitted that because of his world series MVP media tour, 2, he had his first child last year, going into the playoffs, he looked like a worrisome, tired, sidetracked, emotional ball player who didn't have his best stuff. Only Philly fans would crucify the guy for it 1 year removed from his WS MVP...He's a year smarter, better shape from an improved offseason regime, less stress by not having to be the #1 guy and live up to his WS MVP, currently no 2nd baby on the way, (keep it that Mrs. Cole) and if he adds a 3rd pitch consistently, a 4th pitch to play with when he's in a groove, he'll be dynamite again. Relax, let him get a few weeks into the season, not just the preseason, before you start writing him off...did I mention WS MVP!!!— Bleue
- penncrow - pitchers and catchers have been in camp for like 4 days. That's what spring training and Grapefruit League are for, developing. Let's see where he's at in a month
