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02-07-2003, 02:24 AM
Suppan gives Pirates workhorse
Friday, February 07, 2003
By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Jeff Suppan's durability is hard to explain, but he is just as interested in the quality of innings as he is in the quantity.
"I don't know. So far I've just been able to stay healthy," Suppan said yesterday in a telephone interview from his California home. "I'm more than just an innings eater. You always want to go out and win. My job is to stay in the game as long as I can and, hopefully, give my team a chance to win."
Suppan's ability to take the ball every fifth day and pitch deep into games might be the main reason General Manager Dave Littlefield pursued him so aggressively as an addition to the Pirates' rotation. Managers and pitching coaches love a workhorse starter who takes the pressure off the bullpen.
Suppan pitched at least 208 innings in each of his four seasons with the Kansas City Royals and made at least 32 starts. He had 11 complete games and three shutouts.
None of the Pirates' starters logged 200 innings last season. The previous Pirates starter to throw more than 200 innings was Jimmy Anderson in 2001.
Last season with the Royals, Suppan, 28, made 33 starts. As Littlefield pointed out, that's as many starts as Anderson, Ron Villone and Sean Lowe had combined with the Pirates. And Suppan was signed for $500,000 for this season, or one-fourth of what the Pirates paid those three pitchers -- none of whom is with the Pirates now..
Suppan was 9-16 with a 5.32 ERA last year and yielded 32 home runs. The Pirates hope that having him pitch lower in the rotation and working in pitcher-friendly PNC Park will help him improve those numbers.
The order of the rotation hasn't been set, although pitching coach Spin Williams believes it would be a good idea to have Suppan sandwiched between Kris Benson and Wells, two hard throwers, at the top of the rotation.
"Wherever they want me to pitch, I'll pitch," Suppan said.
He is eager to report with the other pitchers and catchers to spring training in a week because he wasn't satisfied with his results last season, when he was among the American League leaders in runs and hits allowed. The Royals lost 100 games last year.
"It's something that made me stronger," said Suppan, who is 49-64 lifetime with a 5.03 ERA in an eight-year career that has included stops with the Royals, Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I looked at it as a learning process. I never gave in. I hung in there, tried to finish up the best I could."
Suppan is eager to make a fresh start for the Pirates.
"I was looking for the best opportunity for me, and the best opportunity for me was in Pittsburgh," he said. "It wasn't any one thing. It's the whole package. I think they're moving in the right direction."
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Robert Dvorchak can be reached at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1959.
Friday, February 07, 2003
By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Jeff Suppan's durability is hard to explain, but he is just as interested in the quality of innings as he is in the quantity.
"I don't know. So far I've just been able to stay healthy," Suppan said yesterday in a telephone interview from his California home. "I'm more than just an innings eater. You always want to go out and win. My job is to stay in the game as long as I can and, hopefully, give my team a chance to win."
Suppan's ability to take the ball every fifth day and pitch deep into games might be the main reason General Manager Dave Littlefield pursued him so aggressively as an addition to the Pirates' rotation. Managers and pitching coaches love a workhorse starter who takes the pressure off the bullpen.
Suppan pitched at least 208 innings in each of his four seasons with the Kansas City Royals and made at least 32 starts. He had 11 complete games and three shutouts.
None of the Pirates' starters logged 200 innings last season. The previous Pirates starter to throw more than 200 innings was Jimmy Anderson in 2001.
Last season with the Royals, Suppan, 28, made 33 starts. As Littlefield pointed out, that's as many starts as Anderson, Ron Villone and Sean Lowe had combined with the Pirates. And Suppan was signed for $500,000 for this season, or one-fourth of what the Pirates paid those three pitchers -- none of whom is with the Pirates now..
Suppan was 9-16 with a 5.32 ERA last year and yielded 32 home runs. The Pirates hope that having him pitch lower in the rotation and working in pitcher-friendly PNC Park will help him improve those numbers.
The order of the rotation hasn't been set, although pitching coach Spin Williams believes it would be a good idea to have Suppan sandwiched between Kris Benson and Wells, two hard throwers, at the top of the rotation.
"Wherever they want me to pitch, I'll pitch," Suppan said.
He is eager to report with the other pitchers and catchers to spring training in a week because he wasn't satisfied with his results last season, when he was among the American League leaders in runs and hits allowed. The Royals lost 100 games last year.
"It's something that made me stronger," said Suppan, who is 49-64 lifetime with a 5.03 ERA in an eight-year career that has included stops with the Royals, Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I looked at it as a learning process. I never gave in. I hung in there, tried to finish up the best I could."
Suppan is eager to make a fresh start for the Pirates.
"I was looking for the best opportunity for me, and the best opportunity for me was in Pittsburgh," he said. "It wasn't any one thing. It's the whole package. I think they're moving in the right direction."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Dvorchak can be reached at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1959.