Baseball Guru
03-02-2002, 09:20 AM
A's notebook
PHOENIX -- First, he changed the way he picked up his target. Then he lowered his kick. Then he did the same with his hands. Finally, he sped up his pace.
The tinkering with Chad Harville's delivery, it seems, has been endless.
"It's something that I've worked real hard on over the last year," he said. "I'm finally used to it. I'm fully comfortable and I'm quick to the plate."
And the results in Harville's Cactus League debut Friday were masterful. He needed only 10 pitches to strike out the side in the third inning of the A's 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
"He looked great," manager Art Howe said. "You can't look any better. Three up, three down, three punchouts."
It was the type of dominance the A's long have awaited from Harville. He was picked out of the University of Memphis in the second round of the 1997 draft and was thought to be the A's closer of the future after he saved 18 games in 39 appearances at Double-A Midland and Triple-A Vancouver in 1999.
But his shaky mechanics derailed that plan. Harville walked 35 in 64 innings while spending the entire 2000 season at Triple-A Sacramento, then was limited to 36 minor-league appearances last season because of right shoulder tendinitis.
"It made me realize I had to refine my delivery," he said of the injury. "The way I was picking up the target and holding my hands was making me fly open. Flying open bothered my shoulder and bothered my biceps, and it's probably why I got hurt."
Now, Harville holds his hands low. His lower kick, he said, helps him maintain focus on the glove and prevents him from flying open. He said he's throwing around 93 mph, just as he did in 1999.
All of it added up to an impressive winter; Harville led the Dominican Winter League with eight saves, struck out 28 and had a 1.99 ERA in 22 2/3 innings. Still, he figures to have a difficult time breaking camp with the A's. Fellow right-handed relievers Luis Vizcaino and Chad Bradford are out of options, meaning they must be exposed to waivers before being sent to the minors. Harville is not.
"I know that plays a part in how the (decisions) go," he said. "But hopefully, I can have a good enough spring that it will force the club's hand a little bit."
A few more appearances like the one he had Friday figure to do just that.
Zito debut
Barry Zito tossed two hitless innings in his spring debut, striking out two in a 21-pitch effort. The only blemish came when he hit Geoff Jenkins in the second.
"The most important thing was that I was spotting my fastball inside and outside," Zito said. "That's where it all starts for me."
Zito was so proficient that he threw an additional 15 pitches in the bullpen after his stint. He'll make his next appearance Tuesday against the San Diego Padres at Peoria and said he'll pitch three innings.
Short hops
Right fielder Jermaine Dye was excused from workouts. Dye's wife, Tricia, was scheduled to give birth to the couple's second child. ... David Justice had an RBI double in the first inning. It was his Cactus League debut. ... Eric Chavez made a diving stop at third and long throw across the diamond to rob Richie Sexson of extra bases in the first. ... Bradford gave up two hits, one walk and one run in one inning.
-- Rick Hurd
PHOENIX -- First, he changed the way he picked up his target. Then he lowered his kick. Then he did the same with his hands. Finally, he sped up his pace.
The tinkering with Chad Harville's delivery, it seems, has been endless.
"It's something that I've worked real hard on over the last year," he said. "I'm finally used to it. I'm fully comfortable and I'm quick to the plate."
And the results in Harville's Cactus League debut Friday were masterful. He needed only 10 pitches to strike out the side in the third inning of the A's 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
"He looked great," manager Art Howe said. "You can't look any better. Three up, three down, three punchouts."
It was the type of dominance the A's long have awaited from Harville. He was picked out of the University of Memphis in the second round of the 1997 draft and was thought to be the A's closer of the future after he saved 18 games in 39 appearances at Double-A Midland and Triple-A Vancouver in 1999.
But his shaky mechanics derailed that plan. Harville walked 35 in 64 innings while spending the entire 2000 season at Triple-A Sacramento, then was limited to 36 minor-league appearances last season because of right shoulder tendinitis.
"It made me realize I had to refine my delivery," he said of the injury. "The way I was picking up the target and holding my hands was making me fly open. Flying open bothered my shoulder and bothered my biceps, and it's probably why I got hurt."
Now, Harville holds his hands low. His lower kick, he said, helps him maintain focus on the glove and prevents him from flying open. He said he's throwing around 93 mph, just as he did in 1999.
All of it added up to an impressive winter; Harville led the Dominican Winter League with eight saves, struck out 28 and had a 1.99 ERA in 22 2/3 innings. Still, he figures to have a difficult time breaking camp with the A's. Fellow right-handed relievers Luis Vizcaino and Chad Bradford are out of options, meaning they must be exposed to waivers before being sent to the minors. Harville is not.
"I know that plays a part in how the (decisions) go," he said. "But hopefully, I can have a good enough spring that it will force the club's hand a little bit."
A few more appearances like the one he had Friday figure to do just that.
Zito debut
Barry Zito tossed two hitless innings in his spring debut, striking out two in a 21-pitch effort. The only blemish came when he hit Geoff Jenkins in the second.
"The most important thing was that I was spotting my fastball inside and outside," Zito said. "That's where it all starts for me."
Zito was so proficient that he threw an additional 15 pitches in the bullpen after his stint. He'll make his next appearance Tuesday against the San Diego Padres at Peoria and said he'll pitch three innings.
Short hops
Right fielder Jermaine Dye was excused from workouts. Dye's wife, Tricia, was scheduled to give birth to the couple's second child. ... David Justice had an RBI double in the first inning. It was his Cactus League debut. ... Eric Chavez made a diving stop at third and long throw across the diamond to rob Richie Sexson of extra bases in the first. ... Bradford gave up two hits, one walk and one run in one inning.
-- Rick Hurd