yagsy
02-26-2005, 11:50 AM
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sd/news/sd_news.jsp?ymd=20050225&content_id=951066&vkey=spt2005news&fext=.jsp
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/images/2005/02/25/iIuiuXOb.jpg
Ramon Hernandez's main goal is remain healthy all season. (Elaine Thompson/AP)
Catcher committed to helping hurlers succeed
By John Schlegel / MLB.com
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Some have said that the pitcher's mound can be a lonely hill, a place where the pitcher stands in the middle of the field with only his own talent and mental toughness to guide him.
Ramon Hernandez begs to differ.
When it comes to his role as the Padres' catcher, his top priority is to be there for the pitcher. Whether it's a starter or a reliever, a Padres pitcher is never alone out there.
"Two heads are better than one," Hernandez said.
At 28, Hernandez probably has more knowledge in his head than a lot of catchers his senior in age and experience, and he knows how to use it.
Beyond that, he has the attitude that it's very much in his job description to do whatever it takes to make each pitcher the best he can be in each given outing.
"I try to help the pitcher the most I can, whether it's for one game or one hitter or one pitch," Hernandez said. "I try to support them to help them get out of that jam or get past that hitter or to get that one strike."
It's that approach that quickly made Hernandez a favorite with the coaching staff and the pitching staff upon his arrival last year.
"He's very committed to doing the best job he can for the pitchers," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy, a critical eye when it comes to catchers as a former backstop himself.
"People talk about the success I had last year, but a big part of that was having him back there, no question about it," said young ace right-hander Jake Peavy, who led the National League with a 2.27 ERA last year. "He's great at knowing the game plan, doing his homework, being prepared every day. I hope he's around for a lot of years."
Hernandez, who is a free agent after this season, came to the Padres with a strong reputation for his rapport with pitchers, developed during his time behind the plate with the A's and their now separated "Big Three" starters.
He didn't disappoint in his debut season with San Diego.
"I thought he really came in and just won over the pitchers right away," Bochy said.
That didn't happen by accident.
"I spent a lot of time in Spring Training last year talking to the pitchers -- the starters, the relievers, the closer, everybody," Hernandez said. "I think if you're going to get to know the guys, you need to put in the time to do it. You need to find out what they like to do, how they like to pitch, what they don't like to do."
This year in his second camp with the Padres, Hernandez has fewer new faces and repertoires to get to know. While veteran starters Woody Williams and Darrell May are new to Hernandez, it's not a clean slate like it was a year ago.
It's not as though Hernandez just focuses on the starters, either.
According to Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds, Hernandez has an uncanny ability to shift gears when the starter goes out and a reliever comes in.
"He really adapts well," Akerfelds said. "You might have Jake Peavy in there using his repertoire, and then you have a guy like [Scott] Linebrink who comes in with his four-seam fastball with a slider and split. He adapts to what we're trying to do with him against the hitters that are coming up at that time. He just does that so well."
It's not easy, Hernandez will tell you.
"There's a lot of mentality work," Hernandez said. "It gets stressful a lot, so you've got to be very strong in your mind. You've got to do a lot of talking and a lot of thinking.
"You're going to be with all kinds of pitchers who are different, so you have to know what every guy does and you have to know how that works with the guy you're facing."
About the only thing Hernandez would have liked to have done differently in his first season with the Padres is play more games. He was limited to a career-low 111 games by a left knee strain suffered in a home-plate collision with Toronto's Howie Clark on June 20, putting him out until July 26.
"That's my main goal this year -- trying to be healthy all year so I can help the team the most I can," Hernandez said.
Actually, there was one more thing that didn't turn out the way Hernandez would have liked. For the first time since he became Oakland's everyday catcher in 2000, he didn't get a chance to play in the postseason in 2004.
"You kind of get used to it," Hernandez said of playing in the postseason. "But this team had a great season last year, especially after losing for a few years. Now we know what it takes to be winners."
John Schlegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/images/2005/02/25/iIuiuXOb.jpg
Ramon Hernandez's main goal is remain healthy all season. (Elaine Thompson/AP)
Catcher committed to helping hurlers succeed
By John Schlegel / MLB.com
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Some have said that the pitcher's mound can be a lonely hill, a place where the pitcher stands in the middle of the field with only his own talent and mental toughness to guide him.
Ramon Hernandez begs to differ.
When it comes to his role as the Padres' catcher, his top priority is to be there for the pitcher. Whether it's a starter or a reliever, a Padres pitcher is never alone out there.
"Two heads are better than one," Hernandez said.
At 28, Hernandez probably has more knowledge in his head than a lot of catchers his senior in age and experience, and he knows how to use it.
Beyond that, he has the attitude that it's very much in his job description to do whatever it takes to make each pitcher the best he can be in each given outing.
"I try to help the pitcher the most I can, whether it's for one game or one hitter or one pitch," Hernandez said. "I try to support them to help them get out of that jam or get past that hitter or to get that one strike."
It's that approach that quickly made Hernandez a favorite with the coaching staff and the pitching staff upon his arrival last year.
"He's very committed to doing the best job he can for the pitchers," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy, a critical eye when it comes to catchers as a former backstop himself.
"People talk about the success I had last year, but a big part of that was having him back there, no question about it," said young ace right-hander Jake Peavy, who led the National League with a 2.27 ERA last year. "He's great at knowing the game plan, doing his homework, being prepared every day. I hope he's around for a lot of years."
Hernandez, who is a free agent after this season, came to the Padres with a strong reputation for his rapport with pitchers, developed during his time behind the plate with the A's and their now separated "Big Three" starters.
He didn't disappoint in his debut season with San Diego.
"I thought he really came in and just won over the pitchers right away," Bochy said.
That didn't happen by accident.
"I spent a lot of time in Spring Training last year talking to the pitchers -- the starters, the relievers, the closer, everybody," Hernandez said. "I think if you're going to get to know the guys, you need to put in the time to do it. You need to find out what they like to do, how they like to pitch, what they don't like to do."
This year in his second camp with the Padres, Hernandez has fewer new faces and repertoires to get to know. While veteran starters Woody Williams and Darrell May are new to Hernandez, it's not a clean slate like it was a year ago.
It's not as though Hernandez just focuses on the starters, either.
According to Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds, Hernandez has an uncanny ability to shift gears when the starter goes out and a reliever comes in.
"He really adapts well," Akerfelds said. "You might have Jake Peavy in there using his repertoire, and then you have a guy like [Scott] Linebrink who comes in with his four-seam fastball with a slider and split. He adapts to what we're trying to do with him against the hitters that are coming up at that time. He just does that so well."
It's not easy, Hernandez will tell you.
"There's a lot of mentality work," Hernandez said. "It gets stressful a lot, so you've got to be very strong in your mind. You've got to do a lot of talking and a lot of thinking.
"You're going to be with all kinds of pitchers who are different, so you have to know what every guy does and you have to know how that works with the guy you're facing."
About the only thing Hernandez would have liked to have done differently in his first season with the Padres is play more games. He was limited to a career-low 111 games by a left knee strain suffered in a home-plate collision with Toronto's Howie Clark on June 20, putting him out until July 26.
"That's my main goal this year -- trying to be healthy all year so I can help the team the most I can," Hernandez said.
Actually, there was one more thing that didn't turn out the way Hernandez would have liked. For the first time since he became Oakland's everyday catcher in 2000, he didn't get a chance to play in the postseason in 2004.
"You kind of get used to it," Hernandez said of playing in the postseason. "But this team had a great season last year, especially after losing for a few years. Now we know what it takes to be winners."
John Schlegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.