SkyDrive

Link of SkyDrive
New

Wells catching on to life as a hurler

Wells catching on to life as a hurler Former backstop finding success atop pitcher's mound By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com 08/06/09 1:30 AM ET

(AP Photo/Al Behrman) Randy Wells was a Class A catcher who only caught on Sundays, so he knew it wasn't a good sign when he found himself on the pitcher's mound in a blowout game back in 2003. In that game, Wells threw one inning of mop-up duty. He had started the game as the catcher, but now that he was toeing the rubber, he didn't think anything of it. As a catcher, he wasn't hitting. He wasn't playing much. He was a 38th-round Draft pick and questioned whether he had a future as a Major League catcher. "I don't want to say, 'If you're not a prospect, they're not going to give you the time of day,'" Wells said. "You can get your work in the cage, but if you're not taking it into games or game situations and hitting breaking balls, you're not going to be sharp. It was tough to get ready for the game. They called me the 'Sunday Specialist.' I caught on Sundays and that was it. It was tough." But the Cubs' Minor League staff and scouts saw a better-than-average arm on a 20-year-old athlete who was still growing. "You could see things and start dreaming a little," said Mike Anderson, who was Lansing's pitching coach at the time and is now a scout for the Texas Rangers. Wells was asked to throw a bullpen session. It didn't go well. Today, Wells is second on the Cubs in wins after picking up his eighth victory Monday night against Cincinnati and is a bona fide candidate for National League Rookie of the Year. He'll make his 17th start on Sunday against the Rockies in Colorado. Not bad for a catcher. The Cubs currently have two ex-backstops turned pitchers in Wells and Carlos Marmol, and both most likely would not be playing Major League baseball if they hadn't made the switch. "That's the truth," said Cubs bullpen coach Lester Strode, who was the Minor League pitching coordinator at the time the two were breaking in. "Somebody said, 'Here's a guy with a good arm. Let's see if we can salvage this guy someway, somehow,' as opposed to saying, 'His career is over.'" Select group Wells and Marmol are part of a select fraternity. Troy Percival was a former catcher, as is Milwaukee's David Bush and St. Louis' Justin Motte. There are other position players who have switched to pitching, such as Trevor Hoffman, originally a shortstop. And earlier this season, the Royals sent shortstop Tony Pena Jr. down to the Minors in an effort to convert him into a pitcher. Wells recalls the first conversion conversation because he had just received new catcher's gear that day. Scott Servais was the Cubs' Minor League catching coordinator and wanted to know why Wells wasn't getting ready for practice. The Cubs had other plans. They'd drafted two catchers in 2003, including Jake Fox, who is currently on the Cubs' 25-man roster, and Wells had dropped down on the depth chart. "I questioned it a little bit," Wells said. "I talked to [player development director Oneri] Fleita and said, 'I still think I can do it.' He didn't really agree with me. I don't think it was, 'You're going to get released,' but it was one of those things where I didn't want to fight it too much just because I wasn't really having success, I wasn't getting the playing time. I didn't know if I ever would." He talked to his agent, talked to his father, talked to everybody. "They said, 'Why not?' " Wells said. "You've got a good arm. I grew a lot." He's now 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, and definitely wasn't that big back in '03. Switching made sense if it was a way to get to the big leagues. "Baseball wasn't very fun for me when I was catching in the Cubs organization, sitting on the bench, catching bullpens," he said. "It made sense for me to try, and I ended up doing pretty well." Pretty well? Wells is 8-1 with a 2.85 ERA in his past nine starts and the first Cubs rookie to win eight games in a nine-game stretch since Pat Malone did so in 1928. He's won four in a row, the first Cubs rookie to do that since Kerry Wood in 1998, and now leads all Major League rookies with a 2.73 ERA. Anderson was key. The two talked strategy and mechanics, spent endless hours in early morning bullpen sessions. Both admit they butted heads a few times. "For me, it was baby steps -- not just mechanics, but building his delivery," Anderson said. "We started from scratch. It was like me working with a 12-year-old." Anderson stayed with Wells in the Minors for three years, and the new pitcher benefited from having one voice to listen to. The 2003 season was devoted to learning his new job. Wells' first full season as a pitcher was '04, again at Lansing, and he went 6-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 36 games, including 15 starts. "He had a knack for finding his way out of jams in games," said Anderson, who was in the Dominican Republic this week on a scouting assignment. "Pitchers loved throwing to him when he was a catcher. He had an idea of how to call a game. He also knew how hard it was to hit. He couldn't hit a lick, and I think that helped his aggressiveness on the mound. He knew how hard it was." Fox actually caught one of Wells' early games at Lansing. "All he had was a fastball, and he was trying to learn how to throw a breaking ball and trying to learn how to throw a changeup," Fox said. "It was awful. I didn't know if there was any hope." Right attitude Marmol fought the Cubs a little more when told to make the switch. Cubs' longtime scout Jose Serra sat down with the right-hander in the Dominican Republic and finally convinced him. The right-hander, who is currently closing in on the team's record for most holds, was stubborn. "I was mad, too," Marmol said. "He didn't want to," Strode said, "but when the other option came, it didn't take him long to change his mind because of his situation in the Dominican. When he goes back home, what does he have to do? He's probably going to be struggling to make a living. If I have another way to stay in the game and support my family and be successful, it didn't take him long to change his mind. You don't need a Harvard degree to think twice about that." Wells was an easier convert. "Randy was willing to give it a try," Strode said. "He had a feel for it, he had a knack for it. As far as his arm strength, it wasn't as strong as Marmol's, but he had a knack that it takes a lot of pitchers to get a feel for, and that's to grasp and feel and understand pitching. He had that right away, so it was just a matter of developing his skills." When you're 20, you have big dreams, and at that time in his life, Wells had already set a target date for his Major League debut. Becoming a pitcher would postpone that. "I put such a fast-forward button on my career at that time," Wells said. "I knew I wanted to play in the big leagues, that's all I wanted to do. I didn't want to do anything else, I didn't want to go back and get a job. I put such a short time frame on it, I had to realize it was going to be a process. "I remember the first game I pitched in, I was like, 'Did I make the right decision?' " Wells said. "It's one thing to throw a bullpen, but when guys started hitting balls, it was pretty weird to start having to change your mindset." He had one pitch at that point, a fastball. This spring, Wells and Fox teamed up again. Both had been assigned to the Triple-A Iowa team, and the regular catchers were getting a day off. Iowa manager Bobby Dickerson asked Fox, who now plays more outfield and infield than catcher, to get behind the plate while Wells pitched in an intrasquad game in Mesa, Ariz. "When I was calling pitches for him down there, I was off," Fox said. "He has developed two other pitches since the last time I caught him in a game [in 2005 in Class A Daytona]. Then, it was fastball, slider. Now he has a sinker, a two-seamer. I couldn't find his rhythm at all because he's developed so much." The transition In 2005, Wells was 10-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 41 games for Daytona. He did well at Double-A Tennessee the next year, but struggled at bit at Iowa in 2007. He struck out 101 over 95 2/3 innings that year but had a 4.52 ERA. The Cubs ran into a numbers game and didn't protect him in the Rule 5 Draft, and he was taken by Toronto. He pitched in one game in relief and was then returned to the Cubs. Was he bitter? No, he just worked harder. In 2008, he went 10-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 27 games for Iowa. Anderson, who still stays in contact with Wells, isn't surprised at his former pupil's success. "I always preached to him that you have to be ready when you get the opportunity," Anderson said. "He's had to prove it at every level." On Monday, Wells improved to 8-4, giving up one run on six hits over 7 1/3 innings against the Reds. And he should have a better record. Take away one bad outing against Minnesota on June 12, and he had posted a 1.86 ERA in his first six starts before he got his first win June 21 against Cleveland. He's come a long way. "Where would we be without this young man?" Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Wells. "He throws strikes, pitches quick, gets his pitches over the plate, changes speeds, locates. You can't say anything but nice things, and it shows because he's winning with consistency now." Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild reminds the rookie to "stay hungry," delivering that message in side sessions before starts and between innings. Recalled from the Triple-A team on May 8 to take Carlos Zambrano's spot when Big Z was hurt, Wells has no intention of going back. "Maybe all the time in Triple-A, I finally learned something," Wells said. "I'm honestly not changing anything, not doing anything different. Throw strikes, give your team a chance. It works for me." Wells, who turns 27 on Aug. 28, and Fox, 27, find themselves together again in the big leagues, but neither is doing what they envisioned they would. "[Wells] still gives me a hard time about it," Fox said. "In the Minor Leagues, he'd say, 'I'd still be catching if it weren't for you, Fox.' I said, 'I'd be catching if it weren't for me.' " Does Wells ever look back and wonder, what if? Could he have been a good catcher and hitter in the big leagues? "You never know," Wells said. "I didn't have the at-bats [in the Minors]." So far, it looks like he made the right call. Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

利用Google Translate翻譯成繁體中文

2009年國家聯盟新人王候選人

雖然距離球季結束還有一段時間

但我先把我心中的可能人選列出來

主要是以出場數夠的球員為主

其中也有會有人即將成為明日之星

我們都知道

個人獎項部分通常打者都比較有利

但今年有很多年輕的投手值得注意

包括Tommy Hanson, Jordan Zimmermann與J.A. Happ等人

而前一位以投手當選國聯新人王的正是Dontrelle Willis

另外比較可惜的是Pablo Sandoval

因為他去年的打席依經超過新人標準

不然他今年絕對是非常具有競爭力的人選

• 新人資格

未有任何一年多於130個打席

未有任何一年多於50局投球局數

未有任何一年在二十五人名單多過45天 (DL與九月後除外)

• 2008年新人王

Geovany Soto (25) - CHC

去年Soto靠著超強的打擊能力以及場上的身為捕手的領馭能力, 最後囊括了99%的第一名選票而擊敗成績較好的Joey Votto, 在Carlos Zambrano無安打比賽的配球也功不可沒, 只不過今年因為受傷的關係而錯過了很多表現機會, 在目前表現不理想的情況下 (.226 BA 8 HR 27 RBI so far) , 季中又受到WBC的藥檢影響, 導致小熊隊今年成績也非常不理想, 另外在球技上, Soto對breaking ball的掌握能力不佳, 在加上投手熟悉他偏愛打席高球後, 直球來的的越來越少, Soto在接下來能否恢復好表現對小熊隊非常重要, 也是他生涯的必經課題, 或許他能跟Troy Tulowitzki請教一下

• 新人人選

Dexter Fowler (23) - COL

Fowler是2004年落磯山隊在第14輪選的外野手, 當時他放棄了哈佛大學的獎學金而加盟了洛磯山隊, Fowler以他的速度出名, 並為'08年夏季奧運美國棒球隊的成員之一, 也因為他的優異表現, 在去年的September Call-up, Fowler就從2A直升大聯盟, 直接年也從先發打起, 今年才23歲, 左右開弓的他, 盜壘數29次是球隊與新人中第一, 只不過他的打擊技巧還真的非常需要加強, 以他6'4''的身高在加上靈活性打中外野佔有非常大的優勢, 只不過像Fowler這總類型的球員在MLB實在太多了, 他必須用成績來展現他的實力

Colby Rasmus (22) - STL

Rasmus是標準的重炮外野手, 當年在第一輪就被選到, 早期擔任投手的Rasmus可以說是投打俱佳的棒球員, 左投左打的Rasmus與系統中另一位外野手Brett Wallace (現已被交易至運動家隊) 都是Red Birds非常看好的新秀, 今年在Rick Ankiel嚴重受傷下, 順理成章的頂上中外野手位置, 目前Rasmus的長打能力道大聯盟似乎沒有什麼不適應的問題, 他目前主要要加強的是打擊率 (包含選球能力) , 如果他能夠持續進步, 現年才22歲的他應該能夠很快站穩外野, 此外他的守備能力也絕不含糊, 尤其它擁有中外野手所約的傳球臂力, 另外其實Ankiel也是棄頭從打的左投手

Andrew McCutchen (22) - PIT

高中就是田徑隊一員的McCutchen速度絕對不在話下, 球隊把年輕的金手套Nate McLouth送走後, 系統中被Baseball America排名第二而且又剛好在3A的McCutchen就順勢成為了當家的先發中外野手 (其實McCutchen也是McLouth會被送走的原因之一), 但他其實不算是power hitter, 也因為如此的特性, 常常跟同為黑人的Juan Pierre被比較, 只不過McCutchen是左打, 而臂力也比他好很多, 更再前幾天單場打出三響炮, 而他的三壘安打數也是球隊與新人中排名第一, 如果打擊率能夠一舉突破三成, 相信他的得獎可能性就會大增

Casey McGehee (26) - MIL

McGehee是季前釀酒人隊從小熊隊從waiver撿來的球員, McGehee從小熊隊系統中就一直擔任三壘手, 偶爾會客串一壘或是捕手, 他算是標準的contact hitter, 長打能力則是一般, 非常令人意外的是他今年的表現比同位置的Mat Gamel還好, 他在隊友受傷期間表現奇佳, 使得他有非常多的上場機會, 只不過, McGehee還是只能擔任替補, 跟下面的Fox一樣, 他很難有固定先發的機會, 至少他讓同區的小熊隊後悔怎麼沒有留住他, 而且能提供Crew在板凳上的打擊與防守支援

Jake Fox (26) - CHC

如果對小聯盟稍微對小聯盟關注的人都知道Fox是3A的三冠王, 出身於棒球名校Michigan的Fox, 原本是位捕手, 在2A與3A階段時, 因為受到對上捕手與Soto的競爭下, 一直找不到固定的位置, 目前主要以corner IF/OF為主, Fox在高中時期就是個強打者, 這也是他在第三輪就被選到的原因, 而目前看來3A可能已經容不下他, 除非是特別的狀況, 不然他應該能夠繼續待在大聯盟, 只不過小熊隊似乎不會給他太多機會, 因為他打的位置幾乎都不會有任何的可能 (Derrek Lee, Amirez Ramirez - Coner IF; Alfonso Soriano, Milton Bradley - Coner OF)

J.A. Happ (26) - PHI

Happ正是Roy Halladay交易案中常常出現的球員, 他與Wells幾乎可以說是今年表現最好的新人, 原本季初在牛棚待命的他, 因為朴贊浩表現不佳才被拉到先發輪值, Happ算是控球型的左投, 球速不快, 拿手武器是breaking ball, 所以他的三振率算高 (新人排名第一), 也因為他在大學優異的成績 (16-11 2.88 ERA 251 K) 當年他第三輪就被選上, 雖然在'07年時, 曾在3A碰到瓶頸, 但還是在25歲那年上了大聯盟, 前幾天在Happ投完一場完封後就有媒體報導Pedro Martinez加入球後, 他可能又要回到牛棚, 這讓許多人位她大抱不平, 就看接下來球團怎麼決定, 今年有兩場完封勝, 大聯盟排名並列第一

Randy Wells (26) - CHC

Wells當年是在38輪才被選的一位捕手, 而且還選了兩次, 他跟Carlos Marmol與Troy Percival等人一樣, 都是棄捕從投的球員, 沒想到就此改變了他的一生, Wells從原本只有星期天才能上場的捕手 (擋著他的正是上面的Jake Fox) , 到現在能在小熊隊先發群爭取一席地位, 真是令人感到不可思議, 他的球速不快大約92MPH左右, 主要武器為變化球與滑球, 算是以控球為主的球員, 所以三振也沒有特別突出, 今年在球隊投手表現可以說僅次於明星投手Ted Lilly, 而他目前與J.A Happ並列新人勝投王, 防禦率 (2.73) 則是第一, 知名度不高但卻是大黑馬

Jordan Zimmermann (23) - WAS

身為Baseball America今年國民隊系統中第一名的Zimmermann在春訓表現就非常優異, 這也讓他在去年還在2A打滾的情況下, 在今年四月就被拉上了大聯盟, Zimmermann是'07年國民隊在第二輪挑選的投手, 其實Zimmermann沒有讀大學的元因為沒有學校要他, 但以投球內容來看, 主要以四縫線速球, 曲球與滑球為主, 最快能到97MPH, 再搭配80MPH左右的曲球, 與Hanson同樣的狀況, 他的控球還是主要課題, 如果能有一定的表現, 以他的資質是非常有能力成為球隊的王牌投手 (在不考慮Stephen Strasburg的情況下) , 而他的名子與隊上明星三壘手Ryan Zimmerman很像, 只不過還是有些許的不同

Tommy Hanson (22) - ATL

Hanson在John Smoltz與Tom Glavine事件後, 他已成為全美知名度最高的新人, 當年Hanson一直到了22輪才被選到, Hanson之所以會得到勇士對這麼大信任, 主要原因是因為他在小聯盟表現實在是非常不可思議, 去年還在A+的他, 在2A與3A待了一下子就被拉上了大聯盟, 而且他今年才22歲, Hanson主要球路為四縫線速球與曲滑球, 最快球速大約在95MPH, 除了類似Roy Halladay的Slurve Ball, 他還有落下幅度更大的曲球, 不同於Happ與Wells, Hanson主要要克服的是控球問題, 此外他的心理素質感覺還要更有經驗, 而他在季中連克洋基與紅襪隊的表現另人印象非常深刻

Translate into English via Google Translate