Panthers bullpen is a source of strength
Team has done well managing workloads
KITCHENER — Luke Baker has a lot on his mind during Kitchener Panthers games. But the one thing the skipper doesn’t spend much time worrying about is his bullpen.
The Panthers’ relief corps has been a source of strength for the Intercounty Baseball League club, who were sitting in first place heading into weekend action.
The Kitchener bullpen, with standout performances from the likes of Mike Schnurr, Stephen Gade, Adam Yuen and Miguel Lahera, have been rally-killers who’ve allowed the Panthers to stay in games once their starting pitching wears out.
The relievers are led by Schnurr, who has evolved into one of the league’s most reliable setup men, and his minuscule 0.31 earned-run average. Brock University’s Yuen and Gade, a University of Waterloo product, have been revelations as the first ones out of the bullpen.
And Lahera, the big, imposing Cuban fireballer with 29 strikeouts in 18 innings, has given the team the door-slamming closer they’ve needed.
“It makes my job easier,” said Baker. “We have confidence in our guys to just go out there and challenge every team.”
Pitching coach Darryl Rutherford says he’s really tried to manage workloads and pitch counts this season so the relievers aren’t getting overused. It appears to be working.
“They’ve been lights out. And their numbers show it,” said Rutherford, who’s also assistant coach with the Laurier Golden Hawks.
The Panthers have put their pitchers into predictable roles, so there’s few surprises how they’re going to be used each night. Schnurr knows he doesn’t usually need to start warming up in the bullpen before the fifth or sixth inning, and that helps his preparation.
“I know I’m not going to be rushed, like I have in the past. There’s a guy before me, and there’s a guy after me,” he said. “Everyone is well-prepared and everyone knows their part.”
On Thursday night, he was back it — getting the Panthers out of a jam with two on in the eighth. He returned in the ninth, getting a big strikeout of Cleveland Brownlee and keeping the tie intact so his Panthers could win in the bottom of the frame.
“I’m not scared if I’ve got Cleveland Brownlee up with the bases loaded, and I think he’s probably the best hitter in the league,” Schnurr said.
“Now I know I can get anybody out in the league. It’s just a confidence thing, coming in and throwing strikes.”
For Schnurr, who’s having his best season since joining the IBL in 2013, the secret has also been getting more rest.
“Before I think I was trying to do too much, going to the gym or going for a run, doing long-toss, almost every day,” he said.
“Now, I’m letting the arm rest, taking days off, and keeping the legs healthy.”
Another key is that he’s throwing all his pitches for strikes, said Schnurr, who has allowed just one earned run all season. He knows how his manager plans to use him, and he trusts his stuff more than ever.
Rutherford says he’s constantly talking to his relievers about how many innings they can throw on a given night, and doesn’t push them past that.
“You just can’t march them out there three innings at a time, every single day, and expect him to always be the guy. You see a lot of other teams burn guys out that way,” he said.
The Panthers play in Burlington Saturday afternoon, and host Brantford at 2 p.m. Sunday.