Betances gets some alone time
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Dellin Betances needed to step back Thursday. Out of the spotlight, no large crowd and without a scoreboard displaying the velocity of his every pitch, the Yankee setup man quietly worked on getting his leg kick right and building up the strength in his right arm.
“I think it’s just a matter of making sure the delivery is clean and mechanically he is sound. Also, at the same time, get enough work in where he can throw 30 pitches,” Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Thursday morning.
After struggling in his last Grapefruit League appearance on Sunday, Betances pitched two “innings” of a simulated game. He threw 28 pitches, 19 for strikes, in six at-bats.
“I don’t care where I am pitching really. It’s hard to get up for these early games, to be honest, but I feel like (Rothschild) wanted me to throw multiple innings in a more controlled environment. You can control it a little better in a sim game, so it was good to get out there, sit down and get back up,” Betances said. “I felt better in the second inning. I was curious to see how I would feel, since I haven’t really done that. Still trying to play catch up a little bit. I felt like the ball was coming out better, I was pleased with it.”
Arriving to camp late this spring to stay with his wife when she gave birth to their first child, Betances made his first spring training game appearances last week. His velocity, usually around 98 miles an hour in season, was surprisingly down in his first three appearances. Sunday, he topped out at 93 mph with his fastball sitting between 89-90.
That is normal, Betances said. Every year has been a slow build up of his arm strength and velocity, which he says he doesn’t usually reach his maximum until about May. Sunday, however, Betances’ velocity wasn’t the only concern. His breaking ball was not sharp and he could not command his fastball. He allowed two runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out one. After just one out, Aaron Boone had to go out and get him.