Attacking mindset carrying hurlers
O AKLAND, Calif. — Now that the Rangers season has come to a dramatic end, take a look at what’s happening here on the Left Coast with the Yankees.
Heading into Saturday night’s action, they had won four straight against the Mariners and A’s, beating Sonny Gray along they way. Derek Jeter has found his swing, the outfield is playing inspired defense while creating offense, but most importantly, the Yankees pitchers are learning to attack the hitters.
This is not the Steroid Era anymore. Sluggers aren’t bashing the ball over the wall every time you throw one down the middle. Attack this generation of Showcase Hitters — big swings, small results — and you can find success.
Masahiro Tanaka has set the tone for the Yankees pitching staff, but the Chase Whitley Experience has driven home the point — and other Yankees pitchers have noticed.
It’s all about command. Even Dellin Betances, who lights up the radar gun with 98 mph fastballs, has learned the value of control and a curve ball.
The Yankees young pitchers are feeding off each other’s success, and that makes a difference. Veteran Hiroki Kuroda was on the clock Saturday night against the A’s at O.co Coliseum, and it was up to the righthander to keep the string of solid performances going.
Kuroda was coming off a strong effort against the Royals on June 8, but the Yankees hitters went 1for17 that day with RISP. Now that Jeter has found his stroke, the top of the order’s success has given the Yankees pitchers breathing room to succeed. They don’t have to try to make the perfect pitch, just make an effective pitch — that’s the secret to pitching.
A few days ago, a Yankees official told The Post, “We really have to go get another starting pitcher.’’
It wouldn’t hurt, of course, but if these arms can continue to throw commandoriented strikes, success will continue as well.
Listen to this comment from David Phelps after he allowed just two hits over 6 ²/₃ innings in a 70 win Friday night over the A’s, the team with the best record in the American League.
“I was attacking guys,’’ Phelps said. “The last couple of starts I was trying to be a little bit too fine. I was trying to be perfect with my pitches and I was digging myself into a hole. This was one of my best starts of my career.’’
Phelps said getting the early lead — it was 30 in the second — made his life much easier. Getting support makes a psychological difference as well as a difference on the scoreboard.
Pitchers only seem to hurt themselves when they think they have to make every pitch a perfect pitch to keep their team in the game. Letting go of that tall responsibility makes a better pitcher. And the best pitch in baseball is not a fastball or breaking pitch: It’s strike one.
That gives the pitcher the advantage. It puts the hitter on the defensive.
“Firstpitch strikes and leadoff outs can negate some big innings by just doing those things,’’ Phelps said. “You saw what Chase did [Thursday]. He threw 24of29 firstpitch strikes, that’s amazing, that’s what we strive to do.’’
Whitley teaches pitching to young players in the offseason back home in Ranburne, Ala.
Evidently the rookie is teaching here with the Yankees.
“What’s worked for me at TripleA is working for me here,’’ Whitley said. Amazing how that works. Get ahead, and you often get outs. But here’s the really interesting part: A lot of teams are being aggressive these days, too, and the Mariners and A’s were swinging early in the count. Make a good pitch on that first pitch, make the hitter’s aggressiveness work against him, and you really have something going.
The last thing pitchers need to do these days is walk hitters ,and after the win Friday night, Phelps chastised himself for his three walks, saying, “Two oneout walks and a leadoff walk, you’ve got to do better than that.’’
That’s walking away with the perfect winning attitude.