Brault quit nibbling and is now All-Star
put the plan in action. Now he’s seeing its benefits.
“If you’re nibbling, going side to side, you’re not even usingit to the best of your ability,” Brault said. “It’s using some of your effectiveness because of that. I think part of it isgrowing up, I guess, and just kind of learning pitching more.”
One reaction Brault recalled having recently: “Whoa, I had a nine-pitch inning!”
“I’ve actually had underdouble-digit-pitchinnings this year,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s right, that’s how that supposed to work.’ Mix some of those in, that’s how you go deepin games.”
For the most part, Brault explained, the challenge has been mental. He’s using the same pitch mix, maybe with a few more sinkers early in counts to induce ground balls, but he’s trusting his stuff. The mental workout can be done anywhere, Brault said, and it’s better to find the answers at Class AAA rather than in the majors, where results, not growth,are the top priority.
Last season, Brault had a 4.86 ERA in eight appearances, seven starts, for the Pirates. He was hit hard, due in part to a hamstring injury earlier in the season which sapped some power and velocity,but showed some promise. This was a player, after all, who was a player to be named later in the Travis Snider trade in 2015. He was seen as a fine prospect, but not a future ace.
But Brault had a real shot at a spot in the Pirates rotation this spring. He was charged with six runs in 15⅔ innings in Grapefruit League play. When he was re-assigned to minor league camp March 28, just before the Pirates flew north, it stung. Now, Brault admits he wasn’t theright choice.
“I wasn’t ready,” he said. “I think a big part of that is just not knowing how to actually putinto effect the idea of pitching in the zone. Just doing it. Committing to doing it. Being here and actually learning that and understand more whatthat means has made me growa lot more as a player.
“I might not be able to have that experience up there because up there you don’t get away with anything ever. I think it’s been a good thing for me to grow to come down here.”
Still, Brault is eager to get backto the big leagues.
“It would be nice,” Brault said, with a laugh. “I wouldn’t complain. But I understand that I’m getting better. As long as I’m continuing to move forward, I’m OK with it. We’ll see what happens as the year progresses. We’ve still got half a yearleft.”