Figuring out the baseballs
Worley believes he has secret to succeed
PHILADELPHIA — Consider Miami Marlins righthander Vance Worley among those inside the game who believe the baseballs used in the major leagues this year are different.
But Worley also thinks he solved the mystery on how to throw them with more success. He just doesn’t want to tell you the answer.
“That’s my secret,” Worley said with a wry smile. “I share it with my teammates. Whether they want to jump on board with that, that’s on them. The whole year has been trying to figure this ball out. I think I got it, a grasp on it.”
The idea that the majors’ baseballs are different this year has been one of the major themes of the season, and everybody seams to have their own theory. Worley says the ball is harder and has lower seems, which makes it harder to grip.
The league has insisted it’s a non-issue, even issuing a memo to teams earlier this summer that said there is “no evidence” the composition of the ball is any different. Commissioner Rob Manfred has insisted on multiple occasions that there’s nothing to see here.
But the possibility of an altered ball has been a popular point of conversation when discussing this year’s historic home-run rate. And a couple of pitchers have pointed to lower seams as the cause of blisters.
For Worley, who will start for the Marlins on Thursday against the Phillies, a lack of usual movement on his pitches surprised him as he spent spring training with the Nationals.
“I used to be able to roll out of bed and put whatever pitch I wanted wherever I wanted,” said Worley, who debuted in the majors in 2010. “I was going out to the ’pen, having a little bit of downtime and trying to figure out what is it that’s making this ball not do what I used to be able to do?”
Worley said he figured it out June 28. He was warming up to pitch the ninth inning of a loss to the Mets when it — and he won’t say what it is — clicked. And then he struck out the side, all swinging: Matt Reynolds, Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce.
Worley started that day with a 7.59 ERA. Now, it’s down to 4.82 — and 3.08 in five starts since rejoining the rotation late last month.
“Some guys think I’m crazy. Some guys are on board with it,” Worley said. “Because nobody knows what the heck is going on with these things.”
Odds & ends
The Marlins haven’t finalized their rotation yet for Friday and Saturday at home against the Padres, but they will need a spotstarter one of those games, a result of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Manager Don Mattingly indicated that righty Odrisamer Despaigne, the long man in the bullpen, is likely to start one of those games. Lefty Adam Conley will get the other, and righty Dan Straily will go Sunday.
Two minor personnel notes: Right-hander reliever Javy Guerra was outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans on Wednesday, after being designated for assignment Tuesday. And Severino Gonzalez, another righty reliever, was returned to New Orleans after spending Tuesday with the Marlins as the 26th man for the doubleheader. …
The Marlins are the 12th team since 2000 to get back to .500 after being at least 13 games under. Miami got to 62-62 with a doubleheader sweep of the Phillies Tuesday.