CHANGING IT UP
How Anderson can succeed
ARIZ.» Rockies SCOTTSDALE, manager Bud Black is convinced that left-hander Tyler Anderson has the talent and mind-set to be an asset this season.
That’s true even if Anderson doesn’t throw a blazing fastball or wow batters with his stuff.
“Why? Because he can change speeds,” said Black, who acknowledged that he was a similar pitcher during his 15-year big-league career. “If you’re changing speeds, even though you’re still throwing strikes, you might not need to have your best command. So disrupting the hitter’s timing is part of something that’s advantageous for him.
“He’s got to throw enough strikes, enough quality strikes, to work his way through a game. That’s part of what makes him who he is.”
Anderson’s spring numbers are not impressive: 7.71 ERA with four walks, 14 strikeouts and three home runs allowed over 14 innings. But then again, it’s just the Cactus League and Anderson says he’s strong and confident.
The three home runs allowed, however, are a red flag, because Anderson served up 30 home runs last season, tied with Milwaukee’s Chase Anderson for the most in the National League.
Like any other pitcher, Anderson gets in trouble when he allows traffic on the bases and then gives up a big hit. For example, in Wednesday’s night’s Cactus League start against Kansas City, the left-hander pitched well into the fourth inning, but he hit Alex Gordon with no outs, then walked Chris Owings with two outs. That set the table for a 452-foot, three-run homer by Hunter Dozier.
Not only do the Rockies need Anderson to cut down on the number of longballs, they need him to put together a full season. Last year, he finished 7-9 with a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts despite a 6-3 start.
Gray’s day. The Rockies were off Thursday, but Gray pitched on a back field in a minor-league intrasquad game. His final line: six innings, seven hits, two runs (one earned), eight strikeouts and one walk. Among the hits he gave up were a triple and two doubles.