USA TODAY International Edition
Melancon offers relief to Giants’ battered ’ pen
Veteran closer should stem tide of blown saves
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. Mark Melancon was coming off his worst season, a 6.20 ERA monstrosity with the Boston Red Sox in 2012 that included a demotion to the minors, when he joined forces on the Pittsburgh Pirates with catcher Russell Martin. Their connection would change his career.
A life- long reliever, Melancon had developed a cutter in his second season with the Houston Astros but relied more on his four- seam fastball and curve. While those weapons served him well enough that he saved 20 games for Houston in 2011, they didn’t do him much good in Boston, where he gave up at least four runs in an inning ( or less) four times.
Martin, a seven- year veteran and three- time All- Star at that point, had signed with the Pirates as a free agent before the 2013 season. He caught a glimpse of Melancon’s cutter and started calling for it repeatedly.
By the time Melancon was traded from the Pirates to the Washington Nationals in July as his free agency approached, he was throwing the pitch about 65% of the time and had become an elite closer.
“He instilled confidence in me with that cutter, really helped me learn when to throw it, what we’re looking for in hitters, how to read them,” said Melancon, the San Francisco Giants’ new closer. “And then just being downright stubborn with throwing it. He would get mad at me if I wanted to go away from it, with reason. He was a great mentor for me.”
Knowing he would be throwing to a similar catcher in Buster Posey was one reason — along with a four- year, $ 62 million offer — Melancon was thrilled to join the Giants, who were determined to fill a gaping hole in their bullpen.
Posey’s offensive exploits — he was the 2012 batting champ and the 2012 National League MVP — often overshadow the defensive abilities that earned him his first Gold Glove last season.
Posey caught Melancon’s first bullpen session of the spring Tuesday as they seek to get familiar with each other before the All-Star catcher leaves the club in early March to play for the USA in the World Baseball Classic.
“When somebody really cares about who’s out on the mound and they take pride in how that guy does, that’s what I’ve seen here with Buster,” Melancon said. “He wants that guy to be so good and he doesn’t want to take credit for it. Without him, it’s a different story.”
It will be up to Melancon to stabilize the bullpen. Reaching 92 mph with his fastball, he does not fit the classic flame- throwing closer mold, but Melancon induces lots of soft contact and stands to benefit from the Giants’ superb infield defense. His WHIP did not climb above 0.96 in any of the last four years.
“I pitch with angles, I pitch down in the zone, I locate, I have movement on my ball, a little bit of deception,” Melancon said. “And I feel like I have a really good plan out there. It makes for a good mix.”