Strasburg refining new pitch for season
Nationals starter gaining better control of slider
VIERA, FLA. Major league hitters beware: Stephen Strasburg has a new weapon in his arsenal.
The Washington Nationals’ right-hander has unveiled a slider this spring and added it to his pitching repertoire. And although Strasburg doesn’t yet have the same command of it that he does of his other pitches, he fully expects to by opening day.
“It’s a pitch that I’m working on,” he said after completing three innings Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals and using the slider for only the second time in game conditions.
“It feels good. I like the results that I’m getting, and it’s just another something the hitters are going to have to prepare for.”
In his second spring start, Strasburg began shakily. He walked the first two Cardinals, Peter Bourjos and Kolten Wong, then allowed an RBI single to Allen Craig.
“I felt a little too good in the bullpen,” Strasburg said. “I went out there and tried to paint (the corners of the plate) from the first pitch on, instead of really starting out with a little bigger
“It’s just another something the hitters are going to have to prepare for.”
Stephen Strasburg on his new slider
zone and working off the middle of the plate.”
However, a ground-ball double play seemed to settle him down, and he retired seven of the last eight hitters he faced.
Overall, he was pleased with the effort. “I made a good adjustment and didn’t really see any problems.”
Strasburg got the win in an 11-1 victory. He threw 48 pitches, 28 of them for strikes.
“I thought he was really around the zone today, although a lot of them were called balls,” Nationals manager Matt Williams said. “Looked good to me.”
According to Fangraphs.com, Strasburg ’s fastball, curveball and changeup were all above-average pitches last season.
Adding the slider to the mix could make him even more difficult to hit.
“It’s a pitch that I’ll mix in occasionally. I’m throwing it evenly with my curveball right now,” he said. “It’s more of a pitch I’ll throw to get contact with instead of making guys swing and miss.”
Williams hasn’t yet revealed who’ll be on the mound when the Nationals open their season March 31 at the New York Mets. But Strasburg — who started and won last year’s opener — is a pretty good bet.
For now, the 25-year-old who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 is focusing on his next start.
“I think I made an improvement, and the biggest thing right now is extending it,” Strasburg said. “I felt strong. Definitely ready to throw more pitches next time.”