GROWING PAINS
Blue Jays rookie flamethrower Pearson working to contain heater when pressure mounts
BUFFALO — It’s more of a caution than a criticism when Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker talks about the uneven early start to young stud starting pitcher Nate Pearson’s big-league career.
It’s one thing to be a guy who dazzles by lighting up the radar gun with his blistering fast ball and becomes a budding legend because of it, but it’s quite another to translate such raw power into success in the major leagues.
Pearson certainly showed us much in his most recent start, a ragged 2.1 inning outing here at Sahlen Field on Wednesday night in Buffalo, one in which he left with the bases loaded and seven runs already scored.
So as the 6-toot-6, 240pound Big Nate works to find comfort and avoid anxiousness when things go off kilter, Walker has imparted what he hopes will be some calming advice.
“I don’t want him pitching for the radar gun because then he comes out of his delivery and his mechanics kind of fall apart a little because he overthrows,” Walker said candidly in an interview with the Toronto Sun. “It’s typical of this day and age. For him especially, there’s been so much talk of the velocity that it’s been a big thing.”
It’s understandable, as well. Pearson is well aware of the allure of the triple-digit fastball and openly admits he likes seeing it when the scoreboard flashes 100 mph.
Whether you are a fan, pitcher or hitter, it’s hard not to be intoxicated by such raw power.
When the heater is locating, that’s fine. But when it starts to veer, Pearson has struggled to get on track. Walker believes it’s in part due to anxiousness as the 23-year-old looks to establish himself as the major league star he has long been projected to be. And when that anxiousness morphs into the physical, there have been problems.
“I don’t care who you are and how you get to the major leagues, I think there’s always an anxiety and nervousness,” Walker said. “Even though you know you can compete inside you still have some reservations and you need to get out there and experience it.”
Wednesday’s third career start provided a perfect example of Walker’s point. His first five pitches were the good, powerful Nate. He retired the first two Marlins hitters on just five pitches and served up a couple 99-mph fastballs in the process.
But when he walked the third Marlin to come to the plate, things started to unravel. And when the location became an issue, the velocity of his fastball once again became erratic.
“I was just trying to throw strikes with the heater and unfortunately I wasn’t able to,” Pearson said afterwards. “I couldn’t really find anything. It has been a struggle for me, that first inning so far in my career in the bigs, getting that first inning out of the way.”
When similar struggles emerged at points in Pearson’s first two starts, Walker sensed some of that anxiousness in the young pitcher, a nervousness that has affected his performance.
At the first hint of adversity, Pearson has appeared flustered, a possible explanation for some dramatic swings in his fastball velocity and some battling to find the strike zone.
“Sometimes being just a little bit tight, when you get really worked up and anxious almost it can definitely affect you physically and then you’ve got to reach back for more,” Walker said. “I think we have examples of him over throwing at times. That’s just the body reading to the situation. The more he pitches, the easier it’s going to be.”
While understandable given that Pearson’s run was forged on it, Walker believes that being a slave to the radar gun can be a hindrance. To that end, Walker has gently counselled Pearson to pay less attention to what the numbers flash and more on technique.
“He’s not just a power pitcher. He’s not all about velocity. There’s a lot of pitchability with all that power.”
Walker has no doubt that success will come, but nights like Wednesday were still excruciating for both pitcher and coach. Taking a close look at the Jays dugout, there was certainly an uneasiness given how much hope that is associated with the young phenom.
“He’s like any young kid and he’s going to go through some growing pains,” Walker said. "But his stuff is still electric and I think you’ll see more consistency as he gets more comfortable.
“I just want him to stay within himself, trust his stuff — which he does — and get back to pounding the strike zone.”
There’s plenty to relish about Pearson, both as a competitor and as a talent, a point Walker is quick to stress. But the way he took ownership of his off outing may be even more impressive, speaking as it does to the maturity and drive of a kid who knows his stuff is significantly better than he has shown thus far with the Jays.
“I solely take the loss,” Pearson said. “I didn’t set the momentum. I didn’t put us in the best position to succeed. I know what I’m capable of and I know I can do a lot better. (Wednesday) I was terrible. I expect a lot better of myself.”
I don’t want him pitching for the radar gun because then he comes out of his delivery and his mechanics kind of fall apart a little because he overthrows.
Jays pitching coach
Pete Walker on Nate Pearson
TORONTO — Suddenly, whether the Canadiens win or lose their playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers doesn’t seem so important.
Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced during a video conference Thursday afternoon that head coach Claude Julien was taken to hospital by ambulance late Wednesday night after suffering from chest pains following his team’s 2-1 loss to the Flyers in Game 1 of their best-of-seven firstround series.
“A little shock and concerned,” Bergevin said when asked about his reaction to the news. “But after talking to Dr. (David) Mulder (the team physician) there is some good news early this afternoon.
“So moving forward, I met with the coaches this morning. I have faith in them.”
Bergevin added Julien’s situation has nothing to do with COVID-19.
“He’s in good hands at the hospital here and everything should be fine and we hope for the best,” the GM said. “There was some positive news, so hopefully he could be ready shortly and go back home.”
Bergevin doesn’t expect Julien to return behind the bench for the duration of this playoff series with Game 2 slated for Friday. Associate coach Kirk Muller will take over head-coaching duties with help from assistants Dominique Ducharme and Luke Richardson.
“We beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s not the coaches that beat them, it’s the players, and we have the same group,” Bergevin said. “I thought last night our game, without going into details, we were a little maybe nervous in the first 20. But after that, I felt our team was coming and we played hard, we competed hard, and I expect the same thing tomorrow. We shocked a lot of people in the first series and I expect them to rise to the occasion and keep on going.”
Said captain Shea Weber: “I think the other coaches, they know what our system is, they’ve put all this plan in place as well and they’re going to do a good job leading us that way. I think that my role is not really going to change much. We’ve still got to compete the same way we’ve been going and accomplish the same things we’re trying to do. So I don’t think it’s going to change a whole lot that way.
“I think in these situations there’s always a little bit of an emotional factor and, kind of like Marc said, a shock factor, obviously,” Weber added.
“Everybody learned about this this morning. The biggest concern is, obviously, his health and we want to make sure he’s healthy first. But I think that that’s something that for sure we can draw on and use that … we were motivated in the first place, but this could just draw up a little bit more, even more out of that.”
Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault and Julien have a long history together. They were teammates for two seasons in the early 1980s with the CHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles.
“There’s no doubt when I found out about it 20-somewhat minutes ago a lot of things go through your mind,” Vigneault said during a video conference Thursday. “Especially, I’ve known Claude since I’ve been 20 and we’ve been through different things, without a doubt, in our relationship. So right now I want to get this press conference done to go see if I can reach out to maybe Berg to find out the latest development.”
Julien turned 60 on April 23 and is in his second stint as head coach of the Canadiens after replacing Michel Therrien on Feb. 14, 2017. He has been an NHL head coach for 18 seasons and won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011.
Rick Green was an assistant under Julien during his first stint behind the Canadiens bench. When asked what he admires most about Julien as a coach, Green said: “His organization. I think that everybody on his staff knows what their job is. Everybody is prepared each and every day as far as what needs to be done so you can give yourself a chance to win. So I would say being organized and being the kind of guy that’s on top of a lot of details in every part of the game on and off the ice.”
I think the other coaches, they know what our system is, they’ve put all this plan in place as well.
What was Nick Suzuki thinking? Was he thinking?
The video evidence suggests he wasn’t.
How else to explain the act of bravery — or was it recklessness? — that saw him willingly almost take a puck off the head in Montreal’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday. The Canadiens had been down a goal midway through the second period of Game 1, when Carey Price slid out from the front of the net to challenge a two-on-one opportunity.
As the puck went back to the slot, Suzuki found himself caught in no-man’s land in the middle of the crease.
From there, the rookie forward had two options: Lie on his stomach and shield his face with his hands and hope that the shot missed him, or he could pretend he was a goalie.
Suzuki went with the latter. He made himself big. He tried to block the shot. A slap shot, to be specific. From about five feet away.
As Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton wound up and got everything on a slapper that seemed destined for the side of Suzuki’s skull, you couldn’t hear the gasp of the crowd — because there was no crowd. But if you watched close enough, you could see Suzuki’s 21-year-old life flash before his eyes as the puck ricocheted off the flattened blade of Price’s stick in what might have been the best save of these playoffs — if not the history of the NHL.
“Carey did an unbelievable job there of saving that,” said Suzuki. “Saving my head, for sure.”
Crisis averted. Life intact.
And, for Suzuki, reputation cemented.
A day later, despite the loss, the hockey world was still talking about the save and how Suzuki, who later hit a crossbar in the final seconds of the third period that would have tied the game, was developing into a No. 1 centre during these playoffs. They were talking about how, in two short weeks, he’s grown more than he did all season. And because of this, they were talking about his -and the Habs’ — long-term potential.
This is the reason why no Canadiens fan should be upset their team missed out on a chance at drafting Alexis Lafreniere. And this is why every Leafs and Oilers fan should be upset their team failed to qualify.
The playoffs are where the unlikely happens. Stories emerge. Players emerge. Teams emerge.
If you didn’t know about Suzuki before, you do now. The same goes for Calgary rookie Dillon Dube, who became the Game 1 star after scoring twice in a 3-2 win against Dallas. And while every hockey fan knew that Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson and Quinn
Hughes were immensely skilled, until now, we didn’t know they were this tough, this resilient, this playoff-ready until they toppled the defending Stanley Cup champions 5-2 in Game 1 on Wednesday.
The latter, among other things, are still being questioned in places like Toronto and Edmonton.
That’s the worst part about the Maple Leafs and Oilers failing to win a round this year. It’s not that they won’t get a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. It’s that their relatively young rosters won’t get a chance to grow.
After all, last week’s qualifiers didn’t really count. They weren’t technically the playoffs. And yet, they still mattered — especially for the teams that won a round.
Don’t tell me that Montreal didn’t take a huge step in its rebuild with the win
against
Pittsburgh that saw Suzuki and 20-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi combine for three goals. Watching Vancouver go toe-to-toe with the St. Louis Blues was like watching the Chicago Blackhawks in their first playoffs.
We’re seeing a different Calgary team this time than we saw a year ago when the Flames looked too soft in a five-game upset loss to the Avalanche. We’re seeing Matthew Tkachuk drop his gloves not once, but twice. We’re seeing Dillon Dube show off his wheels.
We’re seeing growth. Development. Maturity.
We’re not seeing that in Toronto or Edmonton, because both teams are not here. Their players are not taking steps, they’re not being pushed, they’re not growing. Their development is being stunted.
You can’t develop if you aren’t playing. So we don’t know if Matthews would have stepped outside his comfort zone and blocked a shot or if McDavid would have gotten physical. We’re seeing examples of those things elsewhere.
Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was part of a five-overtime loss to Tampa Bay, looks every bit as dominant as any other centre in the league. Chicago’s Dominik Kubalik, who has three goals and six points, looks like he could be the second coming Artemi Panarin.
General managers often talk about how it’s so important to get into the playoffs because anything can happen. Usually, they’re talking about how an eighth-seeded team can surprise everyone and win the Cup. But it applies just the same to the players.
Who knew that Suzuki was capable of this? Who knew that Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes, who is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, was physically and mentally strong enough to essentially shrug off whatever St. Louis’ David Perron was doing to try and knock the kid off his game?
Win or lose, these players now realize there is a difference between regular -season hockey and playoff hockey. You don’t try to block shots with your face in the regular season. You’re not targeted with crosschecks and slashes and gloved punches to the face in the regular season.
You are in the playoffs.
And for those lucky enough to be playing in these playoffs, great things await.
Carey did an unbelievable job there of saving that. Saving my head, for sure.
Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki (above) on goalie Carey Price’s spectacular save on a Philadelphia Flyers slap shot on Wednesday that seemed destined for Suzuki’s head.