Davidson getting a grip on Ohtani’s slider
PEORIA, Ariz. — Tucker Davidson, one of the pitchers Angels manager Phil Nevin said is in the mix for the final rotation spot, added a sweeping slider to his repertoire.
It’s a notable addition he spent months working on, using a different pitch grip he’s seen one of his teammates display.
“I’m using [Shohei Ohtani’s] grip, so hopefully it gives me some Shohei outs, you know,” Davidson said jokingly.
Davidson showed off that new sweeper a few times Saturday during the Angels’ Cactus League opener against the Seattle Mariners, managing some strike calls and a whiff on the 80mph pitch.
When Davidson was traded to the Angels at last year’s deadline, the staff noticed that his slider started more in his palm.
In order to help him get added sweep, the staff wanted him to shift his grip on the seams to his fingertips so he could pull down on the ball more.
“That was something I’ve had to get comfortable with,” Davidson said after his two perfect innings Saturday. “And then this offseason was like all right, I know what I’m looking for, that feeling and then just getting that extension and repeating it.”
The sweeper almost appears like a curveball and with his work at Driveline and guidance from the Angels coming into this season, he’s felt encouraged by it.
“I watched Shohei throw sliders up in the zone,” Davidson said, “and guys just soared on him, kind of like waved at it and I’m like, ‘How do you do that?’ And then I watched a ton of his outings this year of like, ‘How do you get guys out?’
“I was like, ‘How do you utilize your slider, your slider’s so good’… and just kind of watched him and really saw that slider. I was like, ‘I think I can do that.’ ”
Angels win spring opener
The Angels took an early lead in their spring opener against the Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex, winning 5-1.
In the second inning, Jo Adell mashed a two-run home run to ignite them.
Adell said he’s been working with new hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach Phil Plantier on counts and staying patient in the box.
The game lasted 2 hours 16 minutes thanks to the addition of the pitch clock.
No hard feelings
Nevin said he meant no slight to former Angels AllStar pitcher Jered Weaver by not inviting him as a guest to spring training.
Weaver seemed peeved he was not invited to Angels spring camp in a tweet he posted Friday night.
“Man what’s a guy gotta do to get an invite to spring? Zero calls since I retired.. kinda weird. Oh well,” he wrote.
“No offense to Jered, I love him, he’s a great guy, he was a great Angel,” Nevin said in response. “It’s not something that we wouldn’t look at in the future.”
Nevin clarified that, with the exception of Albert Pujols, who works for the Angels as a special assistant, he invited alumni of the 2002 World Series-winning team, as well as his old teammates.