Post by FIUFanatic on Feb 22, 2008 9:39:33 GMT -5
Nice article by P. Pelegrin, interesting perspective on pitching and pitching coach Felipe Suarez with returning pitchers....
Get your tickets and go to the ballpark early!! Let us know how it went tonight, will ya? Oh, I wish I was there.......
www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/fiu/story/428151.html
Get your tickets and go to the ballpark early!! Let us know how it went tonight, will ya? Oh, I wish I was there.......
www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/fiu/story/428151.html
FIU BASEBALL
New season, coach and mind-set for FIU pitchers
Pitching coach Felipe Suarez has taught FIU's pitchers that the fastball is not always the best trump card. Smart pitching is.
Posted on Fri, Feb. 22, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
Related Content
• Coach: Turtle Thomas (first season).
• Last season: 26-29 (12-17 in Sun Belt, did not reach conference tournament).
• Outlook: Expect to see a much more disciplined and conditioned team under first-year coach Thomas, whose 14 trips as an assistant to the College World Series is the most by any coach in the country. Hitting should be the Golden Panthers' strength again, but pitching depth might be a concern as FIU tries to end a five-year absence from the NCAA postseason. The Golden Panthers have 17 new players on their 35-man roster. Team speed also could be an issue, with relief pitcher Akeem Francis probably being the fastest Golden Panther.
• Top returning players: OF John Petika, sr. (.342, 7 HR, 56 RBI), 1B Tyler Townsend, so. (.338, 5 HR, 32 RBI), RHP Chris Allen, sr. (89 SO in 98 IP).
• Key newcomers: 1B Jorge Castillo, sr. (Louisville 2007 -- .311, 7 HR, 62 RBI), OF Jordan Karcher, jr. (Gulf Coast CC 2007 -- .355, 3 HR, 30 RBI), 3B Javier Sujo, fr. (Sunset High 2007 -- .492, 4 HR, 27 RBI).
• Information/tickets: 1-866-348-4263, 305-348-4263 or fiusports.com
The scenario was all too familiar for Florida International University senior right-hander Chris Allen -- and one that he now knows how to handle, starting with Friday night's season and home opener against Southern California.
During a recent intrasquad scrimmage, Allen fell behind a batter 2-0 and was ready to rare back and fire his 90-plus-mph fastball when he remembered what new pitching coach Felipe Suarez has drilled into FIU pitchers all offseason: Less is more.
''[Suarez] said just throw a two-seam fastball and get an easy ground ball,'' Allen recalled when he fell behind. 'I had three 2-0 counts that game, and I got three easy ground balls out of it. That's an approach I never thought [about], because I'm thinking, `Throw a strike and get back in the count,' whereas if I throw a two-seam, get them to swing, it's less pitches and less effort on my part.''
There was a bit too much effort on Allen's part in his first season at FIU in 2007 after transferring from Clemson. Allen struggled to a 4-6 mark with a 5.69 ERA and many times labored to high pitch counts midway through games.
''Last year I would try to get back in the count,'' Allen said. ``I'd get it to 2-1, 2-2 and then might go 3-2. That's four or five more pitches I gotta throw rather than just trying to [draw] contact.''
POOR SHOWING
Most of FIU's pitchers fell into the same trap last season, as evidenced by the shoddy 6.18 team ERA and 647 hits allowed in 489 innings.
''The more frustrated Chris would get, the harder he'd try to throw,'' Suarez said. 'When you do that, something has to give, and his command and location was getting worse and worse. I said, `Use the count to your advantage. This batter is going to get out in front of your pitch. Let him get himself out. You don't have to work so hard to get outs. When you start to realize that, now you're pitching.' [Future Hall of Famer] Greg Maddux has made a living out of that. The guy doesn't break a sweat.''
This season the NCAA will have some pitching coaches breaking a sweat after the 56-game schedule was compacted from nearly four months in 2007 to three months this season so Northern teams can play home games earlier in the season.
More than ever, efficient pitching is crucial, especially with most teams playing five to six games per week.
STRONGER, TOO
In preparation for the rigorous schedule, new FIU coach Turtle Thomas placed an emphasis on strength training and conditioning.
Along with the position players, FIU pitchers lifted more weights and ran more than ever with the 2008 season in mind.
''Last year I went eight innings at Troy and I was dead,'' said left-hander Corey Polizzano, who put on 10 pounds and starts Saturday night. ``I wanted to go again to get the complete game, but I knew I probably couldn't do it. Now I feel like I can last longer. The pitchers started lifting harder, heavier weights this year. I feel stronger. I have more energy, more endurance.''
And as Allen would attest, FIU pitchers also have more knowledge.
New season, coach and mind-set for FIU pitchers
Pitching coach Felipe Suarez has taught FIU's pitchers that the fastball is not always the best trump card. Smart pitching is.
Posted on Fri, Feb. 22, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
Related Content
• Coach: Turtle Thomas (first season).
• Last season: 26-29 (12-17 in Sun Belt, did not reach conference tournament).
• Outlook: Expect to see a much more disciplined and conditioned team under first-year coach Thomas, whose 14 trips as an assistant to the College World Series is the most by any coach in the country. Hitting should be the Golden Panthers' strength again, but pitching depth might be a concern as FIU tries to end a five-year absence from the NCAA postseason. The Golden Panthers have 17 new players on their 35-man roster. Team speed also could be an issue, with relief pitcher Akeem Francis probably being the fastest Golden Panther.
• Top returning players: OF John Petika, sr. (.342, 7 HR, 56 RBI), 1B Tyler Townsend, so. (.338, 5 HR, 32 RBI), RHP Chris Allen, sr. (89 SO in 98 IP).
• Key newcomers: 1B Jorge Castillo, sr. (Louisville 2007 -- .311, 7 HR, 62 RBI), OF Jordan Karcher, jr. (Gulf Coast CC 2007 -- .355, 3 HR, 30 RBI), 3B Javier Sujo, fr. (Sunset High 2007 -- .492, 4 HR, 27 RBI).
• Information/tickets: 1-866-348-4263, 305-348-4263 or fiusports.com
The scenario was all too familiar for Florida International University senior right-hander Chris Allen -- and one that he now knows how to handle, starting with Friday night's season and home opener against Southern California.
During a recent intrasquad scrimmage, Allen fell behind a batter 2-0 and was ready to rare back and fire his 90-plus-mph fastball when he remembered what new pitching coach Felipe Suarez has drilled into FIU pitchers all offseason: Less is more.
''[Suarez] said just throw a two-seam fastball and get an easy ground ball,'' Allen recalled when he fell behind. 'I had three 2-0 counts that game, and I got three easy ground balls out of it. That's an approach I never thought [about], because I'm thinking, `Throw a strike and get back in the count,' whereas if I throw a two-seam, get them to swing, it's less pitches and less effort on my part.''
There was a bit too much effort on Allen's part in his first season at FIU in 2007 after transferring from Clemson. Allen struggled to a 4-6 mark with a 5.69 ERA and many times labored to high pitch counts midway through games.
''Last year I would try to get back in the count,'' Allen said. ``I'd get it to 2-1, 2-2 and then might go 3-2. That's four or five more pitches I gotta throw rather than just trying to [draw] contact.''
POOR SHOWING
Most of FIU's pitchers fell into the same trap last season, as evidenced by the shoddy 6.18 team ERA and 647 hits allowed in 489 innings.
''The more frustrated Chris would get, the harder he'd try to throw,'' Suarez said. 'When you do that, something has to give, and his command and location was getting worse and worse. I said, `Use the count to your advantage. This batter is going to get out in front of your pitch. Let him get himself out. You don't have to work so hard to get outs. When you start to realize that, now you're pitching.' [Future Hall of Famer] Greg Maddux has made a living out of that. The guy doesn't break a sweat.''
This season the NCAA will have some pitching coaches breaking a sweat after the 56-game schedule was compacted from nearly four months in 2007 to three months this season so Northern teams can play home games earlier in the season.
More than ever, efficient pitching is crucial, especially with most teams playing five to six games per week.
STRONGER, TOO
In preparation for the rigorous schedule, new FIU coach Turtle Thomas placed an emphasis on strength training and conditioning.
Along with the position players, FIU pitchers lifted more weights and ran more than ever with the 2008 season in mind.
''Last year I went eight innings at Troy and I was dead,'' said left-hander Corey Polizzano, who put on 10 pounds and starts Saturday night. ``I wanted to go again to get the complete game, but I knew I probably couldn't do it. Now I feel like I can last longer. The pitchers started lifting harder, heavier weights this year. I feel stronger. I have more energy, more endurance.''
And as Allen would attest, FIU pitchers also have more knowledge.
