Spring Training Journal: Pitching Coach Pedro
By Tab Bamford
Spring Training. Pitchers and Catchers. The senses awaken with the sound of baseballs once again popping into leather gloves. That sound signals the start of preparation for another season.
Arriving early to Florida, one can witness pitchers and catchers beginning their workouts and new faces were getting familiar with each other.
At Tampa’s camp I watched young pitchers introduce themselves to young catchers and established arms got re-acquainted with other veterans who reported early.
At Philly’s camp I saw pitchers and catchers running, stretching and working out together – building comradery for the coming season, perhaps thinking they can surprise baseball the same way the Eagles did the NFL this season.
At Boston’s camp I noticed something unique.
After a catchers meeting led by Jason Varitek, three guys came out to catch from three of the elite arms in the game.
Two lefties and one righty – all household names.
David Price took the mound first. He looked fit and was talkative with the collection of coaches and front office personnel assembled to watch the session.
Next to the bump was 2016 American League Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, who is coming off a disappointing 2017 campaign. He was throwing to Christian Vazquez.
The third arm to join the group was the headliner from the previous season’s winter shopping in Boston: Chris Sale.
The intensity of their throwing gradually increased. The catching coaches would comment about framing on one end of the area. The collection of onlookers on the pitchers’ side largely stood with arms crossed, mentally dissecting the mechanics of the three All-Stars.
After Porcello threw about a dozen pitches, one of the men against the backstop behind him and asked him to stop.
A figure emerged to offer advice on what might not be working.
Pedro Martínez.
The Hall of Famer is at least six inches shorter than Porcello, but his resume and personality are skyscrapers at the Red Sox camp. Pedro, after all, he is “El Grande.”
As Pedro stepped out of the shadow of the backstop, he began a conversation with Porcello about his mechanics.
It was clear that Pedro was seeing inconsistencies in Porcello’s mechanics.
The master commenced imparting his knowledge.
Pedro first bent down in the dirt and pointed out the various places that Porcello’s lead leg was landing.
He then stepped back to the rubber and spoke to Porcello about where his back leg was starting his delivery.
Over the course of about 90 seconds Pedro talked to Porcello about the dynamics of his throwing action and how his legs were related. Porcello listened intently to the advice of arguably the greatest pitcher in the organization’s history.
As the three current star pitchers left, Pedro and a couple other coaches discussed his conversation with Porcello. It was clear that the thought leader was the one with a plaque in Cooperstown. El Grande still looks like he could give the Red Sox a hundred innings or two, but he is clearly determined to contribute in other ways.
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Featured Image: Billie Weiss / Getty Images Sport
Inset Images: La Vida Baseball