Chase Wright – After The Fenway Four-Pack
From BaseballAmerica -
Baseball America: You were a part of history a few days ago. What are your thoughts on what happened at Fenway Park?
Chase Wright: You know, I just take it as a positive. I’ve had worse struggles in the minors, like giving up eight runs in two innings. This was four runs in three innings; they just happened to be on home runs. After the game, the thing I kept hearing is that it hadn’t happened since 1963, so now I’m in the record books. Not that I enjoyed it, but I guess it’s kind of neat, in a way.
BA: You only gave up one home run last year in 120 innings. Are you normally pretty hard to take deep?
CW: Yeah, I think so. I usually work down with two-seamers, so I haven’t given up too many. When I got Julio Lugo earlier in the game with two on and two out, I threw a good fastball down in the zone. But later, maybe I got a bit too amped and my arm started leaking out. My front side started rushing, causing my arm to drag and my ball to flatten out.
BA: After giving up the home runs you struck out Wily Mo Pena to end the inning. Were you disappointed not to come out for the fourth?
CW: I went into the locker room between innings prepared to come out, but Gator (Ron Guidry) came up and told me that was it. I wasn’t disappointed. I mean, I was disappointed in myself, but this was the Yankees and Red Sox, and it was a 4-3 game, so it was understandable. We have a good bullpen, and I was fine about leaving it up to them.
Sounds like the kid is going to be fine.
Good attitude. It goes to show that players don’t care as much about the things fans/media fawn over.
Considering it was only his second game above AA ball, where he only had 2 games as well, versus the Boston lineup, he did o.k. — now he knows what the bigs are like and he can prepare for it.
“I got a bit too amped and my arm started leaking out.”
He sounds like a ball player too.
And he’s just been promoted to AAA.
I was at the first game he pitched–against Cleveland. He did a really good job. He did have nerves that needed to get out in the first inning, then did a great job after that. And since he’s got some majors experience, I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. He’s obviously got to get some more experience, but he’s not an awful placeholder. He knows his mistakes and that’s really good.
Someone, on the bench, on the coaching staff, in the organization, please, please tell this kid that after the second dinger he must make the next batter move his feet. You don’t have to throw at anyone’s head, or even drill the guy in the side. But, you need to keep the hitters from thinking they can dive in on your pitch as soon as it leaves your hand. Mussina is the worst at this, perhaps from a sour personal experience. Papi’s hands are literally over the plate and Moose won’t push him back. Clemens can help our young guys immensely by just teaching that simple, timeless lesson. I don’t want head hunter clowns like Pedro or Drysdale on the team, but a pitcher has to be able to show the batters that they can’t control both the inside and outside of the plate without some risk. It’s not just the Yankees that have gotten away from this. It’s shocking to me that A-Rod wasn’t made to visit the dirt a couple of times when it was clear he was locked in at an unworldly level.
Wright threw fat changeups and hanging curves. Pitches like that are supposed to be hit, and hit far.