The Way of the Changeup

[mragland]

3.22.2049, Redwood City

Manager Mel Jenkins sat in the dugout with his pitching coach, Alejandro Ramos, and an analyst from the front office, Grant. The three had been watching batting practice on one of the back fields. Everybody was waiting for a new pitcher to come over from field three.

“Earl Hutchinson,” said Grant. “Peebo is going to throw him in the deep end this year. He's your new mop-up man.”

Mel glanced down at his tablet and looked over Hutchinson's numbers from last year. “You're shitting me,” said Mel.

“Nope,” said Grant. “The thinking is that maybe the bright lights of the big stage will focus his attention.”

“He couldn't throw strikes in a-ball for crying out loud,” protested Mel, turning to Alejandro, who only shrugged.

Mel sighed. “What does the Puzzle Palace think?”

“Our player development model isn't as optimistic as OSA, but the feeling is that he's made a small breakthrough this spring,” says Grant.

Hutchinson himself arrived at the field, brought there on an electric cart. He was six feet tall and slender, though at the same time somehow doughy.

Mel looked out at the mound, squinting. “Looks milk-fed,” he said.

“Have you seen him pitch?” asked Grant.

Mel shook his head.

“I have,” said Alejandro, “on video, anyway. You're in for a treat, Mel. He's different.”

Hutchinson began to warm up. Mel sat there watching, slack-jawed, for a moment. “That's his delivery?” asked Mel. “Hurts my knee just watching it. No wonder he can't find the zone.”

Grant handed Mel his own tablet. It was playing video of another pitcher from decades past.

Mel glanced down at the low-res clips and smiled. “Right. Hideo Nomo. Tornado delivery.”

“He's been more consistent in the zone this spring,” said Grant. “Peebo figures he'll be okay in the pen with a limited repertoire. We're still waiting on the offspeed pitch to get polished. That'll be his strikeout pitch, in time. If everything goes well, he'll be a mid-rotation starter in a year or two.”

“Turns twenty-five this year,” said Mel. “He's just about at the end of the runway, isn't he?”

Alejandro nodded. “He's been slow to develop the changeup and control's been an issue, but I've got an idea that might help things along.”
Grant added, “This is basically why El Paso traded him away. He's a different dude, and maybe the least ambitious ballplayer I have ever met.”

Alejandro chuckled. “Yeah, he's a Taoist.”

“A what?” asked Mel.

“A Taoist,” repeated Alejandro.

“What do they believe?” asked Mel.

“I looked Taoism up online last night,” said Alejandro. “Couldn't make heads or tail of it, to be honest.”

“There a lot of Taoists in,” here Mel looked down at his tablet, “Kelowna, British Columbia?”

Alejandro shrugged.

“So, what it means for him, I guess, is that he does a lot of meditation,” said Grant, leaning back a little. “In a game, he prefers to think as little as possible. He never shakes off the catcher, just gets his sign and lets her rip. His aim is to find the way of pitching that feels 'natural.' Taoists are apparently big on what they call 'naturalness of action.' He doesn't think about the batter at all. He's just playing pitch and catch with the catcher. Half the time he seems to be unaware of the count. I've seen video where he fanned a guy for the last out of an inning and turned around and went to the rosin bag, like he had some more work to do.”

“So, that windup feels natural to him?” asked Mel.

“I guess so,” said Alejandro. “I've talked to him a bit. He says the changeup feels like one of the least natural pitches he's tried to throw. I can see where he's coming from. The fastball delivery with a different grip. We're not seeing the speed reduction and run that we'd like to, yet, but he has a good understanding of the mechanics.”

“What's he doing to bring it along?” asked Mel.

“He's … ah … meditating on it,” answered Alejandro, shifting in his place on the bench.

“So he's thinking about throwing?” asked Mel.

Grant cleared his throat. “It's all of a piece with him. Taoists don't make a distinction between body and mind. Where we might simply prescribe more reps to sort out the issues, he believes the problem is that the pitch needs to feel right. I think he's working through what you might call a mental block, and we're letting him work it out his way. He could have it solved next week, or maybe never. In the meantime, he could be a useful innings eater, if nothing else. At least, that's the hope.”

“Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me,” said Mel, “but if this is the move the front office wants to make, we'll try and make it work. You said you had an idea that might help?” he asked, looking at Alejandro.

“Well, I figured we're in southern California, right? There's gotta be some Taoist teacher or guru or something we could bring in, you know, to help him out with the meditating.”

“Couldn't hurt,” said Mel. “Think the club will pay for it?” he asked Grant.

“Yeah, I think they would,” said Grant.

[Drew_V]

I really enjoyed this, and I think it's an excellent setup for a guru montage! It reminds me of this book, which I have seen but not read.

Also, this is my first visit to the Player Spotlights board. What an awesome idea.

[Fat Nige]

I always thought he’d do it for me in Wichita, but then we moved to El Paso and he just couldn’t do it on that regular basis. His prospect ranking reads like a real rollercoaster from #95 down to the 40’s and back again. I’ll give him a shot in Riyadh once the BBA finally spits him out

[chicoruiz]

I wish Earl the best, but at the same time I’m glad he’s not my issue any more.