Right-handed reliever Arquimedes Caminero has been the talk of an otherwise quiet spring training camp. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
BRADENTON, Fla. — It appears the Pittsburgh Pirates are ready to turn another disappointing pitcher’s career around.
Right-handed reliever Arquimedes Caminero has been the talk of an otherwise quiet spring training camp.
Acquired from the Miami Marlins on Feb. 4 for cash considerations, Caminero has 16 strikeouts in 10 innings of Grapefruit League play. He has allowed two runs, seven hits and one walk.
The one walk stands out the most because control and command problems are the primary reason he spent nine seasons in the minor leagues despite being one of the hardest throwers in the Marlins’ system. He walked 4.5 batters per nine innings.
He also appeared in 19 games major league games in the last two seasons, going 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA while issuing seven walks and hitting four batters in 19 2/3 innings.
However, Caminero has turned into a strike-throwing machine under the tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage, bullpen coach Euclides Rojas and Jim Benedict, who is a special assistant to general manager Neal Huntington.
“Ray got me to see things that were there, I just didn’t notice them that much,” Caminero said. “I was trying to throw too hard. He said, ‘Go easier. The ball’s still going to fly, and you’ll be even better.’ Once you see that work, you’re confident doing it, and hitting my target becomes more important.”
The Pirates preach strike throwing to all their pitchers and it works. Right-handers Edinson Volquez and Vance Worley not only turned around their careers but helped Pittsburgh reach the postseason for the second consecutive year after a string of 20 consecutive losing seasons.
“They get the same message when they walk in the door — pound the strike zone, strike one,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
One of baseball’s most statistical-based teams, the Pirates use numbers to illustrate to their pitchers the importance of getting ahead in the count. Last season, National Leagues batted .268 after a 1-0 count but just .217 after an 0-1 count.
“It’s one of our main teaching tools,” Searage said. “It gives them the mindset of first-pitch strikes, and being on the attack the whole time. Once you get ahead, stay ahead and put them away.”
