Buchholz trying to break free from pack
02/24/2006
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- These days he's mentioned as part of a trio, but when he first arrived to the Houston Astros organization, he had only one label: The Prize of the Billy Wagner Trade.
A little over two years later, Taylor Buchholz's name is usually mentioned alongside the other two top prospects who have a shot to make the team out of Spring Training. We'll be hearing plenty about Buchholz, Jason Hirsh and Fernando Nieve in the coming weeks, months and maybe years, but at this point, it could be Buchholz who heads to Houston with the Astros when camp breaks at the end of March.
The spring season is still young, and other than for those named Oswalt, Pettitte or Backe, the rotation is considered fair game. Ezequiel Astacio and Wandy Rodriguez are the projected four and five starters, in no particular order. That doesn't mean that's how the rotation will look on March 30.
Plus, if the Astros decide to carry 12 pitchers, and they're leaning that way, Buchholz could be the 12th man. He's a projected starter, but he could slide in as a type of setup man to the setup man, a la Chad Qualls.
Buchholz, 24, will leave those decisions to the front office. His focus is on health, something he hasn't had a lot of in the last couple of years. Fifteen months removed from surgery to repair the bicep and labrum in his right shoulder, Buchholz is finally feeling more like the pitcher the Astros received when they sent Billy Wagner to Philadelphia in November of 2003.
"Usually, it takes a while before you can get everything back," he said. "I know you can pitch on it after six, eight months, but you're not going to get your full potential back for about a year, year and a half."
So it comes as no surprise that he's doing well in the early stages of Spring Training. The Astros sensed he would make a breakthrough now that enough time has passed since the surgery, and it appears he's ready to make his case for why he should be in the Major Leagues.
"This is about the time that you see an increase in velocity," assistant general manager Ricky Bennett said. "The scar tissue from the surgery is pretty much done. A player usually gets a comfort level of being over the surgery, and I think that's where Taylor is at this point. His arm feels great and he's got a lot of confidence now."
It's likely the confidence began late last year, when Buchholz pitched in the Arizona Fall League in an effort to make up for time lost at Triple-A Round Rock when he was sidelined with a midseason shoulder injury. Buchholz allowed four earned runs over 23 innings for a 1.57 ERA, walking four and striking out 17.
"It went awesome out there," Buchholz said. "I just wanted to feel healthy. Actually, I felt healthy and pitched well, too."
"He had great numbers out there," Bennett said. "He threw 89-91 [mph], and he showed flashes of 92 now and again. The velocity's coming. His command is getting better."
Buchholz has made an impression on the man he hopes will be his manager in 2006, also. Joking that the baby-faced Buchholz still looks like he's 14, Phil Garner noted a physical maturity in addition to a good mound presence.
"I see quality pitches, a quality fastball and curveball," Garner said. "I would also guess he's put on anywhere from 10-12 pounds of body strength.
"He's about in the right time frame when you come back from surgery. This is about the time when they all start to get it back together, with arm strength and the dexterity to get the feel of the arm slot, to get the arm where you want it consistently. I'm encouraged by all those trends and encouraged by what I see with him."
The club won't put any undue pressure on Buchholz, but Bennett surmised the right-hander could be the surprise of the spring.
"You hear about Fernando and Jason, and everybody kind of forgets about Taylor, because he had surgery, his numbers last year were just so-so," Bennett said. "He's missed some time. But he's excited. If he goes Triple-A, it won't be a disappointment. Hopefully things will go well in the spring, and we'll see what happens."
"It's been tough, watching a bunch of my teammates get called up the last couple of years," Buchholz said. "It's been tough. But maybe it'll be my turn this year."
Source: http://houston.astros.mlb.com/
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- These days he's mentioned as part of a trio, but when he first arrived to the Houston Astros organization, he had only one label: The Prize of the Billy Wagner Trade.
A little over two years later, Taylor Buchholz's name is usually mentioned alongside the other two top prospects who have a shot to make the team out of Spring Training. We'll be hearing plenty about Buchholz, Jason Hirsh and Fernando Nieve in the coming weeks, months and maybe years, but at this point, it could be Buchholz who heads to Houston with the Astros when camp breaks at the end of March.
The spring season is still young, and other than for those named Oswalt, Pettitte or Backe, the rotation is considered fair game. Ezequiel Astacio and Wandy Rodriguez are the projected four and five starters, in no particular order. That doesn't mean that's how the rotation will look on March 30.
Plus, if the Astros decide to carry 12 pitchers, and they're leaning that way, Buchholz could be the 12th man. He's a projected starter, but he could slide in as a type of setup man to the setup man, a la Chad Qualls.
Buchholz, 24, will leave those decisions to the front office. His focus is on health, something he hasn't had a lot of in the last couple of years. Fifteen months removed from surgery to repair the bicep and labrum in his right shoulder, Buchholz is finally feeling more like the pitcher the Astros received when they sent Billy Wagner to Philadelphia in November of 2003.
"Usually, it takes a while before you can get everything back," he said. "I know you can pitch on it after six, eight months, but you're not going to get your full potential back for about a year, year and a half."
So it comes as no surprise that he's doing well in the early stages of Spring Training. The Astros sensed he would make a breakthrough now that enough time has passed since the surgery, and it appears he's ready to make his case for why he should be in the Major Leagues.
"This is about the time that you see an increase in velocity," assistant general manager Ricky Bennett said. "The scar tissue from the surgery is pretty much done. A player usually gets a comfort level of being over the surgery, and I think that's where Taylor is at this point. His arm feels great and he's got a lot of confidence now."
It's likely the confidence began late last year, when Buchholz pitched in the Arizona Fall League in an effort to make up for time lost at Triple-A Round Rock when he was sidelined with a midseason shoulder injury. Buchholz allowed four earned runs over 23 innings for a 1.57 ERA, walking four and striking out 17.
"It went awesome out there," Buchholz said. "I just wanted to feel healthy. Actually, I felt healthy and pitched well, too."
"He had great numbers out there," Bennett said. "He threw 89-91 [mph], and he showed flashes of 92 now and again. The velocity's coming. His command is getting better."
Buchholz has made an impression on the man he hopes will be his manager in 2006, also. Joking that the baby-faced Buchholz still looks like he's 14, Phil Garner noted a physical maturity in addition to a good mound presence.
"I see quality pitches, a quality fastball and curveball," Garner said. "I would also guess he's put on anywhere from 10-12 pounds of body strength.
"He's about in the right time frame when you come back from surgery. This is about the time when they all start to get it back together, with arm strength and the dexterity to get the feel of the arm slot, to get the arm where you want it consistently. I'm encouraged by all those trends and encouraged by what I see with him."
The club won't put any undue pressure on Buchholz, but Bennett surmised the right-hander could be the surprise of the spring.
"You hear about Fernando and Jason, and everybody kind of forgets about Taylor, because he had surgery, his numbers last year were just so-so," Bennett said. "He's missed some time. But he's excited. If he goes Triple-A, it won't be a disappointment. Hopefully things will go well in the spring, and we'll see what happens."
"It's been tough, watching a bunch of my teammates get called up the last couple of years," Buchholz said. "It's been tough. But maybe it'll be my turn this year."
Source: http://houston.astros.mlb.com/
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