2024-02-21 08:00:27
The season before, Spencer Strider had the most strikeouts in the league with a usage rate of nearly 93% on his fastball and slider, occasionally paired with his only other pitch, a changeup, averaging about seven per game. Imagine if the Warriors’ fireball man had a new curveball? This may make facing Strider a nightmare for hitters. Although he himself does not want to call it that, in the latest BP, he used a ball with a trajectory that is very similar to a “curve ball.”
The season before, Spencer Strider had the most strikeouts in the league with a usage rate of nearly 93% on his fastball and slider, occasionally paired with his only other pitch, a changeup, averaging about seven per game. Imagine if the Warriors’ fireball man had a new curveball?
This may make facing Strider a nightmare for hitters. Although he himself does not want to call it that, in the latest BP,He hit a ball with a trajectory very similar to that of a “curveball”。
In what was definitely the biggest headline of the day, Strider took on sluggers Matt Olson and Austin Riley in a live batting practice, using a total of 30 balls, including a few (what looked like) curveballs to go with his fireball and sharp shot. Slider.
“His performance throughout spring training has been amazing,” Warriors head coach Brian Snitker said.
Strider was asked this question right after practice: Were those facing Olson a curveball?
“Kind of like that,” Strider said. “We’re trying some different things, like different types of sliders. To give these pitches a specific name, like sweeper, slider, cutter, curveball or slider, no one can tell the difference. . I just control the ball a little bit to have a different trajectory and see what happens.”
“What’s more important is to seize the opportunity of BP to make different attempts.”
It’s definitely not just different attempts. The fact that Strider has been experimenting with this pitch all winter, if he’s confident enough to use it in a game, should be enough to give Braves fans, the coaching staff, and Snitker more of a chance to celebrate Strider’s strikeouts.
As Strider hits what “looks like a curveball,” head coach, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and catcher Travis d’Arnaud are off-screen standing behind home plate watching it all happen.
“I think so,” Snitker said. “It’s very impressive, and we’ll see how he executes it and how he uses it in the game, but it’s really sharp. To see Austin and Matt face this ball and provide them The opinions are also quite interesting.”
Riley and Olson were the first two outfielders to report last week, nearly a week before officially reporting.
“I’m glad that Austin and Matt are here and are the first ones to face this ball.” Snitker said. “I think their playing is also very good. The first BP is not like what you see. So simple. But they’ve been at this for a while and they’re ready.”
D’Arnaud asked Olson, “Does the curveball make the next ball harder to hit?” Olson probably said, “Yes, but none of the Strider pitches are easy to hit.”
After the first official team training the day before, this was the first live hitting practice of spring training. Strider said when he woke up that day, he felt like he was going to start on the day of the regular season. He said it was “awesome” to experience competition again.
“I woke up ready,” Strider said with a laugh about his pitching mentality that day. “I was in a bad mood, irritable, and they had to get out of my way when I walked into the dugout. I like I miss this feeling. Ever since the season ended like that last year, I can’t wait to get back on the court.”
He was talking about the fact that even though they won the league’s most 104 wins, the Braves were eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series for two consecutive years. Strider was vocal after the series;I think the Braves should rethink why they lost to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game two years in a row.
When the catchers reported last week, Strider said he and his teammates spent the offseason discussing last year’s disappointing season and figuring out how to prepare them for a deep playoff run. Include elements that reduce distractions and no longer allow injuries or a five-day bye before the NFC divisional round to be an excuse for failure.
Strider said the Warriors have to put themselves in position to succeed all season long, and for him, that means staying focused and better prepared from the start of the season.
“I think I made a mistake last year, which was every time I got on the mound in spring training, I practiced too much and didn’t have a clear goal,” Strider said. “That put me behind everyone else at the beginning of the season. , so for me, the combination of fastball and slider is my strongest combination. As long as I am the player with the highest competitiveness, training volume and concentration on the court, this (the combination of fastball and slider) is the best. combination.”
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