http://www.draysbay.com/2014/3/19/5523538/2014-season-preview-tampa-bay-rays-bullpen-depth
Brandon Gomes
"How about Brandon Gomes? Nobody's even talking about this guy." - Joe Maddon
Clearly old Merlot Joe needs to spend more time in our comments section. Ian and I have been belligerent in our optimism for Brandon Gomes who we believe has the ability to become a high leverage arm for the Rays. Joe Maddon just might be on our side:
"... gosh, he can't throw the ball any better than he is right now. He cannot. He's made some adjustments in his delivery -- his command has gotten better, the sharpness on his pitches. Really fun to watch."
These quotes were captured by Bill Chastain, who struck a chord with Maddon when asking about Gomes's progress this winter. The reliever has not only added a cutter to his arsenal -- which he learned from Jamey Wright, who returned to the Dodgers this off-season -- but has added a slide-step motion to his game.
"My mechanics have been much more repeatable since then. I haven't lost any of my stuff. If anything, it's been better, and I'm quicker to home. So [there are] a lot of factors, it's just better overall." [mlb.com]
The slide-step became a "why not?" and led to a new confidence for the minor league reliever. Add this confidence and a bit more stuff to his cutter, which will help him against opposite handed pitching, and Gomes may be ready to fulfill the prophecy of Malinowski.
Gomes features a fastball/splitter combination that's death to righties, and the added cutter may give him some more usability at the major league level, but what's held him back has been injuries -- including back surgery in 2012, and a lat strain in 2013. Gomes pitches with a side-arm delivery, which adds deception, and I've wondered if his injury was related. This change in throwing motion may alleviate those concerns.
Thus far in Spring Training, Gomes has pitched seven full innings with a shiny 0.00 ERA over six games. He's allowed two hits and two walks, but more importantly struck out seven -- with two of those last night in Fort Myers. Gomes has options remaining, so he may not win a role in the 'pen out of camp, but he'll be back soon.
Brandon Gomes
"How about Brandon Gomes? Nobody's even talking about this guy." - Joe Maddon
Clearly old Merlot Joe needs to spend more time in our comments section. Ian and I have been belligerent in our optimism for Brandon Gomes who we believe has the ability to become a high leverage arm for the Rays. Joe Maddon just might be on our side:
"... gosh, he can't throw the ball any better than he is right now. He cannot. He's made some adjustments in his delivery -- his command has gotten better, the sharpness on his pitches. Really fun to watch."
These quotes were captured by Bill Chastain, who struck a chord with Maddon when asking about Gomes's progress this winter. The reliever has not only added a cutter to his arsenal -- which he learned from Jamey Wright, who returned to the Dodgers this off-season -- but has added a slide-step motion to his game.
"My mechanics have been much more repeatable since then. I haven't lost any of my stuff. If anything, it's been better, and I'm quicker to home. So [there are] a lot of factors, it's just better overall." [mlb.com]
The slide-step became a "why not?" and led to a new confidence for the minor league reliever. Add this confidence and a bit more stuff to his cutter, which will help him against opposite handed pitching, and Gomes may be ready to fulfill the prophecy of Malinowski.
Gomes features a fastball/splitter combination that's death to righties, and the added cutter may give him some more usability at the major league level, but what's held him back has been injuries -- including back surgery in 2012, and a lat strain in 2013. Gomes pitches with a side-arm delivery, which adds deception, and I've wondered if his injury was related. This change in throwing motion may alleviate those concerns.
Thus far in Spring Training, Gomes has pitched seven full innings with a shiny 0.00 ERA over six games. He's allowed two hits and two walks, but more importantly struck out seven -- with two of those last night in Fort Myers. Gomes has options remaining, so he may not win a role in the 'pen out of camp, but he'll be back soon.
