Colorado Rockies: Bud Black’s spring formula for pitching success

Scottsdale, Arizona — Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black has a very simple formula for where he wants to see his pitchers’ performance as spring training rolls along. And there’s much more to it than just what shows up in the box score.

I asked Bud Black during his Sunday morning meeting with members of the media about which elements of a pitcher’s game, including location, grow in importance as spring training and the countdown to the Colorado Rockies‘ season-opening game in Miami on March 28 continues. His answer was interesting and laid out the road map for what Black looks for in both his starters and relievers.

"“That’s always the aim,” Black said of the proper location of pitches. “That’s always the goal, for guys to refine their game. For me, I want, in simple terms, for pitchers, delivery first. The physical part of their delivery, let’s get that in order. There are a few things you worked on over the winter. There are a few things you work on in spring training and in games. Let’s get those things in order as quickly as possible.“Then we go to stuff. Let’s make your velocity is where it needs to be. Let’s make sure your breaking stuff is where it needs to be. Then, when you get to the latter part of spring, you hope you’re getting a little closer to seeing what you want to see in-season. But I’ll be the first to tell you, I’ve seen pitchers make six spring training starts, get to their pitch count and be statistically awful. You’re worried about them. Then, all of a sudden, the first game they go out and deal. And the second game, they deal. The third game? They deal.“I’ve also seen it the other way. The guy has a great spring and you’re encouraged and thinking a guy is going to have a great year. He goes out the first game and gets bombed.”"

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An example of what Black wants to see beyond the box score came in Saturday’s 10-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Ryan Castellani pitched one inning and gave up three hits and two runs. On the surface, the result wasn’t what anyone wanted to see. But Black is looking deeper than the surface when it comes to his 22-year-old’s one frame of work.

"“If you critically watch the game, he (Castellani) threw the ball pretty well,” Black said, noting a wild pitch that Castellani uncorked as well. “Most of his pitches were pretty good. His delivery was fine so that was a positive. Overall, the quality of his stuff was pretty good. If he keeps throwing like this, he’s going to be fine. But if you look at the line, it doesn’t look great.”"

As a former Major League pitcher, Black brings a different perspective to his pitchers every day, including the spring. So how was Black as a pitcher during his own spring training days? He flashed back with a story that he makes sure to pass along to his pitchers as a warning.

"“I was OK,” Black said of his own spring training performance on the mound. “Probably bordering on the worst side of OK. I made my starts. There was one year I started on the DL because I was trying a new pitch. I was trying to really get the ball to sink. My fastball sort of tailed. I didn’t really have a sinker. I was throwing and really getting inside the ball to create spin and throw a sinker, but that wasn’t natural for me.“First couple of outings, a little bit of sink. Good job. Next outing, more pitch count and more innings. Hey, sinker. Then, what happens, your elbow or your shoulder tells you you’re not throwing naturally. It happens over a period of time. A month later, the injury shows up."

"“My goal was to physically feel good and have mechanics in order. Stuff where it needed to be as we got deeper into camp. And that’s how I look at our pitchers.”"

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Scottsdale, Arizona — Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black has a very simple formula for where he wants to see his pitchers’ performance as spring training rolls along. And there’s much more to it than just what shows up in the box score.

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