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Mar/14
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Leroux finds success in slowing things down

Revue de presse

BY DONNIE COLLINS, THE TIMES TRIBUNE, le 21 mars 2014

Chris LerouxTAMPA, Fla. - There are times when Chris Leroux will crane his neck to see the number flash on the scoreboard.

A 94 mph heater? 95? Maybe a 96 from time to time?

Baseball is a game of numbers, and there are still times he still loves to see what a gift he has in his right arm. There is still an appreciation for being able to throw a fastball harder than all but a handful of people on earth.

When you're young and a pitcher and blessed with a strong arm that can bring big-league heat, it's easy to fall in love with the gifts. But as he's winding down the big league camp of his life in his first season with the Yankees, Leroux says he has taken the next step in his career by coming to a stark realization.

Those radar gun readings mean nothing when it comes to getting outs.

"Everybody likes to look at the radar gun when you're putting 95 up there," Leroux smiled. "But I care less now. I care about location and movement, setting guys up and all that stuff, as opposed to 'Hey, it's belt-high down the middle, but it's still 96.' I'm way past that."

What would happen if a pitcher took his 95 mph four-seam fastball and cast it aside like an old mitt? At the encouragement of his former Pittsburgh Pirates teammate, and ex-Yankees pitcher Jeff Karstens, Leroux sought to find out.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander said he has practically scrapped his four-seam fastball in favor of a hard sinker that has helped him to an impressive spring. He has gone from challenging hitters with heat to fighting them with movement.

"It has almost made me a totally different pitcher," he said.

In seven outings heading into Friday night, Leroux has allowed just four hits in 10⅓ innings. He hasn't issued a single walk, and going from the four-seamer to the 92 mph sinker hasn't hurt him in the strikeout department, either. He has nine of those.

But this pitch hasn't been about piling up strikeouts. It has been about forcing bad contact where, once, Leroux got hit his hardest. When he falls behind in the count now, Leroux simply throws one of those sinkers and has been getting off-guard hitters to pull slow rollers in the infield. He can't tell you how many of those 2-0 four-seamers got lined into a gap for a double.

Thanks to the movement of the sinker and his ability to throw it over the plate, he is no longer shying away from pitching to contact. That, in turn, has led to what he considers the most impressive aspect of is spring: Zero walks. In his big league career, he has averaged 4.3 of those per nine innings.

"I guess it's just the development of a pitcher," he shrugged. "I'm almost 30 now. I guess it's about time I learned how to pitch."

Once considered a lock to be a member of the RailRiders' staff, Leroux has caught the Yankees' attention and at least has himself in the crowded battle for the final few open spots in the big league bullpen.

That was no easy task for a man who was designated for assignment following two rough outings for Pittsburgh last season. Then he allowed 22 runs in 22 innings after signing in Japan.

This has been a different year and, to Leroux, the story of a different pitcher. He's a pitcher who may still be heading to play for the RailRiders. But one firmly in the Yankees' view, nonetheless.

"Regardless of what happens, I've shown what I can do and planted a seed in their minds," Leroux said. "I'm not thinking my career is over if I get sent to Scranton. It's not like that at all. I'm just happy I showed I can still pitch in the big leagues."

Revue de presse publiée par Jacques Lanciault.

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