D-Backs' Randall Delgado proving his value in bullpen
LOS ANGELES – For years, some scouts have believed Diamondbacks right-hander Randall Delgado's best role might be in relief. The early returns of his bullpen existence have helped justify that line of thinking.
In three outings since being bumped from the starting rotation, Delgado has thrown four scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out six.
"Maybe I'm feeling a little bit loose and I'm trying to get ahead of the count," he said. "Maybe because I'm only going one or two innings, I'm not messing around too much, you know?"
As with many pitchers who transition to the bullpen, his stuff has ticked up in relief. His average fastball velocity is higher, from 92 mph as a starter to 93.2 mph as a reliever.
"I think he knows that he's going a couple of innings and he can just go out there and let it fly," Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch said. "He doesn't have to think a whole lot. He can just go after guys with his best pitches. He's not trying to overthink what to do to each hitter. He's just using his strengths and he trusts that his strengths are good enough to beat the hitter."
So far, it has been. Of the 79 pitches he's thrown in relief, 11 of them (14 percent) have resulted in a swinging strike. As a starting pitcher last season, only nine percent of his pitches elicited a swing and miss.
"He's coming right after guys," Gosewisch said. "Obviously, it's a little bit harder, but he's got kind of a quick arm so I think it makes 94 look a little bit harder even because he has a quick arm and a short release."
Delgado said he's had no trouble adjusting to the new role.
"I think I've tried to adapt when they ask me to warm up quick and want me ready for the next inning," he said. "I don't think it was a big of a problem as maybe I thought."
Aggressive lefty
Early in spring training, after the Diamondbacks signed free-agent Oliver Perez, lefty Joe Thatcher's role on the team looked more than a little uncertain.
But Thatcher not only made the club, he's been among the Diamondbacks' better pitchers through 19 games, giving up just one earned run in seven innings. He retired four of the five batters he faced on Friday night, including two right-handed hitters.
"I'm just being aggressive, going after guys," Thatcher said. "That's what I've always done. I'm kind of in a good groove right now and want to keep that going."
When Perez signed a two-year deal on March 8, Thatcher was caught off guard. At the time, it appeared there might not be room in the bullpen for him.
But Thatcher said he was just focused on throwing well, and as it turned out, the Diamondbacks wound up needing him after David Hernandez and Patrick Corbin went down with injuries.
"All of that stuff is out of your hands and all you can do is go out every day and do your job and things will work out," Thatcher said. "It didn't look good at the time, I know, but I never really had any doubt."
Up next
D-Backs at Dodgers
When: 1:10 p.m., Sunday.
TV/radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM 620, KPKX-FM 98.7, KSUN-AM 1400
Pitchers: RHP Josh Collmenter (0-1, 3.75) vs. Dodgers RHP Josh Beckett (0-0, 4.00).
Notable: Collmenter will be making his second start since shifting into the starting rotation. Limited to a low pitch count, he threw just four innings in his first start, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk against the New York Mets. … Beckett opened the season on the disabled list with a thumb injury and has made only two starts, giving up four runs in four innings against Detroit and tossing five scoreless against the Giants.
Projected starters
Monday: At Chicago, 5:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Bronson Arroyo (1-1, 9.95) vs. Cubs LHP Travis Wood (0-2, 3.00).
Tuesday: At Chicago, 5:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.11) vs. Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.05).
Wednesday: At Chicago, 11:20 a.m., Diamondbacks LHP Wade Miley (2-2, 4.35) vs. Cubs RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-2, 1.29).