Hoo boy. First, Pedro says Tanaka is going to get injured because he sees Tanaka holding back. Then Tanaka calls Pedro out. Now Tanaka says Pedro was right.
Tanaka doesn’t expect velocity to return this season
WASHINGTON — The Yankees are heading into Opening Day still not knowing what they’re going to get from Masahiro Tanaka and his fragile right elbow.
One thing even the right-hander made clear on Saturday, though, was he wouldn’t be the same flame-thrower he was when he was the best pitcher in the majors during the first half of the season.
“I’m trying to establish a certain pitching style for me this year, so maybe it’s not the wisest to ask for velocity from me this year,” Tanaka said through an interpreter Saturday at Nationals Park before the Yankees closed out spring training with a 4-3 win. “I think it will be a little bit, as far as miles per hour go, lower than last year.”
That’s not exactly good news for the Yankees, whose starting rotation is filled with question marks that haven’t been answered during spring training.
Tanaka opted to rehab his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, foregoing Tommy John surgery and hasn’t looked as dominant as he did a year ago. Part of that is because he has been topping out at 91 mph this spring and often sitting in the high-80s, instead of low-to-mid 90s as in 2014.
When asked if the reason for the dip in velocity was the result of his elbow injury, Tanaka said: “Because of the fact I’m throwing more two-seamers, that would obviously make the velocity go down a bit. As for my pitching style and my mechanics, I’m trying to relax a little bit more when I’m throwing, so that might have something to do with it.”
Whatever the reason, it figures to have an impact on his performance on the mound.
“I don’t think I’ll be perfect,” Tanaka said. “I don’t think I was perfect last year. I think I could have been better last year and I’m always trying to progress. I’m not worried, I’m just trying to move forward and become a better pitcher.”
Yankees manager Joe Girardi acknowledged, though, that Tanaka needed to use his four-seam fastball, as well.
“He was really working on his two-seamer and I think the change in velocity helps,” the manager said. “That’s part of the deception, the change of speeds on your fastball. Some guys are really good at it. It comes natural to them and I think it’s really important for him.”
Girardi also will be looking for Tanaka to keep his pitch count down.
“Quick outs would be good for him because he gets in a lot of strikeout counts,” Girardi said.
True, but that was last season, before he was injured and Girardi doesn’t want Tanaka to get away from what he did in 2014, when he went 12-2 with a 1.99 ERA in his first 14 starts, including 113 strikeouts in 99 ²/₃ innings.
Tanaka was shut down in July before returning for a pair of outings in September.
“We talked about him using his sinker, but that doesn’t mean you take the four-seamer away,” Girardi said. “You want all your weapons all the time.”
Girardi is hoping that the transition from spring training to the regular season will help. Tanaka was 1-2 with a 3.07 ERA this spring, fanning 13 in 14 ²/₃ innings.
“A lot of times for veteran pitchers, spring training is a time to work on things and to get in shape,” Girardi said. “When the competition starts, you see a different guy and I expect we’ll see that.”
How hitters can — and likely will — expose gas-less Tanaka
WASHINGTON — No hard-throwing ace. No icons.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome your 2015 Yankees. This is going to be different. And really, really interesting.
Few story lines will be more interesting than if this version of Masahiro Tanaka be successful.
Tanaka Time has slowed down considerable. Just like his fastball. This is Tanaka Lite.
And this will be tough to swallow over the course of a long season.
Tanaka took a little air out of Opening Day, making it clear before Saturday’s 4-3 victory at Nationals Park the Yankees are getting a much different pitcher than the one they shelled out $175 million for before last season.
Tanaka admitted what the baseball world has known. Don’t expect too much from his four-seam fastball.
“I’m trying to establish a certain pitching style for me this year, so maybe it’s not the wisest to ask for velocity from me this year,’’ Tanaka said through interpreter Shingo Horie.
While Matt Harvey has developed into Beast Mode again for the Mets following his Tommy John surgery, Tanaka, who opted to rehab and not have surgery, is trying to survive with a new pitching style to help relieve stress on his right elbow.
This version will be on display Monday in the Yankees opener against the Blue Jays.
Without a productive four-seamer, a major weapon is being eliminated from Tanaka’s arsenal. Spin it anyway you want, but that is never a good thing.
Tanaka’s small tear in his ulnar collateral ligament is having big implications on his pitching style.
“I’m throwing more two-seamers that could make the velocity go down a bit,” Tanaka said. “As far as my pitching style and my mechanics, I’m trying to relax a little bit more when I’m throwing, so that might have to do with it a little bit.”
Essentially, Tanaka is looking for more movement on his fastball and less velocity. That’s his game plan going into the season, and we’ll see if it works.
The problem with that philosophy is without a consistent four-seam fastball, the batter can focus down in the zone. Eye level doesn’t have to change.
That is a win for the hitter.
Hitters will adapt to this change. Now there is one less thing for the hitter to worry about.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the four-seamer still must be a weapon for Tanaka and hopefully velocity with increase. Tanaka has been in the upper 80s, low 90s this spring.
Last year, he averaged 91.2 mph but could get the fastball up to 95 on occasion.
“We talked about him using his sinker,’’ Girardi said, “but that doesn’t mean you take the four-seamer away.’’
The Yankees and Tanaka are looking for more outs earlier in the count and not as many strikeouts.
They can paint this anyway they want, but this is all about reducing the stress on Tanaka’s right arm. More two-seamers mean Tanaka does not have to throw as many four-seam fastballs — during which he airs it out — or splitters.
Think of it as defensive pitching. Maybe it will work. Plain and simple, Tanaka is not as intimidating now as when he was a healthy pitcher.
“Our expectations are high for him,’’ Girardi said.
As for the four-seamer, the former catcher knows the importance of the pitch.
“You want all your weapons all the time,” Girardi said. “That’s the thing. You want to be able to use all your pitches because you can get some long, grinding at-bats where people keep fouling pitches off. The more things they have to worry about, obviously, the better off you are.’’
It’s a different world for Tanaka.
Because of his injury, Tanaka has changed, too. But this is not a change for the better.
It's gonna be a looooong sad year in the Bronx.