White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease talks expectations, new artistic hobby
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For the Chicago White Sox, it will be Dylan Cease getting the Opening Day start in Houston as the South Siders begin the season against Jose Abreu and the Astros.
CBS 2 Sports Director Marshall Harris caught up with Cease one-on-one and asked last year's American League Cy Young Award runner-up how he'll improve this season.
Cease: "Definitely feeling good. I know I can't just show up and it's going to happen. I got to put in the work, but having a season like that definitely helps boost confidence."
Harris: "When you look at what happened last season, what are you most excited about as far as taking away from last year and rolling it over into this season?"
Cease: "I think just the consistency of getting my breaking balls in the zone, especially the slider. I feel like I've got that locked in and now it's time to get the fast ball a little more dialed in."
Harris: "The last time I talked to you, you were very specific with your goals and ambitious towards yeah, you want to win a Cy Young. You come in second. What does that do for you? It's kind of like 'I'm in the neighborhood.'"
Cease: "Yeah I think it shows that it's possible and I have the ability to do it. For me, I'm not even thinking that far ahead right now. It's, like I said, just day to day working on my fastball command. Kind of working on all the little things that will hopefully build to that."
Harris: "In the offseason you did a lot of different, interesting things. I saw you took up painting. How long has this been going on? And where are we in the paint levels?"
Cease: "Well, it started last year and I went to an art museum in Kansas City. Towards the end of the year, I was feeling a little, uh, I don't know, I just needed a little break, a little breather. So I just went to the art museum and I just left feeling really inspired. So I was like, you know what, I'm going to try this. So I went and got just a little acrylic art set and some canvasses and it just kind of took off from there. I kept doing art work that I was impressed that I could do, because I have no artistic ability whatsoever. But somehow through effort and just perseverance I kept making these paintings I was really proud of. So it was like just a fun, therapeutic creative outlet that I really, really enjoy."
Harris: "Are they like on your refrigerator or …?"
Cease: "They're on the walls."
Harris: "Do you frame them up?"
Cease: "Absolutely."
Harris: "Explain to me what happens with the process."
Cease: "So, right now at my house, we have … five of them on the walls. I've given a couple away. I don't stop a painting until I like it, so if it made it up on the wall, I was pretty satisfied with it."
Harris: "Any chance that fans or anyone will have a chance to purchase any of this artwork?"
Cease: "Maybe. You never know. It would definitely be really fun to do. So maybe a charity thing. I'm definitely planning on painting this season, so we'll see."
Cease starts the season as a frontrunner to win the Cy Young Award this season. It helps that last year's winner, Justin Verlander, is in the National League after joining the New York Mets.