Phillies Pitching Coach On Alfredo-Gonzalez: 'This Might Take A Few Months'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It's been well-reported that Phillies pitcher Miguel Alfredo-Gonzalez has started slowly during Spring Training. Though his velocity has increased, it still seems like he's rusty, and working his way back. That process might take a while.
"This may take a few months, I'm not really sure yet," Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Team on Thursday. "I'm not looking for giant, giant steps from him yet. There are other guys I am looking for giants steps from one outing to the other."
The Phillies were rumored to have signed Alfredo-Gonzalez to a $48 million deal this offseason, but settled on a three-year, $12 million deal with the Cuban right-hander.
"He's just learning the culture here at the major league level, he hasn't pitched in two years. He's coming off an injury, also," McClure said. :I felt that he was not overwhelmed, and we're playing the Yankees at their place. He was not overwhelmed and he was very competitive. Now, he was very eradicate, there's no question about, but I saw a calmness about him, I saw no panic, and I saw a very competitive heart. So, I'm hoping that translates into what he was before he got hurt."
It's McClure's first season with the team, and described his approach with the Phillies staff.
"If you work fast, keep the ball down, pound the strike zone, get ahead, I'm telling you, you're going to win a lot of games," McClure said. "Just like I tell the guys this, is if we left, whichever twelve [players] are leaving and you guys pitched at the knees, every pitch not even doing anything else, but changed speeds at the knees for the entire season, we would be in the top five in pitching."