Juan Nicasio Dominates Pedro Alvarez And Baltimore Orioles
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - It's a spring start, so you have to take that into account, but when you strikeout 10 of the 14 batters you face, against likely the Orioles regular lineup, you take notice.
Pirates righty Juan Nicasio said it was good fastball control today as he struck out Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo twice, plus a group that included Manny Machado, Chris Jones, J.J Hardy and Pedro Alvarez once.
"I felt really good today," Nicasio said. "I tried to take the hitter out in 3 pitches."
"Excellent finish to the fastball and command, a very sharp, hard, tight slider," manager Clint Hurdle said of Nicasio's outing. "The ability to work down and then elevate with some velocity, that kind of outing will get your attention."
Nicasio said he feels like another year of experience has made him a better pitcher, plus he worked really hard during the off-season on his fastball. But it's not just that.
"When you have a good pitching coach, you are feeling comfortable," Nicasio said of Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage. "He tries to help you and you are better in the field. Sometimes you have a pitching coach that never talks to you. You feel happy and you'll pitch 100 percent because he makes you comfortable."
The 29-year-old Nicasio pitched with the Dodgers and Rockies before signing a one-year, $3 million contract in the off-season. A big reason was due to a conversation Nicasio had with Pirates starter Francisco Liriano about Searage.
"When you throw a good pitch and he's happy," Liriano added about Searage. "I'm feeling happy when I throw a good pitch and he's happy, too. He's screaming every pitch."
Nicasio said he's also on the same page with catcher Francisco Cervelli, saying he often knows what he wants to throw as he's thinking it and that's unusual this early in a pitcher-catcher relationship.
There are no guarantees for Nicasio this season. Hurdle said they will play it out as far as the starting rotation, which in pencil right now is Liriano, Gerrit Cole, Jonathan Niese, Ryan Vogelsong and Jeff Locke. But that won't stop Nicasio from making that decision difficult.
"I'm working hard for the chance at the rotation, but I can't control that. I just do my job."
Jaso leads off
Manager Clint Hurdle had first baseman John Jaso leading off in what could be a regular lineup without Jung-Ho Kang. Hurdle said he is experimenting with different combinations.
"His on-base percentage, he's done it before, he has some experience," Hurdle said of Jaso leading-off. "I think we talked about it a week ago in talking about lineups, he has some experience there."
Jaso has a career .323 batting average (40 games) with a .404 on base percentage when leading off and was followed Wednesday by Francisco Cervelli, Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Josh Harrison, Cole Figueroa at third base and Jordy Mercer.