Jim Tracy
Jim Tracy
ability allow approach baseball best continue developed environment genuine league major man natural opportunity player position talent type unexpected
The best way to approach a player with his type of ability and talent is to feel like you've developed a type of environment to allow his development to continue on its natural course. With what we have done this winter, we have put this young man in a position to where his natural progression as a Major League Baseball player has a genuine opportunity to take place without heaping any unexpected expectations on him.
ability aspects best coaches national physical pitching teach
To me, he's one of the game's best pitching coaches in the National or American leagues. He has not only the ability to teach the physical aspects of the game, but also the ability to communicate with his pitchers.
ability advance appear aspect change complexion game might runner small
As small an aspect of the game as bunting might appear to be to a lot of people, it's really important to me. The complexion of a game can change because you have the ability to advance a runner 90 feet. It's huge.
ability area command innings latter needs pitches pleased progress strikes throw
He really understands that he needs command and the ability to throw strikes when he pitches in the latter innings of games. I'm very pleased with the progress he has made in that area this spring.
catch speed
We're going to speed Duff up and get him some at-bats. We've just got to catch up a little bit.
easy few gonna guy identical last leave quality recognize saw seeing start starts step teammates took
What we're seeing right now is, in my mind, identical to what we saw last year, when it took him a few starts to get untracked, and then you see one quality start after another. His teammates recognize that's he gonna leave everything that he has on the field, and it's very easy to step up for a guy like that.
came says schedule
What the schedule says is what you do. I think we came out of it pretty good, all things considered.
arm ball decrease instead pushing slot throwing timing
When your timing is off and you're pushing the ball instead of throwing the ball, there will be a decrease in velocity. If the timing is off or the arm slot is off, you won't see the same thing.
impact push runners talking
We're talking about a catcher. Squatting, up and down out of the crouch, runners going, boom, the impact of landing. ... It doesn't make any sense to push it.
rest
We're not going to say we're not going to see him for the rest of the year, ... We're going to take it day-by-day.
beginning direction guys seeing themselves
We're seeing some of these guys beginning to escalate themselves in the direction that you want to see them going.
along change extra fact few general laying steps taken
We're scratching surfaces and laying the general framework. Things aren't going to change dramatically other than the fact that we'll be more detailed-oriented, and a few extra steps will be taken along the way.
beyond guys looking opportunity
We're looking for 35 or 38 or 39, and this is an opportunity to find out who are those guys beyond the 25.
change landscape perception
With what we have here right now, ... you'll see the landscape change and be better than what the perception is.