Mark Connor
Mark Connor
Mark Peter Connoris a former pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers. Before his coaching career, he was a minor league pitcher from 1971 through 1972 who batted and threw right-handed...
decision felt hitters mound pitch ready seen sure thrown worried
He hasn't made a decision yet but he's going to have to get up on the mound pretty quick. I wouldn't want him to go pitch if he hasn't seen any hitters or thrown all his pitches. I'm not worried yet. He said he felt better today. But I'm not sure he's ready to get on the mound.
ball came closer game january problem since stuff throwing
He has been lights-out since January and wasn't laboring, so I didn't have a problem with that. He's throwing the ball well. He probably came in here closer to having game stuff than anybody.
deserves opportunity
He deserves the opportunity to be in the rotation.
feels pitch
He feels like it's a pitch he can use.
fair five goes option pitches six
We want him to keep starting. If he goes 80 pitches and five or six innings, it's fair to say he's now an option for us.
building closer course feeling felt innings keeps needed pitch
Through my years, I've felt a closer needed to pitch about 20 innings in the spring. But I like the course Coco is on. As long as he keeps building up and feeling good, I think he'll be fine.
assume counting late responsibility role
We're counting on him to assume a role of responsibility late in the game.
cause felt game happy impressed innings league major man threw
You know what I like. He threw two shutout innings in his first Major League game ever and he wasn't happy cause he felt like he overthrew and didn't locate. He's a young man that I've been impressed with all spring.
came felt threw time
He threw really good. It's the first time he felt like everything came together.
change fact gets player scared speeds throws
He's the player of the day for me. He was good. I like the fact that he can change speeds and throws strikes. He's not scared out there. He gets after it.
along balls breaking continue eight max threw throw today top
I let him throw some breaking balls today for the first time. He threw about eight breaking balls, not max effort, but getting over the top of them with no problem, so we'll continue along those lines.
basic
On a very basic level, that's kind of what it comes down to,
changes face fifth four gets joke likes starters time
His face completely changes from the time he gets to the ballpark. The other four days, he's easy-going, likes to joke around, but on the fifth day, like a lot of the big-time starters I've had in the past, it's all business.
adrenaline game games league minor perfect popping spring start
In a perfect world, I'd like to start him out in a Minor League game and by the end of the spring get him some 'A' games to get his adrenaline popping a little bit.