After three starts, Clay Buchholz has a 1-2 record and a 6.6 ERA. As would be expected, Boston fans and media are already in complete freak out mode. Keep reading to see why everyone just needs to calm down.
With many athletes, especially pitchers, the biggest hurdle they have to overcome is that thing between the ears. Not to pick on Clay, but if you've watched him throughout his career, you know he has incredible stuff when he is both healthy and mentally with it. So far this season (knock on wood) Clay appears to be healthy and his downfall is all in his head. In my opinion, it is all going to be okay and he will be able to snap out of it and have success.
So far this season Clay is struggling with runners on base. Opponents are hitting a mere .209 with the bases empty and .636 with a runner on first. If you look at each outing inning by inning you can completely see that Clay's struggles and sudden reliance on a fastball coincide with runners on base. In yesterday's game Clay at one point threw 12 fastballs in a row. During that same stretch 15 of 16 pitches were fastballs.
So, what is up with Clay's troubles with runners on base and why is he suddenly becoming so reliant on his fastball? Well, have you considered the fact that he isn't yet comfortable with his catcher? Pitchers have to be confident in both their pitch and the guy they are throwing it to and I doubt Clay is there yet. In his 5 spring training games he pitched 3 different catchers. The one catcher he threw to multiple times (3 to be exact) was Blake Swihart .
Please do not interpret this as a call to bring up Swihart to save Clay's season, just think of it during Clay's next start when there is a runner on base and he sticks with his fastball.
So, what is up with Clay's troubles with runners on base and why is he suddenly becoming so reliant on his fastball? Well, have you considered the fact that he isn't yet comfortable with his catcher? Pitchers have to be confident in both their pitch and the guy they are throwing it to and I doubt Clay is there yet. In his 5 spring training games he pitched 3 different catchers. The one catcher he threw to multiple times (3 to be exact) was Blake Swihart .
Please do not interpret this as a call to bring up Swihart to save Clay's season, just think of it during Clay's next start when there is a runner on base and he sticks with his fastball.
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