Change of pace is just what Shane Bieber needed: Guardians breakfast
Shane Bieber has finally gotten a firm grip on his changeup. Shane Bieber's changeup has been a problem for him for the past, with his velocity declining due to his declining pitch and he often stayed away from it. After last season, Bieber changed his delivery and found extra mph on his fastball, which has improved his changeup. He threw six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in Cleveland's 8-0 season-opening win against the A’s. The changeup was a key pitch for Bieber, accounting for 16% of his pitch time. The team's manager, Stephen Vogt, won his managerial debut with the Guards and is now 62-62 in season openers. Lefty Logan Allen will make his 2024 debut against the Oakland A's at the Coliseum at 9:40 p.m. ET.
게시됨 : 4주 전 ~에 의해 Paul Hoynes, Paul Hoynes | [email protected], phoynes ~에 Sports
OAKLAND -- The changeup has been a pitch that has bedeviled Shane Bieber.
Over the last few years with Bieber’s velocity declining, he sometimes stayed away from it. The difference in speeds wasn’t that great between the two pitches and that can get a pitcher in trouble.
After last season Bieber, with his walk year approaching, went to Driveland Baseball in Scottsdale. He smoothed out his delivery, found a couple of extra mph on his fastball, which in turn has helped his changeup.
Thursday night Bieber threw six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in Cleveland’s 8-0 season-opening win against the A’s. Bieber threw 83 pitches with changeups accounting for 16% of them. They induced seven swings and four swings and misses, according to Statcast.
Just two of the changeups were put in play.
“It’s a lot of fun to be able to throw the changeup,” said Bieber after the game. “I’m still learning how to establish it, but I’m having a lot of fun with it. It opens up opportunities. It’s nice to establish a pitch that fades in the opposite direction.”
In the past Bieber has tried to slow the changeup down to widen the gap with his fastball.
“After a decade I’ve given up trying to take velocity off of it,” said Bieber. “I’ve just embraced trying to get it to fade and power down. It’s been fun to figure out. It’s been a process.”
Manager Stephen Vogt won his managerial debut with the Guards. Cleveland, which began its 124th season in the American League on Thursday, is now 62-62 in season openers.
Cleveland managers are now 31-14 in their first games in the dugout.
DH David Fry went 3 for 4, the three hits being a career high. The Guardians championship belt was in his locker after the game.
The Guardians put together a five-run inning against lefty Alex Wood in the fourth inning. Six straight Guardians reached base, five on hits, to tip the game in their favor.
Scoreless innings by Eli Morgan, Tim Herrin and Nick Sandlin completed the four-hit shutout.
Lefty Logan Allen (7-8, 3.81) will make his 2024 debut tonight when he faces the A’s at the Coliseum at 9:40 p.m. ET. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.
The A’s will start RHP Ross Stripling (0-5, 5.36). Allen and Stripling’s records are from 2023.
Allen had a busy spring training. He went 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA. He tied for the team lead in starts (five) and innings pitched (18).
Last season Allen made 24 starts as a rookie. The Guardians went 14-10 in those starts. He faced the A’s once, throwing four scoreless innings in a no-decision. The Guards won the game, 6-1.
Allen throws five pitches, a fastball, changeup, cutter and two kinds of sliders. Statcast calls one of the sliders a sweeper, but Allen calls them both sliders. His velocity last year ranged from 78.7 mph to 91.4 mph.
Trivia time: When was the last time the Guardians/Indians scored eight or more runs in the season opener? Answer below.
Here is the Guardians’ schedule following Friday for the rest of the Oakland series and the three series following that. (Pitchers records are from last year).
• None Saturday: RHP Tanner Bibee (10-4, 2.98) vs. LHP JP Sears (5-14, 4.54) on Saturday at 4:07 p.m. ET. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.
• None Sunday: RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-8, 8.60) vs. RHP Paul Blackburn (4-7, 4.43) at 4:07 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.
• None The Guardians open a three-game series against Seattle at T-Mobile Park on Monday at 9:40 p.m. ET. RHP Triston McKenzie (0-3, 5.06) will make his 2024 debut Monday for the Guards. Tuesday’s game starts at 9:40 p.m. ET and Wednesday’s game starts at 4:10 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the series.
• None The Guardians open a three-game series at Minnesota at Target Field on April 4 at 4:10 ET p.m. April 5 is an off day and they complete the series with game on April 6 and April 7 before returning to Cleveland for the home opener on April 8. The April 6 and 7 games start at 2:10 p.m. ET. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the series.
• None The Guardians open the home season on April 8 with a three-game series against the White Sox. The home opener will start at 5:07 p.m. to allow the solar eclipse to come and go.
Trivia answer: The last time the Guardians scored at least eight runs in the season opener April 3, 2017 when they beat Texas, 8-5. A flashback from that game? Carlos Santana DH’d and hit leadoff.
주제: Baseball, MLB, Cleveland Guardians