GLENDALE, Ariz. — Zach Bove wants the Chicago White Sox pitchers to “keep stacking days together.”
“Each guy’s got an individual focus,” the Sox pitching coach said Tuesday at Camelback Ranch. “That’s the plan with each guy, whether it’s the shape, count leverage, maybe it’s a sequencing thing — any time we meet with them, we’re kind of reviewing that. ‘Hey, here’s the plan moving forward,’ and staying on them with that.
“These guys, they know their plan by now. Now it’s holding themselves accountable to it.”
Shane Smith, Anthony Kay and Davis Martin are among the Sox pitchers to recently make their second starts this spring.
As the trio continues to build up for the upcoming season, here’s how each assessed their most recent outings.
Shane Smith
Smith faced a test in the third inning Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark, going against Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez with a runner on and two outs.
The right-hander struck out Ramírez on four pitches, completing three solid innings of work. Smith allowed one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
“I felt the rhythm was a little better in the delivery,” Smith said, comparing his second outing to his first. “Able to land some offspeed for strikes early on. Just located the fastball a lot better than last time.”
Smith has allowed three earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings in his two starts. He concentrated on his fastball in start two.
“A lot of it is realizing my fastball is my bread and butter,” Smith said. “If I don’t have that, it’s going to be a long day. Just trying to make sure that’s consistent. Everything else kind of comes along with that.”
Smith saw some familiar faces while taking on a division foe in the Guardians. That didn’t alter his approach.
“I threw against them three times last year, so when those names come up, I have a good idea,” Smith said. “But if I’m trying to work on something I’ll work on it, not really dependent on who’s in the lineup.”
Anthony Kay
The lefty continues to build a rapport with the catchers after signing a two-year deal in the offseason. On Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, he worked with Edgar Quero.
“He’s been really solid,” Kay said of Quero. “We’re still trying to get to know each other a little bit as far as what I want to throw and what I’m comfortable throwing with.
“(Sunday) was a lot better than last time. We had some good communication in between outings to figure out what I usually do and what I want to throw. We were a little bit more on page (Sunday).”
Kay allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 2 2/3 innings on Sunday against the Cubs at Sloan Park. He has allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and four walks in his two starts.
“Felt I was a little bit more in control of myself a little bit, compared to last time,” Kay said. “Overall, I made a lot of good pitches. Two walks aren’t ideal, a couple of uncompetitive pitches in those at-bats. But overall, it was really good.”
Kay also picked off Pete Crow-Armstrong trying to steal third in the second inning.
“I pride myself in being able to hold runners on,” he said. “It’s such a little thing, and it’s a difference-maker out there. It’s one big focus we’ve had so far in this spring training, holding runners, don’t give them the free 90. That’s the least you can do out there, make sure these guys aren’t taking the extra bases.”
Davis Martin
Martin knocked off the rust of dealing with traffic on Monday against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch.
“All offseason you’re throwing bullpens and it’s super easy with nobody on base,” Martin said Monday. “Once you get a guy on second, you’ve got to vary your looks, vary your holds. Normal spring training stuff.”
The Giants had runners on first and second with one out in the second inning. Martin got Eric Haase to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Martin allowed three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in three innings Monday. He has allowed four runs on five hits in five innings with two strikeouts and three walks during his two starts.
This portion of the spring, Martin is evaluating how his “stuff” is progressing.
“This is probably the best the stuff has been, slider is in a good spot, changeup is in a good spot,” Martin said. “The cutter, it’s been in a good spot. Just the overall stuff I feel has ticked up a little bit.
“You don’t want to look at the results, but you look at two walks and you try to remember, hey, how do we make that adjustment in one pitch, two pitches and not two batters. Another part of spring training, you’re trying to knock off the cobwebs of all that stuff.”
