Though role unclear, Treinen will stretch out as starter in camp
By Pete Kerzel
The Nationals rotation is deep enough that left-hander Ross Detwiler, a 10-game winner in 2012 couldn't crack it in spring training and was traded to the Rangers earlier this week after struggling to adapt to a bullpen role. The Nationals are already salivating over the future arrival of stud pitcher Lucas Giolito, a 20-year-old righty who hasn't pitched above low Single-A and is rated baseball's 13th-best prospect by Baseball Prospectus. Righty A.J Cole is on the horizon, too, maybe as early as 2015.
Right-hander Blake Treinen made seven starts among his 15 appearances in 2014 as he rode the shuttle between Triple-A Syracuse and Washington, D.C. There doesn't appear to be room for him in the rotation, so why is Treinen determined to approach spring training like he's going to be starting games?
For starters, his versatility is both a blessing and a curse. He's been able to be effective in relief, even though he's spent most of his pro career as a starter.
"You can't look at it in a negative way," Treinen said yesterday at NatsFest. "For me, it's a blessing because I could not have a chance up in the big leagues, so whatever role they give me, I'm going to try to excel in and help the team in any way I can."
That's why he will spend spring training preparing as he would if he were slotted in to start games. Manager Matt Williams likes this approach in case there's an injury - remember Doug Fister's lat late in camp last year? - and Treinen said it's easier to adapt from starter to reliever than the other way around.
"In a perfect world, you'd like to have a consistent role, but I know how it works," he said. "We have an All-Star pitching staff - starters, bullpen, everybody - so I know what I need to do."
As a sinkerballer, Treinen doesn't get to use his bread-and-butter pitch to put hitters away when he's coming in from the bullpen. When outs are precious and runners are on base, a strikeout is a better weapon and it's harder to pitch to contact.
That's one of the reasons he's integrating a changeup into his repertoire - to give opposing hitters one more thing to consider in those crucial situations.
"It's become more consistent and I'm developing a better feel for it," he said. "Before, when I was with Oakland, I just held a grip and threw it and just prayed it would be good. Here, it's actually learning how to pitch with it. I'm not a guy that's known for a changeup, so I just want to get to the point where it's in the hitter's mind that it could come at any time. It's such a good pitch to have in baseball, it'd be dumb to not have it as a starter."
Though Treinen has opened eyes when he's started games, there are some in the organization that feel his upside is as a late-inning power arm. There are even whispers that he could end up closing games.
All of which is nice to hear, but Treinen seems to have the proper perspective for a guy with only 15 big league games on his resume.
"I still try to have the mindset of having something to prove," Treinen said. "I was kind of feeling buoyed last year and trying to do the best that I could. I was pretty happy with the year I had, but I'm never complacent. I just want to get to the point where I'm reliable and consistent."
For starters, his versatility is both a blessing and a curse. He's been able to be effective in relief, even though he's spent most of his pro career as a starter.
"You can't look at it in a negative way," Treinen said yesterday at NatsFest. "For me, it's a blessing because I could not have a chance up in the big leagues, so whatever role they give me, I'm going to try to excel in and help the team in any way I can."
That's why he will spend spring training preparing as he would if he were slotted in to start games. Manager Matt Williams likes this approach in case there's an injury - remember Doug Fister's lat late in camp last year? - and Treinen said it's easier to adapt from starter to reliever than the other way around.
"In a perfect world, you'd like to have a consistent role, but I know how it works," he said. "We have an All-Star pitching staff - starters, bullpen, everybody - so I know what I need to do."
As a sinkerballer, Treinen doesn't get to use his bread-and-butter pitch to put hitters away when he's coming in from the bullpen. When outs are precious and runners are on base, a strikeout is a better weapon and it's harder to pitch to contact.
That's one of the reasons he's integrating a changeup into his repertoire - to give opposing hitters one more thing to consider in those crucial situations.
"It's become more consistent and I'm developing a better feel for it," he said. "Before, when I was with Oakland, I just held a grip and threw it and just prayed it would be good. Here, it's actually learning how to pitch with it. I'm not a guy that's known for a changeup, so I just want to get to the point where it's in the hitter's mind that it could come at any time. It's such a good pitch to have in baseball, it'd be dumb to not have it as a starter."
Though Treinen has opened eyes when he's started games, there are some in the organization that feel his upside is as a late-inning power arm. There are even whispers that he could end up closing games.
All of which is nice to hear, but Treinen seems to have the proper perspective for a guy with only 15 big league games on his resume.
"I still try to have the mindset of having something to prove," Treinen said. "I was kind of feeling buoyed last year and trying to do the best that I could. I was pretty happy with the year I had, but I'm never complacent. I just want to get to the point where I'm reliable and consistent."
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