Louisville Courier Journal article on Phil Dumatrait
Dumatrait's win extra special
He has struggled since elbow surgeryPhilip Dumatrait's first Triple-A victory was one to savor.
The Louisville Bats' 24-year-old left-hander threw a complete-game three-hitter Thursday during a seven-inning doubleheader game at Richmond. He had not thrown a complete game since August 2003.
That came just a few months before he underwent Tommy John elbow surgery, which sidelined him for 2004. Dumatrait came back last season with his usual velocity but not his normal command; he walked 70 batters in 127 innings at Double-A Chattanooga.
"I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I was coming off major surgery," he said. "I pretty much got a new elbow."
Throwing strikes, especially with his fastball, has been the main concern for Dumatrait, whom the Cincinnati Reds acquired from Boston in the 2003 Scott Williamson trade. Ranked as the Reds' 12th-best prospect by Baseball America before the season, he was considered one of the few young pitchers close to reaching the big leagues.
But Dumatrait had to learn to stop nibbling at the corners and to start attacking hitters. He lasted six innings only twice in 10 Double-A starts as command issues drove up his pitch count. In his first two Triple-A starts Dumatrait also struggled to get ahead of hitters and put them away.
"Nobody knows for sure whether it's physically that he can't throw strikes or mentally that he doesn't throw strikes," Bats manager Rick Sweet said after Dumatrait's April 10 loss. Last time out Dumatrait walked only one batter in his seven innings. He'll need to keep that up as he adjusts to Triple-A hitters.
"These guys are older, have been around for a while and can swing it," he said. "If you make a mistake, they'll make you pay."
Click here to read the entire article at www.courier-journal.com
posted by Doug Gray @ 11:16 AM
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