Both pitchers look good and confident today...........
from NJ Star-Ledger:
Yankees: Velocity back, Pettitte returns Friday
Sunday, June 09, 2002
BY PAT BORZI
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte (strained left elbow) reported no problems after his final 6 1/3 inning rehabilitation start for Double-A Norwich Friday night. So Pettitte will return to the Yankees rotation Friday night to open the series against the Mets at Shea Stadium, manager Joe Torre said. Mike Mussina faces Arizona Wednesday afternoon on regular rest.
"I wanted to split the left-handers, since (David) Wells is pitching Sunday," Torre said. Roger Clemens, of course, is the Saturday starter.
For his part, Pettitte says he is ready to go. "This is the first time I've been in the seventh inning since last year," said Pettitte, who pitched only 11Ҡinnings in three Yankee starts before going on the disabled list April 21. "My velocity was the same in the seventh inning and the first. To me, that was a good sign. I was throwing hard cutters late in the game.
"My arm isn't in midseason form. I was tired (Friday). But I'm sure it's time to get it going up here."
Pettitte added he enjoyed pitching for former teammate Luis Sojo, who took over as Norwich manager last month. "It was weird to see him coming out there," Pettitte said. "He calls me 'meat' all the time, so when he came out he said, 'Gimme the ball, meat.'"
Actually Sojo used to call everybody "meat," an old baseball term favored by former Yankees manager Bob Lemon.
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from AT Journal-Constitution:
Tonight's pitching matchup: Martinez insists his shoulder is fine, but his recent starts have been all over the place. He is winless in his last three games (21 hits, 11 runs) but lost only one of those, a 3-2 decision against Arizona's Curt Schilling last Saturday. It was Martinez's only loss this year. His strikeout rate of 10.6 per nine innings is still the highest in the AL, but he struck out just one batter his last time out. Millwood is hoping to exploit an improved breaking ball, after determining he had been taking his hands too high above his head during his windup. He held Texas to a pair of runs last Saturday in his last outing (six innings, eight hits). Millwood has just one victory in his past 10 starts but over his past four games (one win, three no-decisions) the Braves are 3-1.
-- Thomas Stinson
from Monday, June 10 "Braves Journal", also by Stinson:
At the movies
Kevin Millwood believes he has made a critical change in his delivery after reviewing videotapes.
Though he earned no decision, Millwood allowed two runs on eight singles Saturday while striking out five with an improved curveball and a sharp slider, which he normally relies on as a third pitch.
The difference: keeping his hands below the bill of his cap during his pump.
"I felt like it helped keep my [fastball] down, too," he said. "We went back a couple years and watched some videos and compared. That was the only difference we saw."
from NJ Star-Ledger:
Yankees: Velocity back, Pettitte returns Friday
Sunday, June 09, 2002
BY PAT BORZI
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte (strained left elbow) reported no problems after his final 6 1/3 inning rehabilitation start for Double-A Norwich Friday night. So Pettitte will return to the Yankees rotation Friday night to open the series against the Mets at Shea Stadium, manager Joe Torre said. Mike Mussina faces Arizona Wednesday afternoon on regular rest.
"I wanted to split the left-handers, since (David) Wells is pitching Sunday," Torre said. Roger Clemens, of course, is the Saturday starter.
For his part, Pettitte says he is ready to go. "This is the first time I've been in the seventh inning since last year," said Pettitte, who pitched only 11Ҡinnings in three Yankee starts before going on the disabled list April 21. "My velocity was the same in the seventh inning and the first. To me, that was a good sign. I was throwing hard cutters late in the game.
"My arm isn't in midseason form. I was tired (Friday). But I'm sure it's time to get it going up here."
Pettitte added he enjoyed pitching for former teammate Luis Sojo, who took over as Norwich manager last month. "It was weird to see him coming out there," Pettitte said. "He calls me 'meat' all the time, so when he came out he said, 'Gimme the ball, meat.'"
Actually Sojo used to call everybody "meat," an old baseball term favored by former Yankees manager Bob Lemon.
....................................................................................................................
from AT Journal-Constitution:
Tonight's pitching matchup: Martinez insists his shoulder is fine, but his recent starts have been all over the place. He is winless in his last three games (21 hits, 11 runs) but lost only one of those, a 3-2 decision against Arizona's Curt Schilling last Saturday. It was Martinez's only loss this year. His strikeout rate of 10.6 per nine innings is still the highest in the AL, but he struck out just one batter his last time out. Millwood is hoping to exploit an improved breaking ball, after determining he had been taking his hands too high above his head during his windup. He held Texas to a pair of runs last Saturday in his last outing (six innings, eight hits). Millwood has just one victory in his past 10 starts but over his past four games (one win, three no-decisions) the Braves are 3-1.
-- Thomas Stinson
from Monday, June 10 "Braves Journal", also by Stinson:
At the movies
Kevin Millwood believes he has made a critical change in his delivery after reviewing videotapes.
Though he earned no decision, Millwood allowed two runs on eight singles Saturday while striking out five with an improved curveball and a sharp slider, which he normally relies on as a third pitch.
The difference: keeping his hands below the bill of his cap during his pump.
"I felt like it helped keep my [fastball] down, too," he said. "We went back a couple years and watched some videos and compared. That was the only difference we saw."
