SAN FRANCISCO — Keone Kela couldn't throw his changeup for a strike in the Pirates' bullpen. So, Euclides Rojas grabbed a ball and gave his newest reliever the recipe to one of the most effective pitches in the history of the sport.
Rojas, the Pirates' bullpen coach, formed a circle around the ball with his right thumb and index finger, demonstrating to Kela exactly how Pedro Martinez, a Hall of Fame and three-time Cy Young Award winner, threw what many former players call the best changeup ever.
Kela grabbed the ball from Rojas, stepped back on the mound and unleashed one for a strike. The pitch, Kela said, could be the answer to a problem that plagued him even when he saved 24 games for the Rangers this season.
"I need something else against lefties," Kela told DKPittsburghSports.com. "Or even if I come in and need a ground ball. Instead of these guys sitting and waiting for a 96, 97 fastball, or that curveball, I can throw something that’s in between to catch them off-guard and get that rollover."
Kela owns a .321 opponents’ batting average and 1.69 WHIP against lefties this season, compared to a .125 average and 0.85 WHIP against right-handers. His signature 12-6 curveball, unleashed using his unique 12 o’clock, over-the-top delivery, complements a 97-mph fastball that has downward movement.
Together, those two pitches have produced a 1.15 WHIP in four seasons since he made his big-league debut. He’s averaging 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings this season and hasn’t averaged fewer than 10.1 in his career. Yet, Kela said he’s going to be a project for Rojas and Ray Searage. The 25-year-old was an outfielder at Everett Community College near Seattle and didn’t start pitching until after he was drafted in the 12th round by the Rangers in 2012. He began throwing the curveball shortly thereafter and made a quick ascent through the minor leagues.
However, his funky delivery can cause his mechanics to quickly unravel. It's another facet of his pitching the Pirates will attempt to fix. “I’m still learning how to pitch at the big-league level,” Kela added. “I’ve just been fortunate enough and blessed to be able to make the proper pitches to keep me in this game long enough to not get sent back down.”
Kela often practices his delivery in his hotel room before heading to the ballpark and describes himself as obsessive-compulsive. His search for perfection is why he attempted to throw the changeup upon reaching the major leagues.
For whatever reason, that knee-buckling curveball has never been all that effective against lefties. In search for another weapon, he tried, and failed, to throw a changeup. He threw 78 as a long reliever in 2014 before dropping it from his arsenal. His changeup as a Pirate to Charlie Blackmon Monday at Coors Field — which resulted in a leadoff single — was his first since June 10 this season, and he’s thrown more than two in an appearance only five times the past two seasons.
“We’re very excited about him,” Rojas said. “He fit in right away. He has two very good weapons. We hope he can add another one with the changeup.”
Rojas witnessed the effectiveness of Martinez’s changeup firsthand, while serving as the Red Sox’ bullpen coach during their World Series run in 2004. In addition to the grip, Martinez knew exactly when to release the pitch with one singular focus: aiming his index finger towards the catcher’s mitt.
"I haven’t really thrown it because I’m primarily a fastball/curveball guy, but he gave me one simple tip and it worked," Kela said. "He has a wealth of knowledge. ... It’s those things that are so beneficial. It’s very rare for you to be around."
Lefties are batting .364 against Kela's fastball this season and although his curveball has an astronomic 60 percent whiff rate against them, the pitch hasn't been as effective as it was in the past. His shoddy mechanics have made the pitch "loopy," Kela said, which resulted in a 6.30 ERA over his first 12 appearances, capped by his worst inning of the season on May 1, when the Indians' Michael Brantley crushed a hanging curveball for a three-run homer.
A changeup could keep opponents off the curveball and, in turn, make the Pirates' bullpen even more effective.
MORE PIRATES
• Elias Diaz's equipment change lasted only one inning Saturday. Diaz began the game wearing new white and gold catcher's equipment; however, he changed back to his old black and gold look after only one inning. He did so at the request of Jordy Mercer, who had trouble seeing the ball because of Diaz's white chest protector. -- Lysowski
• Ben Potenziano, the Pirates' assistant athletic trainer and a former employee of the Giants, is trying to arrange for some of the Pirates to meet Barry Bonds sometime this weekend. Players I've spoken with, Corey Dickerson in particular, are thrilled to be in San Francisco as the Giants retire Bonds' No. 25. -- Lysowski
• The trade deadline has passed, obviously, at least the one everyone discusses. But Neal Huntington's made clear over the years he sees little distinguishing the non-waiver deadline on July 31 from Aug. 31, which is the waiver-based trade deadline. He's remained equally engaged in talks, he's insisted, and won't hesitate to make a move. Just something to think about should the Pirates stay in contention. -- Dejan Kovacevic
STEELERS
• For those who missed it in the comments section of my preview story, I thought I'd lay out this little nugget for you all since some apparently don't know it. In 2010, the Steelers selected Emmanuel Sanders in the third round and Antonio Brown in the sixth. Throughout the offseason and training camp that year, they both looked good, with Sanders catching nine passes for 149 yards and a touchdown and Brown grabbing nine passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. But the Steelers still had Hines Ward, Mike Wallace and Antwaan Randle El on the roster along with Arnaz Battle, who they still liked. And with injuries at quarterback and Ben Roethlisberger suspended to open the season, Bruce Arians wanted to release Brown and sneak him onto the practice squad. Arians was overruled and the Steelers instead released Kraig Urbik, a third-round pick from the previous season who was going to be their ninth offensive lineman. And now you know the rest of the story. -- Dale Lolley in Philadelphia
• When the Steelers selected Terrell Edmunds in the first round of the draft, many pundits, fans and, yes, media, questioned the move. But Edmunds has been one of the stars of training camp and it's not a stretch to say he's been the Steelers' best safety. It helps that he hasn't missed any time, but Edmunds has shown the ability to close on and catch the football when it's thrown in his area and at 6-foot-1, 217 pounds, we can assume he can be a big hitter and strong tackler. Is he going to make some mistakes out there? Sure. He's 21 years old. But the early returns on Edmunds look very good. -- Lolley
• The coaching staff loves Mike Hilton's playmaking ability. But it also realizes that at 5-foot-9 (which is stretching things) and 184 pounds, opposing teams are going to run at him when he is the slot cornerback. Hilton is as tough as a $2 steak and is always trying to prove people wrong. He plays with a chip on his shoulder that might be bigger than himself. But the reality is the reality. That's why the team has taken an occasional look at him at free safety. The coaching staff likes him. But it also realizes that players his size -- such as Bob Sanders -- have issues staying healthy because of the beating they take. -- Lolley
PENGUINS
• This is a perfectly miserable time of the year for hockey news of any sort. Even scouring through Canadian sites in early August will show they're applying headlines to silly overseas tournaments and whatever Wayne Gretzky's up to. There's a reason for that: No one's really working. Not the media, but the people the media would typically be covering. GMs, coaches, players, even agents take a mutually understood vacation. Phones off, the whole deal. Soon, that'll change. -- DK