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Yankee veterans Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera doing their part to keep Ivan Nova on right track - NY Daily News Print Comment
Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News
Ivan Nova allows four hits and fans two batters on Tuesday.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. ,Ivan Nova has never lacked confidence. In fact, overconfidence has often masked some of his struggles in his own mind, and perhaps prevented him from taking the proper steps to turn the bad times around.
After watching Nova’s disastrous second half last season, some Yankee veterans are doing their part to make sure the 26-year-old returns to the form that made him a rising star in 2011. Nova flashed that form Tuesday, twirling four scoreless innings against the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park, giving him nine innings of one-run ball in three spring starts,air jordan evolution.
“You want them to use their abilities, and he has a lot of abilities,Mariano Rivera said of his young teammates and then of Nova in particular. “You’re going to make sure they do whatever is right and they don’t waste it. Last year he was good, but at the end, we missed him.,/p>
Andy Pettitte has paid close attention to Nova, although that’s hardly surprising considering the 40-year-old routinely sits in on his teammates,bullpen sessions. Pettitte’s eyes widen as he talks about Nova’s potential, one of the reasons the lefty isn’t too worried about the Yankees,Air Jordan Take Flight,ability to compete while Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson are sidelined by injury.
“He’s special, man,Pettitte said. “His stuff is so good, he just needs to continue to work on the mental side. The bottom line is that he knows he can pitch up here. His stuff is too good for him not to know that. It’s a matter of just not getting down on himself.,/p>
Nova and David Phelps came to camp as the two candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, and both pitchers are proving themselves quite worthy.
Phelps has allowed one run over 14 innings in his four starts, gaudy numbers that would typically make him the front-runner for the job. But Nova, who won 16 games in 2011 and another 10 during the first half last season before finishing 12-8,Air Jordan New Sytle Sale, has answered the challenge.
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“I think he’s hungry to earn a job,Joe Girardi said.
Said Nova: “I’m not thinking about if I’m doing enough,Air Jordan Jump Man H,Nova said. “I just know I’m doing my job, I’m pitching well and I’m enjoying the time that I’m having so far.,/p>
Nova, who allowed four hits and fanned two on Tuesday, has given up eight hits and one walk in nine innings, striking out five.
“I think he’s commanding his fastball better,said Girardi, who credits a minor mechanical adjustment Nova made with pitching coach Larry Rothschild. “His inconsistency a lot of times last year was just his lack of command. His command would get a little bit off. Not that he would walk people, but he didn’t hit his spots.,/p>
Those missed spots often led to serious damage, as Nova gave up a league-high 87 extra-base hits.
“I noticed frustration, which I think is pretty normal for players when they’re struggling,Girardi said. “Sometimes that frustration can get in the way.,/p>
That knowledge comes with time, which is where Pettitte and Rivera enter the picture.
“He’s young still, so we just have to reinforce that we need him,said Rivera, 43. “If we can make our teammates better, we make the team better. That’s what it is all about.,/p> Post a Comment ,