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Drew Sharp: Tigers' Bruce Rondon learning mechanics, mind-set of closing
The kid can't find the plate after his first three spring appearances, his immense weaponry wasted.
Perhaps the expectations of potentially closing for a contender are proving too great for his 22 years. His team leaks information that it's exploring the possible acquisition of a veteran closer. They spend a little more time working on the kid's mechanics.
The team was Atlanta.
The year was 2011.
The kid was Craig Kimbrel.
Kimbrel responded to the doubts, internally and externally, with six scoreless innings in his last six spring appearances. Since then, he has been the National League's best closer with a total of 88 saves and a mind-blowing ratio of 15,air jordan 12 playoffs.7 strikeouts per nine innings the past two seasons. He was the 2011 NL rookie of the year,air jordan 9.
The lesson for those certain that Bruce Rondon can't handle the Tigers' ninth-inning responsibilities after several shaky efforts this spring is that the best closers can only grow through adversity.
Rondon's struggles are the best thing for his development. All that matters now is how he responds. He spent a little after-class time with pitching coach Jeff Jones on Wednesday, and apparently all parties were satisfied with how Rondon threw.
A closer is only as good as his ability to quickly erase from his mind the last rocket he served up.
Jones told me in January that the closer's mentality is one of resiliency. Though you never openly wish for failure, the only way you can measure that elasticity is after the closer crashes and burns. It's much better for Rondon and the Tigers that this happened now as opposed to the first month of the season.
As screwy as it sounds, Rondon would be in far worse shape if he pitched lights-out in his initial spring outings. That would've created an irrationally high level of certainty that the rookie should smoothly transition from Triple-A Toledo to those ninth-inning outings at Comerica Park with the Tigers clinging to a one-run lead.
I don't doubt the Tigers are exploring all possible options, but I also suspect there's a premeditated design in this trade speculation.
It's a little early for doomsday talk, especially considering the wildly mercurial shifts in the performance of closers,air jordan retro 11. One week they're up; next week they're down.
Unless their last name is Rivera, closers usually drive everyone crazy on more than a few occasions. But as long as they're not driving themselves batty, nothing else really matters.
Rondon might not fully grasp the English language, but he knows there are doubts.
If he thinks he might be in trouble now, even better for determining the measure of the young man's grit and resolve. GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland want to see how he responds to the challenge.
Does he lose confidence, Does he throw up his arms in resignation, pretty much assuring his return to Toledo,air jordan 9 cool grey, Or does he look at his control struggles as strictly a mechanical hiccup that's easily correctable,
Wednesday's brief session with Jones suggests a few subtle tweaks in his delivery might have made a difference. We'll see.
But understand that closers aren't born. They're bred. The job's more mental than physical.
It's impossible to draw any definitive conclusions after such a small glimpse of Rondon. But a little artificial panic isn't necessarily a bad thing if it helps determine whether a closer can regain his composure.
Contact Drew Sharp: 313-223-4055 or dsharp@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @drewsharp.
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