MESA, Ariz. – Sean Doolittle is looking for better health this season, and with it a new pitch to add to his arsenal.
The A’s lefty closer is trying to master a split-change, a combo of a split-fingered fastball and changeup that he hopes can provide a solid complement to the fastball he uses so heavily.
Since converting from first base to pitching in 2011, Doolittle has occasionally shown hitters a slider and changeup, but he’s never really gotten comfortable enough with either to throw them regularly.
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SIGN UP HERE Doolittle said he actually debuted his split-change in his final outing of last season, and then worked on it all offseason. His brother Ryan, a non-roster reliever in camp this spring, utilizes the pitch with effectiveness.
“It’s not a pitch where you need a ton of hand action, or you’re turning it over or have to get a feel for,” Doolittle said. “It’s almost like you pre-set the grip and you just throw the s--- out of it.”
A’s pItching coach Curt Young said the plan heading into last spring was for Doolittle to incorporate a legitimate second pitch, but those plans got dashed when the reliever strained his rotator cuff and wound up missing most of the season.
“This is the time for him to feel real good about (developing a new pitch),” Young said, “for us to see quality in the pitch and we all know it’s gonna be effective.”
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In the grip for a split-change, the index and middle finger don’t spread so far apart as with a traditional splitter. They sit just outside the seams. Doolittle said he’s gotten good downward movement on the pitch and good fade, which means the ball would tail away from a right-handed hitter.
Playing into the importance of mastering the pitch is whether Doolittle continues to gain back velocity on his fastball that he lost during his shoulder troubles. His fastball regained some life toward the end of last season, getting up to the 93-95 mph range. But that’s still below what he was clocking before last year’s injuries.
Being able to elevate his fastball and move it around the zone will still be Doolittle’s primary M.O., but the need for an effective second pitch becomes more important if he’s not blowing the heater by hitters.
“Obviously you’d like that velocity back where it was,” Young said. “That’s something we’ll be working for this spring. But anytime he can add a little different look to what he’s doing, I think it’s gonna make it tougher for hitters to sit on just the fastball.”