Notes: Shoulder delays Van Benschoten

02/18/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pirates right-hander John Van Benschoten had the first day of Spring Training circled on his calendar for months.
After spending the entire 2005 season on the disabled list while recovering from surgeries to both shoulders, Van Benschoten had envisioned the first workout for pitchers and catchers as his opportunity to once again feel like a part of the team. But when a routine team physical revealed that the former No. 1 draft pick was still suffering from tightness and weakness in his throwing shoulder, Van Benschoten was forced to the sidelines once again.
"This is nothing really major," said Van Benschoten. "But just not starting up with everybody else is the most frustrating thing. You wait a year to do this, and then you have a little tightness here and a little weakness there."
Following a team meeting and stretching exercise on Friday, Van Benschoten returned to the Pirates City training facilities visibly discouraged by the latest setback.
"I had my sights set on being out there Friday," he said. "Not being able to do that really wore on me.
Van Benschoten threw off a mound in January during minicamp and did not feel any pain in the shoulder, other than the discomfort expected following such a long layoff. It wasn't until the team physical that he realized the shoulder wasn't quite right.
"It wasn't something I would notice unless they did the tests [on] me. When I was home, I really didn't notice it," said Van Benschoten. "But when they did certain tests on my shoulder and there was weakness at one position and tightness in another, you've got to take precautions."
Van Benschoten is not experiencing any pain in the shoulder, and he describes the tightness as a "kink." He'll participate only in exercises aimed at stretching the shoulder until he can eliminate the tightness and weakness.
Although no timetable has yet been set on his return to the mound, Van Benschoten has been encouraged by the progress he has made in the two days since the physical.
"I already have noticed a huge difference," he said. "It might be tomorrow or it might be a week, but I am looking forward to getting out there pretty soon."
Extra session: New Pirates manager Jim Tracy hinted on Thursday that, time permitting, his club might participate in an "extra session" when camp opened. However, he didn't give any further explanation as to what the session might entail.
Because the drills ran late Friday because each player had to undergo a team physical before taking the field, the extra session was put on hold for a day. And just before the second day of workouts were about to end on Saturday, new pitching coach Jim Colborn unveiled the mysterious "extra session."
In what looked more like a professor leading his students around campus for an outdoor class than a traditional baseball drill, Colborn and his entire corps of pitchers walked from one Pirate City field to the next and discussed situational defensive scenarios. At different times, Colborn would call out a potential game situation. Rather than always give out the instructions himself, Colborn would occasionally ask his players to volunteer their interpretations of the proper way to execute that particular play.
In essence, Colborn was encouraging his pitchers to exercise their minds as much as their bodies.
"It takes patience because you have to be willing to get the wrong answers," said Colborn, who uses a similar approach in some of his meetings with pitchers. "But in the end, it's a better technique."
Upon closer inspection: In an effort to become better acquainted with each of his pitcher's deliveries, Colborn began the daily bullpen session on Saturday by having just two pitchers throwing simultaneously rather than making use of all four mounds.
"That's the first time I've done that," Colborn said. "When you have four-to-six pitchers on the mound at one time, it's impossible to focus on one. Even though you are watching one guy, you are distracted by other guys.
"I thought I would get it down to two at a time to get to understand their deliveries. The quicker I can speed up that process and understand what makes their deliveries click, the quicker we can have some positive results."
Right-handers Kip Wells and Marty McLeary were the first to get the dual treatment that Colborn intends to use with each of his pitchers at some point early on this spring.
What's in a number? Several Pirates pitchers and catchers have already begun to sing Colborn's praises. One even went so far as to give up his uniform number to the new pitching coach.
Oliver Perez, who had worn No. 48 since joining the Pirates in 2003, switched to No. 59 so that Colborn could keep the uniform number he'd had while serving as a member of the Dodgers coaching staff.
"It is special [to] him," said Perez. "He asked me to give it to him, and I [agreed]. It's not special for me. This number [59] was my first number in the big leagues, so it was no problem for me."
Perez was asked if he requested a favor in return for the number switch. Perhaps he could barter the number for a promise that he'd be given the Opening Day start?
"No," said Perez, grinning, "but I'd take it."
Other Pirates numerical changes this spring include Chris Duffy, switching from No. 26 to No. 6, and Nate McLouth, trading in his former No. 59 for No. 49.
Quote of the day: "He's a guy who learned how to pitch -- and not just threw the ball, but knew what he wanted to do with it with each and every one that he threw -- at about age 10. That's a little early to be that far along, but that's the kind of impression that you get about him. He's a very poised kid. He has a real understanding of what it is he's trying to do. He has a plan." -- Tracy, on Pirates sophomore southpaw Zach Duke

Source: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/