Post by Copenhagen on Aug 20, 2007 4:04:56 GMT -5
S.I. HURLER UP AND ADAM
By TIM BONTEMPS
August 20, 2007 -- It may have taken him 10 starts, but Adam Olbrychowski finally earned his first win in pro ball yesterday in the Staten Island Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones at Richmond County Bank Park.
Olbrychowski, the Yankees' fifth-round pick out of Pepperdine in June's draft, was 0-4 with a 4.93 earned run average in his first nine starts with Staten Island before throwing five scoreless innings yesterday.
"It's been either we've hit and I didn't pitch well, or I would pitch well and something would happen," the right-hander said. "But I feel like I've had pretty good stuff - and actually today, even though I walked five guys, I thought I had pretty good stuff, and to finally get a win . . . it's a great feeling."
Though he allowed only two hits in his five innings of work, the five walks Olbrychowski gave up were a continuation of a problem he has dealt with all season. In 431/3 innings with Staten Island, he has allowed 26 walks, and has given up 21 earned runs.
"When you get in the Yankees' organization, they want to change your mechanics a little bit so you are more fluid," Olbrychowski said. "I was kind of herky-jerky in college, and it worked for me, and I'm just adjusting to it.
"I feel more comfortable every time I go out there now with the new mechanics, and I'm sure I'll figure it out in the next couple weeks or so."
Staten Island pitching coach Jeff Ware wasn't thrilled with Olbrychowski's lack of control against the Cyclones, but he was happy Olbrychowski was able to settle down and get outs when he needed to. That had been missing from his last three starts, when he allowed 12 runs in just 131/3 innings.
"He did a great job of keeping the damage to a minimum," Ware said. "He had five walks, but making quality pitches with runners on base is what kept him in the game."
Armed with confidence from his best start in weeks, along with his first win as a pro, Olbrychowski is hoping to carry that success through the last few weeks of the season.
"I think I just need to keep working hard and bear down on the strike zone," he said. "When I throw strikes, I get people out, so I just need to keep doing that and not fall behind in counts, and just build off of this and finish strong."
S.I. Yanks 4 Cyclones 1
tbontemps@nypost.com
By TIM BONTEMPS
August 20, 2007 -- It may have taken him 10 starts, but Adam Olbrychowski finally earned his first win in pro ball yesterday in the Staten Island Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones at Richmond County Bank Park.
Olbrychowski, the Yankees' fifth-round pick out of Pepperdine in June's draft, was 0-4 with a 4.93 earned run average in his first nine starts with Staten Island before throwing five scoreless innings yesterday.
"It's been either we've hit and I didn't pitch well, or I would pitch well and something would happen," the right-hander said. "But I feel like I've had pretty good stuff - and actually today, even though I walked five guys, I thought I had pretty good stuff, and to finally get a win . . . it's a great feeling."
Though he allowed only two hits in his five innings of work, the five walks Olbrychowski gave up were a continuation of a problem he has dealt with all season. In 431/3 innings with Staten Island, he has allowed 26 walks, and has given up 21 earned runs.
"When you get in the Yankees' organization, they want to change your mechanics a little bit so you are more fluid," Olbrychowski said. "I was kind of herky-jerky in college, and it worked for me, and I'm just adjusting to it.
"I feel more comfortable every time I go out there now with the new mechanics, and I'm sure I'll figure it out in the next couple weeks or so."
Staten Island pitching coach Jeff Ware wasn't thrilled with Olbrychowski's lack of control against the Cyclones, but he was happy Olbrychowski was able to settle down and get outs when he needed to. That had been missing from his last three starts, when he allowed 12 runs in just 131/3 innings.
"He did a great job of keeping the damage to a minimum," Ware said. "He had five walks, but making quality pitches with runners on base is what kept him in the game."
Armed with confidence from his best start in weeks, along with his first win as a pro, Olbrychowski is hoping to carry that success through the last few weeks of the season.
"I think I just need to keep working hard and bear down on the strike zone," he said. "When I throw strikes, I get people out, so I just need to keep doing that and not fall behind in counts, and just build off of this and finish strong."
S.I. Yanks 4 Cyclones 1
tbontemps@nypost.com
