By Matt Corbett
WILLIAMSPORT — In Matt Wright’s second season as a professional, what has changed for the former West Snyder and Midd-West standout pitcher?
Certainly not his engaging personality, or the aw-shucks smile when he encounters old acquaintances. And not his strong left arm, which is hale and healthy after a brief bout of tendonitis.
No, what has changed is between his ears: the benefit of a year of pro experience under his belt.
“I feel like I have more of an idea of what I’m trying to do out there when I’m pitching,” said Wright, now in his second season with the Class A Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. “In game situations, everything I experienced my first year has just helped tremendously this year. I feel more relaxed, and that definitely helps.”
Wright and his teammates were in Williamsport for a three-game series against the Crosscutters that concluded Sunday night. Wright, currently a middle reliever, did not pitch in Friday night’s game at Bowman Field, a 6-3 victory by the Doubledays. Through Friday, the 5-foot-10 hurler had a 1-0 record, with a 4.05 earned run average in 13 1/3 innings of work, and an impressive 19 strikeouts to just three walks.
His first professional win — he went 0-3 with a 3.58 ERA as a rookie for Auburn in 2008 — came June 24, in a 9-4 victory over the Jamestown Jammers. Wright came on in the fifth inning and pitched four full innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs, with three strikeouts and no walks.
Subsequently, Wright was moved into the starting rotation when a fellow pitcher was called up to Class AA. He received a no-decision in each of two starts, but they were decidedly different performances.
“The first one went well. I threw five innings, and I was happy with the way I threw,” he said. “The second start was not good at all; I only threw two-thirds of an inning. I couldn’t find the strike zone and was up to like 40 pitches ... It was a case where I was putting too much pressure on myself and trying to do too much.”
That’s one reason Wright isn’t disappointed by his current role as middle reliever.
“I’ve never really thrown out of the bullpen a whole lot, but I’m really liking it,” Wright said. “I’m more relaxed there, I’m not trying to overthink. I feel like when I start I tend to overthink a little, and that gets me into some problems. Out of the bullpen, I just go out there and do my thing and let my pitches work for me.”
Change of pitches
Wright’s repertoire includes a fastball, curve, cut fastball and changeup. He recently dropped a slider in favor of the cut fastball.
“We (Wright and pitching coach Vince Horsman) added a cutter this spring and got rid of the slider. It just wasn’t sharp enough, so we worked on a cutter to get a sharper pitch that breaks in on right-handed batters,” Wright said. “And I’ve worked on the changeup a lot. I didn’t really have one in high school because I didn’t really need it. But here, I’d rate it as my second-best pitch.”
After being a starting pitcher his entire high school and college careers and in his first pro season, the 22-year-old admits to mixed emotions in his new role in middle relief.
“As a starter you throw every fifth day, so you have four days in between your starts where you can kind of relax, because you don’t have to worry about pitching that day. You know what you’re going to do every day when you come to the ballpark. You can keep your mind clear,” Wright said. “As a reliever you have to come out every day and find a way to be ready and be into the game. I like that actually, because it makes you focus more on the game. The adrenaline is there every day, so it’s a fun experience.”
Armed and dangerous
Wright is blessed with a pitching arm that seems to have adapted with the changes.
“The main thing I had to get used to was as a starter, you have 30 minutes before the game to get ready, but as a reliever, when they call down you have to get ready right away,” he said. “You might have to be ready in a minute after 15 throws, so that was the biggest thing.
“But my arm loosens up pretty quickly, so it’s not a problem for me.”
There was a problem in late March during spring training, when Wright developed a case of tendonitis in his left bicep. But within three days — during which he alternated between treatments of rest, ice and electronic stimulation — the arm was better.
“After three days I started light throwing, and (the pain) wasn’t there,” Wright said. “I’ve had no problems, and it’s felt good ever since.”
Home, at least for now
Wright admits he hoped to be at a higher level this season, but he’s making the best of his time in Auburn, located in central New York near Syracuse.
“I would like to have moved up (after last year), but Auburn’s a pretty good fit for me,” he said. “I get to come back around home and play; I get to see the family a lot, so that’s nice. But Auburn is a great little town, too, with a lot of fans who are really supportive, so it’s a pretty nice place to play.”
In the meantime, he keeps adding to that experience column in his ledger.
“Everything that’s happening to me this year, I can look back and be like, ‘That same thing happened last year,’ and it helps me deal with it,” Wright said. “I know there are going to be some rough games and some good games. (Experience) helps me to stay relaxed and know what to expect.”
