Baker's Blog

Mariner Blog by Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has plenty of content now. Interesting that as of this morning, the top three posts have something about Felix Hernandez (WI '03) in the in the first sentence:

One thing I've been pretty happy to see the first three days of camp is that Felix Hernandez seems to constantly be by Miguel Batista's side.

Gotta say, watching Felix Hernandez throw a bullpen session has to be the most interesting part of spring training so far.

Talked to Felix Hernandez this morning as he was getting ready to hit the field and throw another bullpen session.

Gotta give the people what they want, I guess.

Seriously, between Larry Stone and Geoff Baker in the Times, Corey Brock on MLB.com, and the Mariner blogs, it is going to be fun to follow the Mariners on-line this season.

That bottom link has a link to a story at Kansas.com about young pitchers, curveballs, and ex-Rattler pitching coach Brad Holman. (Baker had mixed up Brad with his brother Brian in that post, but fixed it in another one).

First, it's important to point out that most coaches of summer youth baseball teams are well-intentioned and giving of their time and, in most cases, money.

But this column isn't meant for the vast majority of youth coaches who teach pitching the right way. It's meant for those one or two in every league who don't.

Brad Holman, who graduated from North High and pitched for the Seattle Mariners in 1993, is one of those guys who treats a pitcher's arm like it's gold.

He has been giving pitching lessons in Wichita for years and specializes in teaching kids the mental aspect of the game, as well as the physical.

Holman, 39, made it a point to call me last week, just to say how adamant he is that summer coaches resist demanding their young pitchers -- and Holman defines "young" as anyone not yet high-school age -- to throw curveballs.
...
"I get a lot of kids who come to my (lessons) and talk about the curveball," said Holman, who is the Double-A pitching coach at Jackson (Tenn.), a Mariners affiliate. "That just blows my mind to realize there's a grown adult out there somewhere interested in winning over the development of the kid and the good health of the kid."

I'll say this from experience: It doesn't take much to blow Brad Holman's mind, but he's right on this point.