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SARASOTA, Fla. — Lefty Brian Tallet may have found a new weapon in his arsenal as he works in a new two-seam fastball this spring.
On Wednesday, Tallet went to the two-seamer often and with success as he allowed no runs and just one hit over four innings against Baltimore. Six of his outs were on ground balls.
“They were almost all two-seamers or changeups,” Tallet, who is the leading candidate for the fifth and final spot in the rotation, said. “To be able to get ground balls with a two-seamer is something that could help me a lot. That’s what you’re looking to do, to get ground balls and quick outs and that’s what I was able to do today.”
Tallet’s tinkered with a two-seamer in the past but this spring is sporting a new grip.
“Last year I struggled with it big time, it was real inconsistent and I had a hard time getting a consistent grip with it,” he said. “Rick Langford (the Jays bullpen coach) talked to us and showed a couple of different grips and I tried one out and it feels comfortable. If I can take that pitch (Wednesday’s) out there I’d take that every day. I threw a lot today because I want to work on it. If you have that good sinker you get a lot of ground balls.”
mike.rutsey@sunmedia.ca