Diamondbacks working all angles to get Trevor Cahill back on track
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Diamondbacks' attempts to right right-hander Trevor Cahill continue.
Cahill is using a new arm angle this spring, the better to get his sinking fastball sinking. Last year the focus was on his setup, which was altered so that he began his delivery with his hands at belt level -- not as high as they had been.
It is not difficult to understand the D-backs' attention. At his best, Cahill translated upper-rotation stuff into multiple winning seasons. It is the kind of arm that demands patience.
"I remember him from Oakland, and I remember his first year here," D-backs general manager Dave Stewart said.
"That's in him. It's still there."
The D-backs liked what they have seen so far, and if Cahill returns to form, there is a spot in the rotation for him, manager Chip Hale said.
"We've noticed the ball coming out of his hand much better," Hale said. "His bullpens have been good. His BPs (batting practices) have been good. It's just a matter now of translating it into games. If we see what we've seen in the bullpen, he'll be one of our five, no doubt. He's had success in the past in the major leagues. We're excited with what we are seeing so far."
Cahill took the major leagues by storm. When he broke in with the A's in 2009, he was one of 35 American League pitchers to win at least 10 games that season, and he kept at it. Only 10 of that group had double-digit victories in each of the next three years, a who's who of staff stalwarts: David Price. James Shields, Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, Mark Buehrle, Rick Porcello, CC Sabathia, Gavin Floyd and Cahill.
Only Porcello was younger than Cahill, who turned 21 on March 1, 2009. While Tommy John surgery stalled Floyd's career, the others continued to prosper. Cahill is the lone exception. A side injury cut his workload and limited him to eight victories in 2013, and then came his three-win, 5.61 ERA struggle a year ago, when he accepted an option to the minor leagues and seemed to lose confidence.
"How could you not?" D-backs pitching coach Mike Harkey said. "He's had basically a couple of years when he's had up-and-down years where he's had to battle his butt off. The game is not easy. You just want to make sure you give yourself the best possible chance to use all of your best tools. That's all we are trying to do."
The D-backs have a group of promising young arms in camp, but only more veteran Josh Collmenter and Jeremy Hellickson appeared to be assured of starting spots. The competition includes holdovers Cahiil, Chase Anderson, Vidal Nuno, Daniel Hudson, Andrew Chafin and Randall Delgado and newcomers Robbie Ray, Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster.
The elephant in room with Cahill, scheduled to make his first spring start Thursday, is the contract that pays him $12 million this year and includes a $13 million option with a $300,000 buyout in 2016. If he pitches well and the D-backs are pleased with the progress of their younger pitchers, a trade market could develop for Cahill that probably doesn't exist now. The D-backs' payroll is about $94 million, and president/CEO Derrick Hall has said he would like to lower that, although he also said there is no urgency.
Cahill has been testing his new arm slot -- his arm is a little more over his head than before-- for seven weeks, since beginning his spring throwing program in mid-January. The idea is to keep Cahill's arm and hand behind the ball, which can lead to more sink.
"It looks drastically different, but I think it is a slot he probably had when he was younger," Harkey said. "It's not going to be that foreign to him. He's taken to it well. He likes it. Hopefully it translates."
When Cahill was acquired from Oakland for Jarrod Parker before the 2012 season, one player familiar with both compared Cahill's sinker to that of Brandon Webb. The D-backs have seen that only sporadically.
"We're just trying to get his arm slot up a little higher, get him on top of the ball more," Harkey said. "Something that gives him a little more angle to the plate. Staying on top is huge. You get off to the side and you are dealing with a lot of unnecessary movement that makes it harder to get in the zone. When you are on the side, it doesn't sink. It just runs. We want sink. We want the ball to be able to start over the middle and sink two inches, as opposed to starting over the outside corner and running back to the middle."
Cahill is a willing subject.
"It's just a little bit different," Cahill said. "It just takes a little time to get used to. At times it feels like I'm throwing straight over the top. Just a small adjustment for us feels like a lot. We'll see how it goes. The hitters will let you know if it works or not."
Cahill said he feels more powerful this season after doing more weight work and a little less running in the offseason, and he does not enter camp wondering about his fit. Even if he hits a speed bump in spring, he has shown an ability to recover. In his second season, 2010, Cahill did not make Oakland's opening day roster but still finished 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 30 starts, still career-bests in victories and ERA.
"I just go out there and prepare, and whatever happens, happens," Cahill said. "That's the easiest way to go about it. I don't think I have to show them. I just have to pitch better. They've probably have seen me pitch well and pitch bad. Hopefully there is more good than bad. I try not to think about that. It is a new season."
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