Pirates' Wild Card starter Volquez hopes to follow familiar script
PITTSBURGH — A year ago Edinson Volquez was on the LA Dodgers' postseason roster but didn't see any action. He also wasn't sure what the next step in his career was going to be.
Now Volquez finds himself starting for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Wednesday's NL Wild Card game against the San Francisco Giants.
After seeing how his friend Francisco Liriano saw a career revival when he signed with the Pirates last year, Volquez has experienced the same results. The right-hander leads Pittsburgh in wins (13) and had his best season since 2008, when he made the NL All-Star team in his first year with the Cincinnati Reds.
"We've had a run of helping guys reconnect with things they did well when they were doing well. It sounds simple and if it was we could do it with every player," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "What really helped for me was he came in with his eyes and ears open. Sometimes things come together for all the right reasons and I do think the personalities meshed."
Volquez has a great chance of continuing to follow in Liriano's path. Liriano was the National League Comeback Player of the Year last season and Volquez has to be among the favorites for this year's award. He is 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA and comes in with an 18-inning scoreless streak.
It's been quite a comeback for Volquez. After winning 18 games in his first full season in the majors with the Reds in 2008, it looked like the trade in which the Reds acquired the then-23-year-old right-hander from the Rangers was going to work out for both parties. All Texas received in the deal was Josh Hamilton.
Then came an elbow injury and Tommy John surgery in July of 2009, followed by a 50-game suspension for PEDs in 2010.
After going 5-7 in 2011, Volquez was one of four players the Reds sent to San Diego for Mat Latos. Volquez lasted less than two seasons with the Padres and had the highest ERA for a starter in the majors (5.71) before being designated for assignment in August of 2013. The Dodgers picked Volquez up but he struggled in five regular-season starts.
During the Winter Meetings, the Pirates signed him to a one-year deal worth $5 million.
"When I got released (by the Padres), you feel like it is over," Volquez said. "The chance I got with Dodgers was great. It was great for me to see what happened with Francisco and it influenced me coming here."
One of the first things that Volquez and pitching coach Ray Searage worked on was establishing a consistent delivery. His hands got behind him and his head often was off to the side instead of straight. Now he stays over the pitching rubber longer and he is driving the ball down better in the zone.
Searage also thinks that Volquez is a more complete pitcher. One of the first things Searage told him before spring training is he saw a pitcher with a great fastball who threw nothing but changeups.
"Now he uses his fastball and changeup in good sequences," Searage added. "His curveball has matured greatly. Everything in his evolution of being a pitcher has gone forward. He doesn't know how good he can be right now. Sometimes people get there later than sooner."
Volquez has also learned to pitch more to contact than being a power pitcher. Opponents had a .235 batting average against him this season, which was ninth in the National League.
"He has been more consistent in the zone and attacking more at the bottom," said catcher Russell Martin of the improvement in Volquez's game. "I feel like he's been one of our most consistent pitchers and lately he's been dominating out there."
Volquez does have postseason experience but it did not go well. He pitched Game 1 of the National League Division Series for the Reds in 2010 and went just 1 2/3 innings against the Phillies, giving up four runs on four hits. Fans remember that game for Philadelphia's Roy Halladay pitching a no-hitter.
In 11 career starts against the Giants, Volquez is 2-2. He didn't face San Francisco this season but was 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA in five starts last year.
"He's always had great stuff and there have been some times when his command has gotten in the way, but it looks like he's overcome that," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's not pitching himself in trouble like he used to. The fastball has always been there along with a good breaking ball and changeup. It looks like, now that he has matured, he has found more strikes and is not beating himself."
After a raucous atmosphere in last year's Wild Card Game win at PNC Park against the Reds, Hurdle and the Pirates are expecting the same on Wednesday night. Volquez is hoping he can do the same thing Liriano did in last year's game against the Reds when he went seven innings and allowed only one run in a 6-2 victory.
Said Hurdle of Liriano: "What we've watched transpire through the season. He's pitched a handful of games where the crowd has been electric. No one has all the answers. That's the beauty of this thing; it's all about letting people go out there and perform."
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