Evolution Of A Pitcher Brings Bryan Price Joy

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You can take the pitching coach out of the bullpen but you can't take the bullpen out of the pitching coach.

A day after the Reds snapped a losing streak more hideous than Jake from State Farm, Price was excited about the young pitcher, whose performance played a big part of it.

Michael Lorenzen less than two years removed from roaming centerfield for Cal-State Fullerton, pitched seven innings of two-hit, one-run baseball to put the Reds in position to break through with a win.

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Lorenzen only had 90 pitches and could have gone one more but Price elected to go to his improving bullpen with Jumbo Diaz and Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman got the win.

Lorenzen remains 1-1 in four starts with a 3.12 ERA.

Forget the mundane numbers and the flashy new wave WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitch) ane WAR (Wins Above Replacements) and all the other finger-down-the-throat inducing, calculus like, mind numbing modern statistical poop.

Price is excited about watching first hand the evolution of Raisel Iglesias and Lorenzen.

:"He shook off Brayan Pena last night to get to a high fastball that he had been working on with Ted Power in Louisville," Price said.  "We're seeing the evolution of a prospect turning into a vialble starting Major League pitcher. He is learning how to attack hitters."

Price's eyes lit up, the former pitching coach in him triggering his excitement.

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"It is fun for me; even though you have to go through these growing pains," Price said. "We got to see it with Mike Leake and Homer Bailey.

Price walks a tightrope from needing to win and yet develop pitchers. The economics of the game make it difficult for teams to keep Johnny Cueto after developing him into one of the best pitchers in the game. The Reds have three rookies now in the starting rotation with Anthony DeSclafani, Iglesias and Lorenzen.

Price was mindful of Lorenzen's development when he decided not to send Lorenzen out for the eighth inning even though he threw just 90 pitches.

"I didn't want all the pressure of the importance of breaking the losing streak to be placed on the young pitcher.  If it were Cueto or Leake I know it wouldn't set them back if they gave up a run in the eighth inning," Price said.  "Diaz is throwing the ball much better than he did early in the season."

Excellent article about Lorenzen by Hal McCoy.

http://www.foxsports.com/ohio/story/cincinnati-reds-michael-lorenzen-faith-052715

http://pro-ball.com/