First year manager Blake Butera joined 106.7 The Fan this week to review the Washington Nationals starting pitching candidates
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Video Transcript
You’re still gonna be new to this, but you’ve done it in the minor leagues.
You’re still gonna be new to this, but you’ve done it in the minor leagues.
What do you think the biggest challenge is of getting through a whole season?
What do you think the biggest challenge is of getting through a whole season?
Is it the physical side of it or the mental side?
Is it the physical side of it or the mental side?
It’s definitely both.
It’s definitely both.
I w- if you had to pick one or the other, I’d say the mental side of it.
I w- if you had to pick one or the other, I’d say the mental side of it.
It’s just, like, you just kind of notice with the best players across the game, they’re just so even-keeled, right?
It’s just, like, you just kind of notice with the best players across the game, they’re just so even-keeled, right?
Like, they’re– They don’t ride the highs and they don’t ride the lows, and I think the biggest thing is, is something I’ve told them is, like, you’re never as good as you think you are, and you’re never as bad as you think you are.
Like, they’re– They don’t ride the highs and they don’t ride the lows, and I think the biggest thing is, is something I’ve told them is, like, you’re never as good as you think you are, and you’re never as bad as you think you are.
If you just continue to stick to your same process and routine day in and day out, and really buy in and believe into what you’re, what you’re trying to do every day, like, the results will kind of take care of themselves, and that’s why we play a hundred and sixty-two games.
If you just continue to stick to your same process and routine day in and day out, and really buy in and believe into what you’re, what you’re trying to do every day, like, the results will kind of take care of themselves, and that’s why we play a hundred and sixty-two games.
That’s why baseball, you can’t shrink the season, ’cause you don’t really get the full scope of how good someone is until they play that whole season.
That’s why baseball, you can’t shrink the season, ’cause you don’t really get the full scope of how good someone is until they play that whole season.
With that being, how do you Obviously, you guys have a player development focus at the Major League level, as well as the minors.
With that being, how do you Obviously, you guys have a player development focus at the Major League level, as well as the minors.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
But how do you focus on player development hand-in-hand with trying to win games that, that night?
But how do you focus on player development hand-in-hand with trying to win games that, that night?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I think, it’s a really good question.
So I think, it’s a really good question.
At, at the end of the day, when we get into When, when the lights turn on and it’s time to play the game and the first pitch is thrown, like, our job is to win the game.
At, at the end of the day, when we get into When, when the lights turn on and it’s time to play the game and the first pitch is thrown, like, our job is to win the game.
Like, that is first and foremost.
Like, that is first and foremost.
The stuff that happens before games, the stuff that happens in between games, where we can make some adjustments, we can show some players video, we can correct, we can kind of make some changes there.
The stuff that happens before games, the stuff that happens in between games, where we can make some adjustments, we can show some players video, we can correct, we can kind of make some changes there.
But once the game starts, like, our, our objective is to win.
But once the game starts, like, our, our objective is to win.
Jim said that he’s also focusing on defense.
Jim said that he’s also focusing on defense.
Where do you think he can improve in that area?
Where do you think he can improve in that area?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it’s crazy with how big he is.
So it’s crazy with how big he is.
You wouldn’t expect him to run as well as he does, right?
You wouldn’t expect him to run as well as he does, right?
So I think for him, it’s just kind of reading balls off the bat just a quick, you know, a tick faster, and really trusting his, his routes and, and basically turning those routes into more efficient routes.
So I think for him, it’s just kind of reading balls off the bat just a quick, you know, a tick faster, and really trusting his, his routes and, and basically turning those routes into more efficient routes.
he has good hands.
he has good hands.
You know, he, he can get off the ball pretty good.
You know, he, he can get off the ball pretty good.
I think his biggest thing is just trusting what he’s seeing.
I think his biggest thing is just trusting what he’s seeing.
How does he build that trust?
How does he build that trust?
Reps. Like, that-that’s strictly reps, and that’s part of the reason why we brought Corey Ray in here.
Reps. Like, that-that’s strictly reps, and that’s part of the reason why we brought Corey Ray in here.
He’s an outstanding outfield coach.
He’s an outstanding outfield coach.
Michael Johns, the bench coach, worked with the outfielders in Tampa Bay and had guys like Chandler Simpson and Josh Lowe and some other A-as much of a premium as, as the Rays put on defense, you know, I just feel really strongly that those two coaches are gonna help James.
Michael Johns, the bench coach, worked with the outfielders in Tampa Bay and had guys like Chandler Simpson and Josh Lowe and some other A-as much of a premium as, as the Rays put on defense, you know, I just feel really strongly that those two coaches are gonna help James.
And MJ, I think I mentioned early on, MJ, our bench coach, has already gone and seen James multiple times at IMG and kind of helped him work on some, some whether it’s setup, whether it’s first step, and then it’s taking that into batting practice and really locking into balls off the bat.
And MJ, I think I mentioned early on, MJ, our bench coach, has already gone and seen James multiple times at IMG and kind of helped him work on some, some whether it’s setup, whether it’s first step, and then it’s taking that into batting practice and really locking into balls off the bat.