On October 21, 2006, Anthony Reyes was the winning pitcher in Game One of the World Series, throwing eight quality innings as the Cardinals defeated the Tigers 4-2. Having gone into that season rated as the top prospect in the organization, Reyes looked like a big part of the future in St. Louis. Two tumultuous years later, the right-hander out of USC is trying to resurrect his career with Indians. Acquired by Cleveland in August, Reyes went 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six games for the Tribe before being shut down due to a tender elbow. Reyes talked about his bumpy ride from St. Louis to Cleveland when the Indians visited Fenway Park in late September.
David Laurila: A lot of people feel that the American League is far superior to the National League right now. Based on the short time you’ve been here, do you agree with that?
Anthony Reyes: You know what? I haven’t really noticed a whole lot of difference between the two. I mean, as for pitching goes, you see the hitter and you pitch. I haven’t really seen a big, notable difference.
DL: Have you seen any differences in hitting approach?
AR: Not really. In both leagues, everyone is looking to put the ball in play and do their job. The only real difference here is that you don’t see the pitcher in the lineup.
DL: Are the strike zones essentially the same?
AR: Yes. I don’t really see a whole, big difference. Some guys have smaller zones than others, but I still think it’s balanced, just like it was in the National League.
DL: What is the biggest difference between Cleveland and St. Louis?
AR: The biggest thing is the fans, and how much the fans are in the game and understand the game. There’s a little more of that in St. Louis, because it’s such a baseball town. The stadium is full every time you go there, so it’s just a different atmosphere, although it’s still baseball here — they cheer when you do well, so it’s still nice.
DL: How do Eric Wedge and Tony LaRussa compare as managers?
AR: I’m going to say that they’re pretty different; they’re two different types of managers. I just like the communication here. It’s nice to know what they’re thinking; they kind of give you some feedback, which makes it a little easier to play.
AR: The first thing I’m going to say is communication. Carl Willis is very easy to talk to. He makes the game fun; he kind of loosens you up before the game. It’s just one of those things that makes it easier for me to play, and for me to be able to communicate what I’m thinking. It’s just nice having that.
DL: Duncan reportedly wanted you to throw more two-seamers, while you preferred to stick primarily with your four-seamer. Is that something you can address?
AR: I’ve kind of stopped talking about the whole deal, because it is what it is, and I’ve kind of put that behind me. I’m trying to look forward, now, rather than looking back. It was nice to get that World Series win, but for now I’m moving forward and that’s all behind me.
DL: You were pitching in the World Series two years ago. Does that seem like a long time ago, or more like it was just yesterday?
AR: The next year, it already seemed like just a distant memory, so it seems like long ago. I don’t really think about it too much, to be honest.
DL: You were struggling to win games prior to being demoted to the minor leagues in 2007, but you were also the victim of poor run support. Do you feel that you were throwing better than many people gave you credit for?
AR: I probably had some games where I threw pretty well. But, you know, bad luck kind of followed me around all year. I try not to think about it, but it was one of those years where I just couldn’t get away from it.
DL: When you’re pitching well, what are you doing right?
AR: Having fun. I think that’s my biggest key: having fun and enjoying the game like I used to. And, over here it’s fun, because I’m not worried about what people think. If they have anything to say to me, they’ll say it. When I’m throwing well, I’m just relaxing and not really thinking too much. I’m not worried about throwing to a hitter’s weaknesses; I’m focusing on my strengths and what I can control. I think that’s the biggest part of it.
DL: An article I read recently suggested that the elbow problems you’ve experienced could be a result of your “funky delivery.” What are your thoughts on that?
AR: I haven’t had an elbow problem since college, so this is the first one. Over in St. Louis, I was trying different arm angles, and trying to figure out what was going on, and I kind of flamed something and haven’t really had a chance to rest all year. I think my delivery is pretty smooth; I don’t think it’s so funky. It’s just one of those things where I just got hit by a little injury. I’ll be fine.
The way Reyes was treated by the Cardinals organization (and I say this as a Cardinals fan) was shameful. LaRussa and Duncan had a problem with Reyes from more or less day one, whether it be his approach (pitching up with the four seamer instead of pitching "to contact" low in the zone) or his "attitude" (Tony supposedly felt that Reyes had a sense of entitlement about him). Their usage of him, the yo-yoing between the minors and majors, and trying to shoehorn him into a pitching approach for which he was not particularly well-suited all served to destroy any trade value he had. I hope he does well in Cleveland and ends up having a decent career.
Couldn't agree more. As a Cards fan, I was unbelievably shocked at how Duncan handled Reyes. My thinking was, "Obviously your [Duncan] method is not working for the kid so give him a shot to use his own style". I never thought he really got that shot. I was thrilled the day the Cards traded him so he could get a fresh start.
I'm going to disagree here. Reyes didn't fit the Duncan style and at that point, should have been moved. Duncan's been successful and it's clear that he has both his own style and a type of pitcher he works best with. I think it's better to work towards that AND to have an integrated approach in the minors. When someone doesn't fit, you deal them for someone that does. I think of Duncan like I do Bobby Knight -- both are "system" guys and get more out of less talent than others, but everyone doesn't fit.
Will -- I agree that Duncan has a system and that Reyes didn't fit it, but if that was the case, they should have realized it earlier on and tried to move Reyes when he had more value. Instead, they jerked him around (AAA/MLB, pen/rotation, etc,) and got him to the point where (a) his perceived value was so low, and (b) other teams rightly discerned that he was held in very low regard by Cardinals' management was so low, that the Cardinals ended up giving up a pretty cheap, more-or-less MLB-ready starter (albeit a 4 or 5) for a 24 year-old reliever who has not progressed above AA. I cant help but think he could have brought back more in return a few years ago (either as part of a package or in a one-for-one).
I agree. Should have listened to Duncan in his preference to retain Haren in the Mulder deal and shipped off Reyes, who was the better prospect @ the time. Hindsight is 20/20 though.
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The way Reyes was treated by the Cardinals organization (and I say this as a Cardinals fan) was shameful. LaRussa and Duncan had a problem with Reyes from more or less day one, whether it be his approach (pitching up with the four seamer instead of pitching "to contact" low in the zone) or his "attitude" (Tony supposedly felt that Reyes had a sense of entitlement about him). Their usage of him, the yo-yoing between the minors and majors, and trying to shoehorn him into a pitching approach for which he was not particularly well-suited all served to destroy any trade value he had. I hope he does well in Cleveland and ends up having a decent career.
Couldn't agree more. As a Cards fan, I was unbelievably shocked at how Duncan handled Reyes. My thinking was, "Obviously your [Duncan] method is not working for the kid so give him a shot to use his own style". I never thought he really got that shot. I was thrilled the day the Cards traded him so he could get a fresh start.
I'm going to disagree here. Reyes didn't fit the Duncan style and at that point, should have been moved. Duncan's been successful and it's clear that he has both his own style and a type of pitcher he works best with. I think it's better to work towards that AND to have an integrated approach in the minors. When someone doesn't fit, you deal them for someone that does. I think of Duncan like I do Bobby Knight -- both are "system" guys and get more out of less talent than others, but everyone doesn't fit.
Will -- I agree that Duncan has a system and that Reyes didn't fit it, but if that was the case, they should have realized it earlier on and tried to move Reyes when he had more value. Instead, they jerked him around (AAA/MLB, pen/rotation, etc,) and got him to the point where (a) his perceived value was so low, and (b) other teams rightly discerned that he was held in very low regard by Cardinals' management was so low, that the Cardinals ended up giving up a pretty cheap, more-or-less MLB-ready starter (albeit a 4 or 5) for a 24 year-old reliever who has not progressed above AA. I cant help but think he could have brought back more in return a few years ago (either as part of a package or in a one-for-one).
[Second "was so low" should have been deleted. A preview option for comments would be nice.]