Cubs.com article on The Don (Veal)

[RammyFanny]

Good read. Talks about concentrating on throwing strikes this year and sacraficing a couple K's if it means he can go deeper into the game.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070302&content_id=1822462&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

"Even then, going later in the games, you're helping the team more. You're not using as many pitchers, the bullpen is fresh. It saves your arm. You feel better every start, because you know you don't have to throw 100 pitches to strike out 10 guys. You can just throw 75 and get 30 ground balls, and you're done and you get the 'W.' That's all that matters."

 

So far this spring, it's clear that Veal is working on putting that theory into practice. Throwing in the Cubs' mini-camp for Minor Leaguers, he's been extremely sharp, maintaining his delivery, keeping the ball down and consistently hitting his spots.

 

"Donald Veal has really, really looked as good as adverstised," said Oneri Fleita, the Cubs' director of player development and Latin American operations. "He's making the steps. He's starting to mature, and his delivery is really repeating itself."

What Veal doesn't want to repeat is a level. All indications are that he won't have to, with a jump to Double-A Tennessee expected at the start the season. Of course, being the competitor that he is, Veal wouldn't mind trying to push the envelope a little bit.

 

"I haven't really talked to anyone about it," Veal said. "That's my hope, at least start in Double-A. I hope I can make somebody make a tough decision. The plan is to start in Double-A, and we'll go from there."

 

Veal paused, then added with a smile, as if he knew the Cubs were listening, "Throwing strikes is the key."

[karenmac]

I think they need a new picture - he doesn't look anything like that any more!

 

The speculation on going above AA this year was interesting - with the pack jammed rotations at AAA and the majors, not quite sure how that would work without someone getting hurt or traded...and he may find AA a bit more challenging than he thinks too!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Good to see Veal looking strong in camp. He does need to learn how to repeat his delivery - especially on the offspeed stuff. I think that alone will help him improve his control.

[tkenm356]

I think they need a new picture - he doesn't look anything like that any more!

 

I think it serves its purpose quite well... I say this cause I had no idea he was black. I always thought Donald Veal was a white, perhaps I should pay attention to more than just the numbers in our farm system :lol:

[craig]

Thanks for the link. Hopefully some of the gaga works. A lot of guys have a hot stretch but don't sustain or repeat. To expect Veal to not only do almost as well as he did last year, but do so while getting promoted, that seems somewhat improbable. Let's hope he can handle a promotion and still relaly dominate at AA. The talk about throwing more strikes and getting batters out faster sure sounds good in theory.

 

Hmm, so he's going to throw 75 pitches and get 30 groundouts? I guess a little hyperbole never hurt him. I'm not sure Veal got 30 groundouts in any month last year, much less in a game. But, lets hope that there's a lot of progress in that area.

 

He's certainly getting a lot of hype. Would be awesome if he could live up to it.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link. Hopefully some of the gaga works. A lot of guys have a hot stretch but don't sustain or repeat. To expect Veal to not only do almost as well as he did last year, but do so while getting promoted, that seems somewhat improbable. Let's hope he can handle a promotion and still relaly dominate at AA. The talk about throwing more strikes and getting batters out faster sure sounds good in theory.

 

Hmm, so he's going to throw 75 pitches and get 30 groundouts? I guess a little hyperbole never hurt him. I'm not sure Veal got 30 groundouts in any month last year, much less in a game. But, lets hope that there's a lot of progress in that area.

 

He's certainly getting a lot of hype. Would be awesome if he could live up to it.

Unless he's planning on going 10 IP, 30 groundouts seems unlikely. :D

[Mephistopheles]

He had 32 in July.

[CubColtPacer]

Thanks for the link. Hopefully some of the gaga works. A lot of guys have a hot stretch but don't sustain or repeat. To expect Veal to not only do almost as well as he did last year, but do so while getting promoted, that seems somewhat improbable. Let's hope he can handle a promotion and still relaly dominate at AA. The talk about throwing more strikes and getting batters out faster sure sounds good in theory.

 

Hmm, so he's going to throw 75 pitches and get 30 groundouts? I guess a little hyperbole never hurt him. I'm not sure Veal got 30 groundouts in any month last year, much less in a game. But, lets hope that there's a lot of progress in that area.

 

He's certainly getting a lot of hype. Would be awesome if he could live up to it.

Unless he's planning on going 10 IP, 30 groundouts seems unlikely. :D

 

Well, he didn't say anything about groundouts-only ground balls, and 30 of those are possible in any inning :D