Monday, April 12, 1999
Williamson learning the hard way
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ST. LOUIS - Scott Williamson, formerly a starting pitcher, admitted that he's still adjusting to life as a reliever.
Williamson walked Placido Polanco on Saturday after being ahead 0-2 in the count and allowed a single to J.D. Drew. Both eventually scored, tagging Williamson with the decision in Cincinnati's 4-2 loss.
“I'm not mentally ready sometimes,” Williamson said Sunday. “It's a little different from spring training. In spring training, you know when you're going to pitch, so you know when to get ready. I have to figure out a way to get myself ready before I go in there.”
This left pitching coach Don Gullett less than thrilled.
“There's no room for guys coming into a game and needing one or two hitters to get their feet on the ground. By that time, it's too late,” Gullett said. “They have to come in "nails' right off the bat, really tough.”
Williamson's approach to Polanco particularly concerned Gullett.
“What occurred to me after he got ahead of him with two strikes was that he had no plans on how he wanted to put the hitter away,” Gullett said. “He was nibbling, trying to throw the ball down and make the guy swing at a bad pitch. You have to take maybe one shot, two shots, but after that you say, wait a minute, this isn't working, I have to go back to how I got ahead of him. And that was with two aggressive pitches.”
Williamson won a job in spring training by striking out 16 batters and walking only four in 16ö innings. He has walked two and struck out just one in two regular-season innings.
“He hasn't been able to throw strikes,” manager Jack McKeon said. “Somewhere along the line he's going to get another chance.”
Added McKeon, “We might have to get (Stan) Belinda back quicker than we wanted.”
Belinda, who's recovering from tendinitis in his shoulder, threw in the bullpen Sunday and probably won't return for another week to 10 days.
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