Tuesday, May 18, 1999Williamson may be closing in on closer's job
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerDENVER — Scott Williamson hasn't emerged as the Reds' No.1 closer, though he certainly has resembled one recently.
Reds manager Jack McKeon said before Monday night's series opener against the Colorado Rockies that he'll continue to use Williamson as he has done so far — pitching up to three innings in long relief, working the seventh or eighth inning in a set-up role and occasionally sealing victories.
It just so happens that Williamson earned the save in Cincinnati's previous two games, stopping the San Diego Padres for 2ö innings on Saturday before retiring the only batter he faced, Damian Jackson, with two on and two outs in Sunday's ninth inning to preserve Brett Tomko's strong outing.
Danny Graves, who leads Cincinnati with five saves, will still receive opportunities. But so will Williamson, who hasn't allowed a run in his last six appearances. He has pitched nine innings in that span, collecting two wins and two saves while reducing his ERA from 3.95 to 2.38, third-best among the relievers.
“We're going to use him to hold (opponents) for two innings, we'll bring him in to close like we did (Sunday), and we'll bring him in when we have a two- or three-run lead and
say, "Hey, we're going to close them down right now.'”
Said a dutiful Williamson, “The way they use me doesn't matter, as long as I can benefit the team.”
McKeon's willingness to employ Williamson in various roles reflects not only the Reds' increasing confidence in the rookie right-hander, but also his progress. A starter throughout his previous two years in professional baseball, Williamson's searing fastball propelled him onto the team in spring training, despite being a non-roster invitee.
But the 23-year-old wasn't accustomed to the rigors of relieving, from pitching on consecutive days to taxing one's arm by warming up and not entering the game.
“A month ago, you couldn't have done what we're doing with him now, because he wasn't tuned in,” McKeon said. “He didn't program his arm. But now, he's gotten to the point where he rebounds really quickly.”
Said Williamson, “My arm has totally adapted to it now. I throw four or five pitches and I'm ready to go. Earlier in the year, I felt like I was never getting ready.”
Williamson also adjusted his pitching mechanics. His alterations ranged from the subtle, such as throwing more directly overhanded and honing his movements as he wheels toward home plate, to the obvious, such as abandoning his windup to pitch exclusively from the stretch position.
“I'm a lot more consistent now than I was earlier in the year,” said Williamson (3-1), who has 25 strikeouts in 22ö innings while limiting opponents to a .225 batting average.
Williamson's mental approach has remained solid from the outset, befitting a player who overcame long odds.
“It's always fun when you're doing well. But I can't get too high or get too low,” he said. “A lot of things are going my way now, but tomorrow I could go out there and give up seven runs.”
Williamson has learned through experience. He came perilously close to blowing his first save on April 25, when he yielded a two-out, ninth-inning homer to Houston's Derek Bell after getting ahead on the count 0-2. Williamson struck out Jeff Bagwell to preserve Cincinnati's 7-6 decision.
Last Saturday, he again fired two strikes past Damian Jackson with one out to go and the Reds leading, 6-2. Though the situation was in hand, Williamson said, “I was sitting there with major deja vu,” recalling Bell's homer. This time, Williamson mixed his pitches more intelligently and struck out Jackson with an offspeed delivery.
“Every time I go out there,” he said, “it's a little bit different.”
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