Google News New York Yankees pitching coach reveals what struggling Gerrit Cole needs to do
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 1105
New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake revealed he would like to see the struggling Gerrit Cole to commit to attacking in the strike zone a little bit more. “His stuff is as good as it’s been,’’ Blake said, per The Post.
“He’s healthy”. Blake is confident Cole is a quality pitcher but “sometimes he tries to be a perfectionist and tries to get hitters to swing and miss around the zone and it snowballs”. After explaining what might be a problem for Cole, Blake offered a solution as he said the key for Cole is to “commit to go after the zone and not shy away from contact and living with what happens when he does and go in there”.
Cole didn't get much playing time during the preseason
“We would have liked for him to get more reps, but that’s how the schedule fell,’’ Blake said. “It is what it is and here we are. He’s got his feet underneath him now.’’ “He just has to commit to the process.
He’s one of- if not the best- pitchers in the game when he commits to that. We have to remind him who he is”. Cole is a four-time MLB All-Star and twice he was named to the All-MLB First Team. Last year, Cole earned the All-Star and the All-MLB First Team nods.
The Yankees are confident Cole is still one of the best in the game and he just needs to figure it out. “We would have liked for him to get more reps, but that’s how the schedule fell,’’ Blake said.
“It is what it is and here we are. He’s got his feet underneath him now.’ “He just has to commit to the process. He’s one of- if not the best- pitchers in the game when he commits to that. We have to remind him who he is”.