Right-handed prospect Erick Fedde struggles for the first time this spring – Washington Post

JUPITER, Fla. Earlier this week, Nationals pitching coach Mike Maddux praised Erick Feddes competitiveness, the way he seems to want to beat each hitter, the way he never backs down. But competitive fire can manifest itself in unhelpful amounts of emotion. Asked if Fedde seemed able to handle his, Maddux admitted he could not tell.

Weve only had success, said Maddux, who watched Fedde allow no runs and three hits through his first seven innings in big league camp. Failure would be the only stress test for that competitive nature everyone mentions when they talk about Fedde. Maddux joked that he hoped Fedde would never fail, so no one would have to learn how his fire held up to disappointment.

But Friday, the day finally came, as Maddux and others knew it would. Fedde failed, ending his quest to be the first pitcher in baseball history to enjoy only success. In a start scheduled to last at least four innings, Fedde could not escape the second. He allowed five runs on four hits and struggled with command, walking three men and hitting another. He threw 51 pitches, 26 of them for strikes, an uncharacteristic set of numbersfor a pitcher whohas a sported a strikeout-to-walk ratio in two minor league seasons better than 4 to 1.

[Dusty Baker thinks WBC is hurting Daniel Murphy]

I think I just kind of let the game speed up, Fedde said. My fastball command was bad, and that just kind of led to the hitters staying off of everything else.

Fedde faced a Marlins lineup that included most regulars not at the World Baseball Classic. He allowed a bunt hit to Dee Gordon to start the game, then four more base runners before he got out of the first. In the second, he walked Gordon, hit Derek Dietrich, and hung a slider to Marcell Ozuna who redirected it over the left field foul pole.

Its really a completely different game, just the way hitters approach at-bats. Thats the thing Ive probably learned the most, just how the hitters approach the game and what theyre looking for and how they sit on pitches, Fedde said. If you dont have good command, theyll wear you out for it.

Fedde said Maddux talked to him after the game, and reminded him that things like deep breaths and stepping off the rubber can help slow escalating trouble in its tracks. But Fedde could not slow the game down in time Friday.

He was barely missing with all his pitches, and when he got behind, he didnt know those hitters, but theyve got a good-hitting club, said Dusty Baker, who noticed Fedde missing with his slider, and up and out with his fastball. He said in-season scouting reports probably would have discouraged Fedde from throwing a slider to Ozuna, who the Nationals know well. But Friday, Baker felt Fedde was missing just enough to cause problems.

[Max Scherzer offers glimpse into baseball truth: Sometimes, youve gotta play hurt]

By Feddes next turn in the rotation, Tanner Roark could be back from the WBC. Max Scherzer will be back in the rotation, too. The Nationals could, therefore, move Fedde back to minor league camp to continue preparation for the minor league season. Once the rotation begins to fall into place, once Opening Day sits just a few turns away, carrying extra starters can limit the preparation of the others. When the Nationals begin to line up their rotation, Fedde and A.J. Cole seem likely to be the last men bumped out.

This has been a great experience. Everything is just preparing me for the future, Fedde said. Im really happy I got to have this experience, coming to early camp. It will be something Ill definitely be happy with when the time comes.

>>>>> After Feddes early struggles, then an RBI triple from Wilmer Difo in the fifth, the Nationals found themselves trailing by four in the seventh inning. By then, most of the major league players were out of the game, leaving a comeback in the hands of a few non-40-man additions to the travel roster. Those additions compiled a four-run rally, which included hits from Adrian Sanchez, Caleb Ramsey and Ike Ballou. Ballous two-run single tied the game, scoring speedy outfielder Rafael Bautista, whose run tied the game at five. It finished tied at five, too.

The Nationals optioned Bautista out of major league camp before Fridays game, a day after he lost a flyball in the sun in center field and got picked off second base. Baker said those moments were the only lows of an otherwise impressive spring, and that he plans to bring Bautista back to big league games over the next week to see more of last years minor league stolen base king.

You dont know when hes around, but he always pays attention. Hes fundamentally sound, Baker said. I told him yesterday, of all the young hitters here, you work on hitting more than anybody. You watch his batting practice, and its not slugging practice, its batting practice.

Baker, who does not usually gush much about young players before they prove themselves, continued.

Hes definitely on the radar. You see hes back today. Hell be back tomorrow and back the next day, Baker said. Hes an outstanding outfielder with a good arm, got speed, and hes learning how to drive the ball. Hes potentially a five-tool player, which is rare.

Bautista is one of several speedy young outfielders in the Nationals system, along with Andrew Stevenson, Victor Robles and others, all of whom impressed Baker this spring. But none earned quite as much praise as Bautista, who was hitting .333 in 16 games when the Nationals optioned him to Syracuse Friday morning.

Continue reading here:
Right-handed prospect Erick Fedde struggles for the first time this spring - Washington Post