CAMP CARDS: Izzy Draws a Crowd
By Derrick Goold
03/06/2007 2:30 pm
JUPITER, Fla. — The pitcher, surrounded by intrigue, who could secure his team’s postseason aspirations if he throws as well as advertised, drew a telling crowd Tuesday at Roger Dean Stadium.
And this had nothing to do with Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Before the hundreds of media arrived at Roger Dean Stadium and thousands of fans packed the place to see the Boston Red Sox righthander throw his first pitches against major-league opponents, a much smaller — but more revealing — group gathered on one of the backfields on the Cardinals’ campus to see an arm essential to their season make a debut of a different kind.
Jason Isringhausen was going to throw to hitters for the first time.
“There ain’t much else going on today,” Isringhausen said.
Most members of the Cardinals’ front office, including general manager Walt Jocketty and assistant GM John Mozeliak, came out to watch Isringhausen make 24 pitches to a rotation of two batters. Pitching coach Dave Duncan, bullpen coach Marty Mason and Hall of Famer Bob Gibson also watched, as did several of Isringhausen’s teammates. Jim Edmonds came out of the clubhouse, his workout finished for the day, to watch.
David Eckstein took a break from his rehab to watch.
The attention Matsuzaka had in mass, Isringhausen matched in intensity.
“A lot of people who are following the Cardinals know how important he is going to be to the club,” Duncan said. “I would consider this a very good day for Izzy.”
Isringhausen’s command was lacking, but his stuff had good bite and buzzing velocity to it. Of his 24 pitches, 12 were strikes. He was able to drive sinkers inside to righthanded hitter Ryan Ludwick, and he got Rick Ankiel to chop a few cutters. Isringhausen snapped one of Ludwick’s bats. What was most noticeable wasn’t Isringhausen’s pitches, so much as Isringhausen pitching.
When he planted his lead leg and went to deliver the pitch, his body didn’t collapse at the waist like a folding chair. He was able to land … and deliver.
None of his pitches had the same consistency that they’ve shown in the bullpen where “he’s been putting it on a dime,” Duncan said. But that is to be expected the first time against hitters. Still, when his curve missed, it missed down in the dirt not hanging in the zone. When his cutter missed, it missed down, not over the plate. His deteriorating and aching hip kept his mechanics from completing those pitches successfully last season.
It has been several throwing sessions since he last thought about his surgically repaired hip and whether or not this was the pitch that would bring the pain back.
He said Tuesday that he could tell after throwing the 25 pitches that he would be fine and that he could advance to the next stage of his rehab. Isringhausen will get two days off and then throw another live BP session, Duncan said. He will have at least two more live BPs and then be scheduled for a game. March 15 remains the scheduled day for his first game.
“I know it’s important that I come back,” Isringhausen said when asked about the group that came out to see him throw. “I don’t want to rush back. If I rush back all it’s going to do is hurt everybody in this clubhouse. I just want to take my time and get ready.”
Well that sounds good.
