One Pitch Two Outs

Laffey relies on words of wisdom
Young Indians left-hander takes his own advice

By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Friday, May 30, 2008


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.

''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.


''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.