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Giants notes: Williams sent down to Fresno
By Jeremy Harness April 25, 2005 |
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SAN FRANCISCO - Right-hander Jerome Williams was sent down to Triple-A Fresno before Monday's game against the San Diego Padres, partly because the Giants needed an extra reliever in the bullpen. However, a bigger reason for him going down is to have the struggling starter work more on his mechanics, particularly his arm strength. "I don't want him throwing across his body and sliding his elbow out, and hyperextending his elbow." Williams had surgery on his right elbow on Aug. 5, 2004, a procedure that ended his season. But even before the surgery, Williams was rather inconsistent with his delivery. He found himself in trouble when he dropped down in his motion and had his pitches sail on him. Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti acknowledged that it has been a problem this year as well. "It's got a lot to do with it," Righetti said. "In the stretch, he has a tendency to push the ball, and you lose your life on your pitches, you lose your angle. "(But) the kid's fine; he's very close to being where he needs to be," he said. He really didn't look like it on Sunday, when he gave up six earned runs over five innings in an 8-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, which dropped his record to 0-2 and at least partially prompt the move. "He had a rough day yesterday, and we've all been through those fallouts, including myself," Righetti said. "We've all been sent down before. When it happens, normally it's not because of health; you can't send a guy down when he's not healthy. "We'd just like to see that arm strength get back up." The move may also have something to do with the Giants' slow start. Righetti recalled that in his second full year in the majors - a year after he won the American League Rookie of the Year - the Yankees had a sub-.500 record when he was sent down to the minors. At the time, he remembers, he had a 5-5 record and was third in the AL in strikeouts. "I thought I was doing pretty good," Righetti said. "They sent me down because I was leading the league in walks." In the meantime, the Giants purchased the contract of veteran right-handed reliever Al Levine, who had played exclusively in the American League with Chicago, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Detroit, from Fresno. Levine entered the game in the top of the sixth inning to replace starter Noah Lowry. The first batter he faced, second baseman Mark Loretta, lined an RBI single to left but was able to retire the next two batters to end the inning. Newest 49er swings by Alex Smith has been having a heck of a first few days in the Bay Area. Two and a half days after being chosen No. 1 overall by the 49ers, Smith got a chance to hang out in the Giants' clubhouse before Thursday's game. While he was there, he got to chat with Giants living legends Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, not to mention current Giants Barry Bonds and Kirk Rueter. |
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