Right-hander Chris Leroux had a solid year both with Pittsburgh and in the minors during the 2011 season. The year prior didn‘t live up to his expectations. After posting a 6.75 ERA in 23 games with the Pirates in 2010, Leroux knew he needed a change. That’s when he added a new pitch, a slurve, and adjusted his arm slot to more of a three-quarters release.
The slurve was a pitch he used to throw back in College at Winthrop University.
“I was sick and tired of having a mediocre secondary pitch,” Leroux said in July. “I just went back to throwing my pitch that I threw in College, that really worked for me and it feels really good.”
And as far as the arm slot? Leroux said his three-quarters release is where it used to be.
“I just started climbing a little bit. I thought it would create more angle but it was easier for the hitter to see,” he said.
His adjustments seemed to pay off. Leroux’s numbers at the end of the season were impressive.
Leroux posted a 2.78 ERA in 37 games in relief (68.0 innings) combined with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indy. With Pittsburgh in 2011, Leroux went 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA over 23 games (25.0 innings) with seven walks and 27 strikeouts.
Now, fast forward to November and you’ll find Leroux starting for the Toros del Este in the Dominican League this winter. Not since 2006 when Leroux was a member of the Florida Marlins organization had he started in a professional game. But despite what others thought, Leroux knew he could become a starter again. And he is proving just that.
“It has gone a lot smoother than I think a lot of people anticipated,” Leroux said. “[Toros Manger and Pirates Triple-A skipper] Dean Treanor showed a lot of faith in me by bringing me over here as a starter when I haven’t started since ‘06. I knew I could start. He knew I could start.”
In four starts so far in winter ball, Leroux is 1-1 with a 1.31 ERA. He’s allowed just three earned runs over 20.2 innings with four walks and 18 strikeouts.
“I’ve always believed I could be a major league starter, and I think this experience is really starting to make a lot of people who doubted me believe as well,” Leroux said.
The road to starting again didn’t happen so fast. After Leroux didn’t make the club out of spring training, he had a conversation with General Manager Neal Huntington about his desire to start again. But he was told the quickest way to the bigs was through long relief.
“I mentioned to Neal after spring training when I was sent down that I would like to try starting again and he told me a long relief role in Indy would be the best option for me to get back to the big leagues,” Leroux said. “He was absolutely right, but at the same time, I have always wanted to start and knew I could do it. That is why I decided to come down here, even after having a solid year, and prove to everyone I’m capable of pitching in the big leagues.”
Leroux’s stay in the Dominican will be for two more starts, six overall. The experience of winter ball is not like of anything you’ll find in the United States. The atmosphere is much, much different.
“It’s really amazing,“ Leroux said. “It’s totally unlike a Major League game. It’s more like a dance club than anything else. It’s a non stop party for three hours.”
Leroux leads in the league in ERA (1.31), is sixth in innings pitched (20.2), is tied for second in strikeouts (18) and is first in WHIP (0.73).
The 27-year-old right-hander will look to finish off his impressive season in the Dominican strong. Could starting be in the future for Leroux with the Pirates? Or will he land a spot out of spring training in the long relief role again?
“I’m willing to do whatever the pirates want me to do,“ he said. “Coming down here was to show them I could handle it and succeed. Now its up to them to decide what my role will be in spring training and beyond.”
Photo credit: Yahoo! Sports
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