Chris Perez needs to be crafty with lefty hitters

CLEVELAND -- Chris Perez knows that his troubles against left-handed hitters this season begins and ends with him. The Indians closer had a similar issue early on last season and the solution was simple.

The problem stems from where the catcher is set up behind the plate.

"It's not their fault," Perez said on Sunday. "I haven't told them to do it yet."

Last season, Perez realized that his fastball would often tail off the plate when the catcher was set up over the outside corner. When the catcher would set up down the middle, the pitcher's heater would break over the corner for a strike -- one hitters are hard-pressed to handle.

"I just need to start picking up my sights differently," Perez said. "I need the catcher to start setting up just down the middle, so when I come through and I pick up my sight, he's down the middle and I can throw it to him and let the movement take it to the corner."

In Saturday's 2-1 win over the Reds, the issue was on full display. The right-hander walked the left-handed-hitting Joey Votto -- the reigning National League Most Valuable Player -- with one out and later walked lefty-swinging Jay Bruce with two outs. Perez said those two free passes were more about the situation.

"Sometimes you live to fight another day by walking a power hitter in a one-run game," Perez said. "In that situation, we had a chance to win that series right there. It was a big game and a one-run lead with the MVP coming up and their team leader in homers coming up right after that.

"Once I fell behind, I wasn't going to give in to give them a cookie so they could tie the game up, that's for sure. So I took my chances."

It worked out. Sandwiched between the walks was a double-play groundout off the bat of Brandon Phillips. Then, with two outs, Perez struck out Scott Rolen to seal the win and his 12th save of the year. Still, the two walks were part of a larger problem.

Entering Sunday, Perez had issued 12 walks in his 19 innings pitched for Cleveland. Of those free passes, 10 came within the 44 meetings with left-handed hitters. By comparison, Perez had walked two right-handed batters in 34 meetings.

"He's struggling a little bit right to throw strikes to left-handed hitters," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "But he's pretty tough. He stays out there and works himself out of trouble. He's going to get into a groove again where he's going to be able to dot that fastball to lefties."

Perez echoed that sentiment.

"I'm not worried about it yet," Perez said. "It hasn't come back to bite me yet in the games -- knock on wood. But it is something I want to change and I'm confident I can."



(mlb.com)