by SAN FRANCISCO — When Slade Cecconi is on the mound, it looks like he’s starting his delivery twice.
He rocks, comes set and then goes into his delivery.
“It’s a little back hip reminder to stay on my backside and glutes,” said Cecconi.
It’s something Cecconi started doing after the Guardians acquired him from Arizona in a trade for Josh Naylor in December.
“That was a cue I developed when I got to Cleveland and we were working through some delivery stuff,” said Cecconi. “I just get in and cue that feel of tension in my back hip.
“I’m happy with it. One of the big things for me is staying on that back hip and make sure I don’t open up early. Finding the tension in that hip before I get on the mound is a good reminder for me.”
It been working. Cecconi allowed two runs on four hits in five innings Tuesday night as the Guardians ended a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Giants at Oracle Park.
Cecconi (2-3, 4.15) struck out six and walked three as he improved to 2-0 in three career starts against the Giants. He threw only 82 pitches in five innings so he could have gone out for the sixth, but manager Stephen Vogt went to the bullpen.
Asked if the motion distracts a hitter, Cecconi said, “I have no idea if they even pay attention. I know a lot of pitchers will do some goofy stuff sometimes that people don’t understand.
“But it usually has some kind of meaning.”
Cecconi said he started doing the move unconsciously.
“I was doing it in my weighted ball work,” said Cecconi. “Then I looked back at one of my live BP (batting practice sessions) and I saw myself doing it to correct something. I said, ‘If I’m doing it to correct things, I might as well do it all the time.’”
Tuesday’s start was Cecconi’s sixth since replacing injured Ben Lively in the rotation.
He keeps on ticking
In manager Stephen Vogt’s first start in the big leagues with Tampa Bay, he faced Justin Verlander on April 11, 2012.
“It was about 38 degrees in Detroit,” said Vogt. “I was DHing then because they didn’t trust me with a glove.”
Vogt took an 0 for 4, but the Rays beat Verlander and the Tigers, 4-2.
Wednesday night, in his second year as manager, he is facing the 42-year-old version of Verlander, who was activated from the injured list before the game.
“Ten or 12 years ago, he knew how to ease into a game,” said Vogt. “His best stuff would come out in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning. Not many guys can do that.
“He reads swings. He doesn’t pitch in patterns. He’s got four pitches he can throw at any time to any part of the zone.”
Verlander has faced Cleveland more than any team in his career. In 57 starts, he’s 24-24 with a 4.42 ERA against them.
There’s no place like home
Vogt and Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan grew up Giants fans, so Oracle Field holds a special place for them.
“The Giants were my team,” said Kwan, who helped beat the Giants on Tuesday with two great throws from left field in the eighth and ninth innings. “It was surreal being here. I remembered the vendors. I could see where I used to sit.”
Said Vogt, “No matter who you are, we work in this game because we love baseball. We were all little kids who dreamed of playing in the big leagues. When you get to go to the field where you rooted for your team, you get to be a 3-year-old kid and love baseball again. I feel that way every time I come here.”
Fire down below
A quick look at what happened in the Guardians’ minor league system on Tuesday.
- RHP Trevor Stephan , rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, made his first appearance for Triple-A Columbus. He allowed one run on one hit with two walks in two-thirds of an inning against Indianapolis.
- LHP Erik Sabrowski , rehabbing from a sore left elbow, allowed three hits, including a homer, and two runs in one inning for Columbus.
- OF Chase DeLauter went 2 for 5 with an RBI and is hitting .279.
- RHP Triston McKenzie (0-2, 9.64), who accepted an outright assignment to the minors after being designated for assignment, allowed four runs on three hits in two innings as Cleveland’s Arizona Complex League team lost to the Diamondbacks, 8-4.
- The best-case scenario for McKenzie is that he makes one or two more ACL starts and the Guardians move him to a full-season minor league affiliate so he can gain some confidence.
- 2B Juan Brito, rehabbing from a broken right thumb, went 1 for 2 in the same game.
- Angel Genoa doubled in the fifth inning to give Double-A Akron a 1-0 win over Portland.
- Ralphy Velazquez and Wuilfredo Antunez each tripled and homered as Class A Lake County beat South Bend, 10-2.
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