It should come as no surprise that Drew Pomeranz is an All-Star. The Padres lefty was a first-round MLB Draft pick for a reason. Coming out of Ole Miss he was one of the best players in the entire nation so he always knew he had the ability to have success in The Show.
“You have to always expect it out of yourself no matter what you’re doing,” said Pomeranz. “We’re all out here to be the best.”
The Indians took him with the 5th overall selection in 2010. A year later he was sent to the Rockies in a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez, and that’s where the problems started. Pomeranz had one of the best curve balls in the game. Notice the past tense.
“It disappeared for two years for me when I was in Colorado,” said Pomeranz. “I’ve always been fastball-curve ball and really relied on that pitch and when it goes away it just totally changes how you attack hitters. It came back in 2014 once I got to Oakland.”
It was with the A’s that Drew really started to turn in to the All-Star pitcher he is today. One of the first guys who noticed the transformation was another All-Star who saw that not even Pomeranz understood just how good his breaking ball was.
“No he didn’t,” says A’s catcher Stephen Vogt, who worked with Pomeranz for two years by the Bay. “His curve is one of the best in baseball. To see him using it now, it’s really good to see. Drew’s done great.”
Drew will readily admit he was still figuring out how to deploy his physics-defying weapon when he was traded from the A’s to the Padres in December of 2015.
“It was really good but I really didn’t understand how to use it,” said Pomeranz. “I was throwing it to one spot, basically. Getting my curve ball back and finding another pitch is helping me kind of figure out how to pitch and how to use it against guys.”
That other pitch he developed is a cut fastball, something that is a relatively new addition to the arsenal.
“I always knew I needed to develop a third pitch but nothing ever broke through until this off-season. I was playing catch with a guy about two weeks before Spring Training and he said something that just made sense to me. It’s gotten to the point now that it’s a real weapon for me. It’s kind of pushed me over the edge this year.”
With Pomeranz figuring out his curve and nearly mastering the cutter he had the three-pitch mix that starters need. It’s rare that a front-of-the-rotation pitcher only throws two things. But since the Padres didn’t know about his new offering they went in to Spring Training thinking Pomeranz would be coming out of the bullpen and getting the occasional spot start.
When Drew saw the schedule of his early workload he made a decision and took bold action.
“I was scheduled for an inning, a day off, and an inning, and I said I think they’re trying to make me in the bullpen,” said Pomeranz. “So I talked to [pitching coach Darren Balsley] and I went in and had a meeting with Andy [Green]. I sat down with them and told them how I felt. I said I’ve been working on a third pitch. Everything feels good, my shoulder feels great. I’d like a chance.”
Green appreciated Pomeranz stating his case for the rotation.
“He said; I feel like I have to let you start. You’re all in on it.”
It might be the best decision the Padres made all year. Pomeranz leads the Padres with eight wins and is among the National League leaders in ERA, strikeouts and opponents’ batting average. He doesn’t become a free agent until 2019 so he might be the face of the San Diego pitching staff for the foreseeable future.
