Skip to main content

PhoulBallz Interview: Fightins RHP Luke Leftwich talks Spring Training, Analytics & Reading's park

Luke Leftwich, image- Jay Floyd
Right-handed reliever Luke Leftwich had a big season out of the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers bullpen last year and has opened the 2018 season with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, hoping to have another remarkable campaign.

In his first full season out of the bullpen last year, the Wofford College product posted a 1-6 record, an outstanding 2.70 ERA, a .232 batting average against and an impressive 11.02 K/9 mark in 42 appearances.

To date this year, Leftwich was appeared in three games, notching one save, striking out six and walking one in four hitless innings.

The 23-year-old, who was the Phillies' 7th round draft pick in 2015, is striving to become Major League Baseball's second third-generation pitcher.

Recently, I talked with the California native, about his experience in spring training, moving up to the Double-A level, exposure to the Phillies' new focus on analytics and more.  Read ahead for that full interview.


-How did spring training go for you?

I actually had a really good spring.  It was good to be with pretty much the same group of guys all throughout the whole spring and it was good to gel together as a team.  And I threw pretty well and it was good throwing for (pitching coach Steve) Schrenk. So, it went well.

-Were there any moments in spring training that stand out to you as a noteworthy moment or are there any standout experiences you had in the spring?

Not too much.  I know with the whole new regime coming in with the Phillies, trying to stress analytics and all that, they talked to a bunch of us about what works well for us and how we can use our talents and our skills on the field to, basically, keep making us better, so we worked a lot on making what we're already good at even better.

-Did you have any opponents or at bats during the spring that helped you build confidence or that were memorable for you?

The last hitter I faced in spring training was Bo Bichette and I got to strike him out, so that's a good way to end camp because he's the talk of the town these days.

-All smiles there!  I like that.  There's a guy, Sam Fuld, with the Phils that is in place to help translate unique statistical information that you spoke of into more player-friendly speak.  Is this going to trickle down to the minor league levels a lot?

Yeah, we actually did meet with him in spring training and it was pretty cool, because there's all these stats that a lot of us have never seen before and don't know what they mean and he kind of put them in more baseball terms for us, rather than statistical terms.  And it was pretty cool to kind of see that stuff, what it means and how it can help us.

-Any examples you can think of?

No, not specifically.  It's just a lot of the new statistical terms that all the smart people are saying that we haven't necessarily seen yet.  

-Your impressions of that...do you think the focus on analytics will benefit you guys a lot?

Absolutely!  I think it's one of those things that can't hurt and I think it's only going to help us.  And it's one of those things that it is what you make of it, and if you go in and try and learn from it and use it to your advantage, then it's going to help you.

-Is there anybody in the bullpen that you've bonded with considerably or are very close with?

Me and (Tyler) Gilbert have been together since day one in Williamsport.  We've been throwing partners since literally our first day of mini camp in Clearwater, a week after the draft.  We've kind of gone through this whole journey together.

-So, you guys are rooming together, video game rivals, all of that...?

Well, pretty much all of the above.  We're not rooming together this season.  We definitely do a lot of stuff.  We hang out.  We make music together sometimes.   Do all that kind of stuff, so it's been cool.

-Is there anybody on the roster that's experiencing this terrible wintery spring weather in PA for the first time?

I think there's a few guys that have never quite experienced this before.  I know my roommate, Seth McGarry, he's from Florida, grew up in Bradenton, and he's come up here and playing in snow would be the first time for him.

-You talked about Schrenk.  What are your impressions of him in the early going?

I love him.  He's been great.  He's really good with mentality wise, just how to pitch to people and how we should be on the mound, rather than maybe early on in your careers when maybe you need to work on mechanics and fixing things.  He kind of knows that now that we've made it to this level, we know what we're doing and we need to better our mentality on the mound.

-Coming up to Reading and playing here for the first time, what are your thoughts on that?

I'm excited.  I mean, I've been trying to get here for years and now that I'm here, I'm excited for the challenge and I'm ready to get going.

-Is there anything you've heard about the fans, the town, the facility?

I've heard nothing but great things.  I heard it's a great atmosphere here, the fans love the team, it's a fun nice field to play on.  I'm just really excited to get going.

-You mentioned the field here and it can plan as an offensive park.  What have you heard from guys that have played here before?

It's definitely one of those things that the people that pitched here last year passed down to the guys coming in this year.  Like, "Don't be afraid to attack!  There's going to be some balls that shouldn't get out that end up getting out.  And don't let that discourage you because it's going to happen.  It's part of the game.  Just keep trucking forward."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PhoulBallz Interview: BlueClaws OF Justin Crawford

Justin Crawford w/ junior reporter Evan At the age of 19, outfielder Justin Crawford has played his way into the conversation of being considered as one of baseball's top prospects. The son of four-time MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, Justin has looked every bit as impressive as his position as the 17th overall draft selection last year would have most fans thinking he should be.  He opened the season with Class A Clearwater where, in 69 games, he notched a .344/.399/.478 slash line.  And since mid-August when he was promoted to Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, the younger Crawford has posted a .300/.364/.440 line.  He's also stolen 44 bases in 52 attempts overall. And while the BlueClaws enter the final week of the regular season 1/2 game out of first place in their division, I spoke with Justin Crawford about the team's hopes of making the postseason for the first time since 2018. I also asked Justin about the similarities and differences between his skillset and his father'

Jersey Shore clinches playoff berth on final day of regular season

Ottto Kemp, image- Jay Floyd With an extra-inning victory over first-half division champions Hudson Valley on Sunday, the Class A Advanced Jersey Shore BlueClaws clinched the team's first playoff appearance since 2018, winning the second-half division title. Key performers in the BlueClaws' clincher were righty hurler Jason Ruffcorn, who threw three innings of relief to earn the victory and third baseman Otto Kemp, notched three hits, a walk, two stolen bases and plated the game winning run in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly.  On top of that, Kemp, who turned 24-years-old on Saturday, made an absolute game-saving defensive play to help the club hold their lead in the bottom of the 11th frame. One of Jersey Shore's most consistent performers all season long has been right-handed reliever Cam Wynne.  The Phillies' 20th round draft pick in 2021 out of Nebraska.  In 34 appearances, one start, the 24-year-old tallied a 1-1 record with one save, a 2.44 ERA and a .190 batti

RHP Pipkin headed to AFL after hot August

After completing what was easily the best month of his career, righty hurler Dominic Pipkin is ready to face the tough competition of the prominent Arizona Fall Leage.   Pipkin, who was the Phillies' 9th round draft selection in 2018, has had moderate success in his five years as a pro, posting a 4.93 ERA, a 7.6 K/9 mark and a .260 batting average against mostly at the lower levels on the minors. After missing time this year with an unspecified ailment, the six-foot-four 170-pounder proved to be healthy as he dominated AA competition in nine appearances with the Reading Fightin Phils during August.  Pipkin's impressive production resulted in a 1-0 record with a save and a 0.96 ERA while striking out eight and walking three in 9 1/3 innings. The California native says his efforts to improve have helped him touch 100 MPH on the radar gun, while his fastball velocity is mostly around 96 MPH.   Pipkin's arsenal includes that improved fastball as well as a slider while his curve