TheShorebirds.net
The Official Site of the Delmarva Shorebirds' Fan Club

Adam Loewen Interview

4/5/04

DS: Your throwing motion is so smooth and consistent regardless of what speed you throw. The batter doesn’t know whether to expect 92, 93, 94 or 95 mph fastballs. This keeps the batters guessing and off-stride. Your pick-off throws come from the same motion and the runners often don’t see them coming. I’ve watched your pick-off throws work exceptionally well in Sarasota. It’s obvious that you spend considerable time working on these motions. Are you satisfied with your progress? AL: It’s still a work in progress. I’ve been working on the pick-off motion with Doc Watson since last year. We’ve been working on reading when the runner intends to break and anticipating which runners want to run and when they will break. In key situations, a pick-off is an important play as it can really change the momentum around.

DS: It’s amusing to watch you nail them. After teasing runners with a more casual, telegraphed toss, you then come back with a camouflaged throw to first just as the runner breaks for second, allowing the first baseman to fire to second in plenty of time.

You pitched a full college-ball season and half a professional season last year. This year you were invited to the Orioles’ camp in Ft. Lauderdale. What was the most important thing you learned there?

AL: I learned a lot of things. There were a lot of good pitchers there with experience in the league. They have shown that they can pitch in the majors and I tried to learn from them.

DS: That’s certainly an up side, did the major league spring training experience have a down side? Was it too much, too soon?

AL: There were some new experiences for me that made me uncomfortable, but that’s how we learn to deal with situations. My velocity wasn’t up to my best level yet. I was throwing only in the high 80s. In college, there is more time to get up to speed before the games start. So I had to try and pitch without my best fastball. Also, I felt pressure coming in out of the bull pen with runners on and having only a dozen or so warm up pitches. That was a new experience for me, but it taught me something. I certainly didn’t do as well as I would like to have, but that was Spring Training and it doesn’t mean anything now.

DS: What are you planning to work most on this year?

AL: Getting my change-up in the strike zone more consistently.

DS: Are there any mechanics issues that you need to work on?

AL: No.

DS: How about working on situational pitching as part of the learning process.

AL: During games, the manager and pitching coach may set up different situations such as not throwing a certain pitch or using another pitch more, but I can shake them off.

DS: Your contract puts you on a fast track to get to the majors by 2007. Does that put extra pressure on you?

AL: No, I want to move up very quickly. But, I have to go out and pitch well. That’s all I can do is go out and pitch. I don’t know what the organization is planning, but the contract proved to me that they wanted me.

DS: Last year you pitched at Aberdeen with its beautiful ballpark and sold-out crowds. Today is you first look at Perdue Stadium. What are your feelings?

AL: This looks like a very nice ballpark. I hear it’s a good pitchers ballpark. I have gotten good reports from my teammates that have already played here that the fans are super and they really know the game.