Butcher excited about challenge

01/20/2006
ST. PETERSBURG -- Devil Rays pitching coach Mike Butcher has yet to meet many of the guys who will pitch for Tampa Bay this season. But that doesn't bother Butcher, who has the important task of turning a group of talented young hurlers into big-league pitchers who can get outs and help the Rays win ballgames.
"I think it will work as a positive," said the 40-year-old Butcher about coming over from the Angels farm system having only seen video of most of Tampa Bay's pitchers. "My former position was the [pitching] coordinator, and you'd get 15 to 20 new pitchers every year and you try to make an impact on those guys when you first meet them. So not knowing these guys personally, as of right now, I don't think it's going to be a problem at all."
The upcoming season will be Butcher's first as a coach in the Major Leagues. A longtime Minor League pitching coach, Butcher was a relief pitcher with the Angels when Rays manager Joe Maddon was an assistant coach, and the two hooked up again when Butcher began coaching in the Angels organization.
"My first year coaching was 2000, and I went to Major League camp and [Maddon] was in Major League camp, and the relationship grew year in and year out," Butcher said.
Butcher takes over a generally youthful pitching staff -- three of the Rays' five starters are under 25 years old -- led by 21-year-old left-handed fireballer Scott Kazmir. Besides figuring out the starting rotation for this season, Butcher will have to decide how the Rays are going to fill the closer role after Tampa Bay dealt Danys Baez to the Dodgers for a pair of pitching prospects.
"I think I have some ideas," Butcher said. "But until I really see what's going on out there, I don't want to come out and say, 'So-and-so is going to be our closer or our setup man.' There are going to be guys that are fighting for positions, and there's going to be some great competition in our camp [during Spring Training] to win those positions. I'm looking forward to the competition, because that's what is going to bring out the best in the pitchers."
Butcher said he liked the trade that sent Baez and former All-Star reliever Lance Carter to Los Angeles for right-hander Edwin Jackson and left-hander Chuck Tiffany. Butcher thinks Tiffany has a lot of upside and Jackson has a chance to make the starting rotation as soon as this season.
"I think [Jackson] had some setbacks last year just because he was trying to manipulate the ball a little bit too much," Butcher said of the 22-year-old who played part of last season in the Minors. "In Double-A, he regained his form. He's really trying to be a power pitcher again. This guy has a plus-plus fastball, 92 to 98 mph. He can bring it. If we can harness him and get those pitches in the strike zone, he's going to be just fine."
Butcher's plan is simple for the starting rotation: get six innings from starters with three or fewer runs. He said he will preach to pitchers about getting hitters out with three pitches or less so the starters can pitch deep into games, something the Rays' staff has had problems with in the past.
"Really we're just going to have an aggressive mind-set out on the mound," Butcher said. "Our biggest thing is, we want to get ahead and throw quality strikes.
"I'm looking forward to having a good season with these guys and developing some quality Major League pitchers," Butcher said. "I know we have some really good arms here. I am excited to work with them. They seem very excited."

Source: http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/