Matt Clement

I think the bigger sigh of relief probably for him was the three-run homer, you know, to get that lead early.

And to know I'm pitching it with a lead when he didn't pitch with a ton of leads last year.

But, you know, I don't think, I feel like Paul Skeens isn't the type of guy, I guess he is human, that is worrying about getting through that first inning.

But after last time, maybe a little bit.

Well, yeah, and I think that sometimes the thing on the screen tries to tell you four-seam or two-seam or split or whatever the case may be.

And the two-seam tends to be slightly lower than the four-seam, and maybe they mix that up sometimes when they're getting the pitch call in there.

I don't think that the, I think more he'll tell you it's more location and, and, you know, he's probably graduating to be that pitcher where I'm going to save that extra little bit of juice when I need it or, and use it in certain spots, but everything's really hard.

And I think we're, you know, we're threading the needle pretty tight when it's between 97, 98 and 99.

But as long as he's in that area code, most of the time, I think he's probably feeling pretty good.

Well, I'll say this.

He benefited from all the Cruz talk because nobody was really paying attention to what Marcelo Zuna was doing.

And then you look down and he's off to a slow start.

I think these guys are professionals.

These guys have played eight, nine, ten years and been successful year after year after year to some extent, sometimes more successful, sometimes less successful.

There doesn't seem to be any panic in him.

I don't see anything technically.

I'm not a hitting expert, but I don't see anything that he's doing.

He's not chasing a ton of pitches.

He seems very patient.

He's worked himself into good counts.