Paul Skenes

When that was finished, he went back under the stands and across a brilliant green lawn to a mound where Jason DeLay, one of Pittsburgh's catchers, waited in full gear. Skeens tossed a ball to delay from in front of the mound a few times. Then he stepped back on the rubber and for the first time that day, started to throw actual pitches. As he threw, Charrington watched.

When that was finished, he went back under the stands and across a brilliant green lawn to a mound where Jason DeLay, one of Pittsburgh's catchers, waited in full gear. Skeens tossed a ball to delay from in front of the mound a few times. Then he stepped back on the rubber and for the first time that day, started to throw actual pitches. As he threw, Charrington watched.

He was monitoring his investment, but he was also clearly transfixed by the spectacle. Three pirates' coaches were clustered a few feet away, paying close attention. And underneath the portico, a group of players had stopped their own workouts to stare across the lawn at their prodigious teammate who pitches in a game on average only around once a week.

He was monitoring his investment, but he was also clearly transfixed by the spectacle. Three pirates' coaches were clustered a few feet away, paying close attention. And underneath the portico, a group of players had stopped their own workouts to stare across the lawn at their prodigious teammate who pitches in a game on average only around once a week.

Last year, Skeen's most effective pitch was a hybrid of a traditional sinker and a split-fingered fastball called the splinker, which tends to veer sharply downward as it nears the plate. As Skeens worked in the sunshine, he threw splinkers and four-seam fastballs and sliders, curves and change-ups.

Last year, Skeen's most effective pitch was a hybrid of a traditional sinker and a split-fingered fastball called the splinker, which tends to veer sharply downward as it nears the plate. As Skeens worked in the sunshine, he threw splinkers and four-seam fastballs and sliders, curves and change-ups.

He also experimented with a fastball thrown with his fingers atop the seams of the ball rather than across them, and a cutter designed to tail away from right-handed hitters. One fastball seemed to be even faster than the rest. It hit the catcher's mitt with an audible boom rather than a pop. It turned out to be the last pitch.

He also experimented with a fastball thrown with his fingers atop the seams of the ball rather than across them, and a cutter designed to tail away from right-handed hitters. One fastball seemed to be even faster than the rest. It hit the catcher's mitt with an audible boom rather than a pop. It turned out to be the last pitch.

After he caught it, DeLay stood up and walked towards Skeens, and the coaches converged. Skeens had thrown 35 pitches, the equivalent of three brisk innings. That must have been enough because everyone bumped fists. Another pitcher was scheduled to use the mound, so Skeens moved aside and started chatting with a couple of teammates. It was just past 9.30am and his day of throwing was done.

After he caught it, DeLay stood up and walked towards Skeens, and the coaches converged. Skeens had thrown 35 pitches, the equivalent of three brisk innings. That must have been enough because everyone bumped fists. Another pitcher was scheduled to use the mound, so Skeens moved aside and started chatting with a couple of teammates. It was just past 9.30am and his day of throwing was done.