Gibson not concerned with Collmenter’s delivery
Mar 6, 2012, 10:25 PM | Updated: Mar 7, 2012, 3:03 am
Josh Collmenter’s unorthodox delivery has raised eyebrows over whether or not he can sustain success at the Major League level.
The 26-year-old right-hander, who went 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA in 24 starts last season, isn’t shattering radar guns with his over-the-top motion and unusual arm angle and has often teetered between the minors and the bigs.
Still, D-backs’ skipper Kirk Gibson isn’t concerned that Collmenter’s delivery will cause him to struggle.
“You read the scouting reports, he doesn’t have velocity, and he doesn’t have a great curveball. He’s a fastball, change-up guy,” Gibson said.
However, Gibson remains undeterred in his belief that Collmenter has the intangibles to compensate for what he may lack in velocity.
“He reads the swings, he looks at the swings by the hitters,” Gibson explained. “We don’t think that way [like the scouts] at all. I think that there’s something to his total package, the way he does it.”
Gibson has been impressed with Collmenter’s maturity, composure and the way he goes about his business when he takes the mound every fifth day.
“He’s got very good make-up,” Gibson stated. “He’s very much in control of his game out there and he’s got a great belief and execution.”
Collmenter’s work ethic is unparalleled and if his mindset and temperament signal how he’ll fare in 2012 and beyond, the D-backs surely have to like what they see.
Arizona Sports’ Kyndra de St. Aubin contributed to this report
