6/19/26 : Just Sayin 🧐

For the folks that saw Andrew Painter back in 2022 at his minor league stops in Clearwater, Jersey Shore and Reading ya know that the fastball was dominant. Then came the injury the following year and the subsequent surgical repair. I was in attendance in the summer of 2024 at the complex for his first live BP during rehab and it was spectacular, he hit the catchers glove target on almost every pitch, the velocity was back and to boot he showed a new pitch - a slider. It prompted an assignment to the Arizona Fall League where he pitched well ending the 2024 season on an up note. Last season at Lehigh Valley was largely focused on innings buildup, learning mix sequences and remaining healthy. Goals were perhaps loftier but those three areas were core targets.

For those who have thrown off the mound at a competitive level ya know that it’s an art. Unless ya have 104 mph from innings one thru nine (and actually even then) any little glitch or alteration to the mechanical delivery of pitches can impact success by effecting multiple elements such as location, spin, movement and velocity. Identifying those glitches are more readily availed at the professional level however fixing your mind and body to incorporate adjustments isn’t such an easy thing.

A comparison of Andy from his most successful season in 2022 to this year reveals mechanical differences, albeit some are slight, in stride, release point, body path to the target and pitch movement. Pro scouts eyes can see much of it in their review and they’ve given similar feedback. Thanks to photos I’ve accumulated over the years, as taken by my photography partners, of covering Phillies Player Development along with video review I can also see it or at the least believe I can. The Phillies have great tools at their disposal to pinpoint where adjustments are needed and then incorporate them, that’s what comes next.

On occasion this season deliveries have clicked  for Andy, it’s a matter of building that into repetitive and mindless actions when he throws. If ya think about it ya can’t do it however if it’s free and easy the stuff is there to once again dominate. That’s the key, the stuff is indeed there, it’s the packaging and delivery that’s went askew.

In the minor league’s development is first and foremost, there likely will be upcoming Lehigh Valley games where he throws a vast majority of fastballs regardless of the result. The kid is very talented, those who’ve already jumped off the bandwagon likely didn’t see the 2022 Andy I and others saw but will climb back aboard when that talent resurfaces.

The Phillies are strong at pitching development and Andy is a diligent, astute and coachable worker. From my perspective it’s a retool and not a rework, I’m confident he will be back in the show once more when that tooling is complete with far better results the second time around - just sayin.

Remembering My Son :

Writing about Phillies player development is an outlet, an allowance to focus on something else while my family and I grieve the loss of our son Dan but it’s never going to completely block out the hollow and raw sadness felt in regard to his departure.

That being said baseball has always brought good thoughts into my head. I remember Dan’s first formalized participation in baseball, we lived in West Chester at the time. It was kids T-Ball with a transition to “live pitching” from the dads. He played alongside Kent Tekulve’s son as it was back in the time when Kent was pitching for the Phillies and also lived in West Chester.

A few years later we moved to Kennett Square and he played little league. Dan didn’t play beyond that as his interests were more outdoor sportsman related but he did “help” me along with his sisters and younger brother each Sunday morning prepping baseball fields when I founded and ran the Kennett Men’s Senior Baseball League.

They didn’t like it so much getting up at day break those Sundays but my wife worked weekends so I had to take them all with me to the fields - mostly they slept in the car while I raked and lined the ball fields for 10 AM forthcoming games. I miss my son …

Baseball ⚾️

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