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Ryan Tatusko: MLB Guest Blog
The players speak: MLB reports devotes this page to the players who will be writing blogs in their own words to you, the readers.
The inaugural MLB Guest Blog comes from Ryan Tatusko of the Washington Nationals. Ryan currently pitches for the AA Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League.
April 21, 2011
Ryan Tatusko: This year was a different year for me in preparation for many reasons. For one, I was starting out with a new team that I really know nothing about. Furthermore, I am going to be a full-time starter this year. In the past, when I was with the Texas Rangers, I was would routinely ping-pong between the bullpen and the starting rotation based on where they, the organization, would need me. I would then usually stick in the rotation around the all-star game, but this year was different. The Nationals have told me that at this time they envision me as helping the ball club as a starting pitcher and that’s where they wanted to keep me.
Heading into the season as a starter, I did not necessarily change the way I went about my off-season preparation or conditioning, but I did tweak a few things here and there. For instance, as part of my bullpen sessions, I wouldn’t throw them as frequently as I would when I started the season as a reliever. Instead, I would do fewer sessions with more pitchers. I also made sure that I would do more long distance cardio work to build my stamina for the upcoming year. My preparation for camp has never changed in the 4+ years that I have been going. The team you are with gives you a pretty set schedule as to what to do in terms of running, lifting, and throwing and as long as you follow it, you will be just fine and will be ready to go when camp starts.
Getting to camp this year was fun and exciting for me as I got the feeling that
I was a fresh face all over again, the same feelings I got when I was first drafted by the Rangers came back. I was excited, maybe too excited. The first few games I played in I probably tried to do too much. But once I settled down and starting getting back to my game, I felt like I had very good success during spring training. I really wanted to work on throwing my change-up for strikes more in camp, as it seems to be a pitch that has been less effective for me as compared to my other pitches. By the time that I left Viera,FL I felt that I made immense strides with it and I was extremely happy with the way I was throwing it and with the confidence I was displaying.
Not understanding where you are going to be assigned is one of those things that can consume you if you are not careful. When you start to think about the potential moves that the organization could and should make, you start to drive yourself crazy and you get distracted from what you do on the mound. It’s one of those things you just got to try your best to block out and not think about as you go through your process and getting ready for the season. There is always a rhyme and a reason that people do things and although it might not be evidently clear at the first get go as to why; you eventually find out.
I have since been assigned to AA Harrisburg to begin the year. I have made a few starts and although one particularly has not gone the way I would have liked it too, it is still very early on in the season. I see these starts as an opportunity for me to learn from my mistakes and to grow as a pitcher. There are numerous quotes and clichés out there that talk about having a short memory if you want to succeed at this game and they are all absolutely true. There is a fine line between learning and obsessing over particular starts. There is always something positive and negative to get out of taking the mound, but as a player you have to be careful and not let it consume you and over-think about the process. The really good pitchers out there learn and move on the quickest so that they can devote all their time to their next outing.
I am eager to get back on the mound quickly and progress through the season. I have never felt stronger mentally and physically and I can’t wait to see what the season has in store for me.
Thanks for reading.
Ryan
***A special thank you to Ryan Tatusko for his time and effort in preparing his guest MLB blog entry for MLB reports. Please follow Ryan on Twitter. In addition to being a talented pitcher, Ryan is a tremendous person and loves interacting with his fans. A friend of MLB reports, we look forward to reporting on Ryan throughout the season as he continues his journey to Washington. Good luck Ryan!***
To learn more about Ryan, please view our February profile of Ryan Tatusko.
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ON THE VERGE- RYAN TATUSKO, WASHINGTON NATIONALS
MLB reports: At MLB reports we will be running an occasional series titled “On the Verge” where we profile a prospect about to hit the MLB scene. In today’s feature, we profile Ryan Tatusko of the Washington Nationals.
Ryan was born March 27, 1985. Standing 6’5” and weighing a solid 200 lbs, 2010 represented a breakout year for the right-handed pitching Tatusko. He was drafted in the 18th round of the 2007 draft by the Texas Rangers out of Indiana State University (hometown Merrillville, Indiana). After the 3 ½ seasons climbing up the Rangers system, Tatusko was traded on July 30, 2010 with fellow pitcher Tanner Roark for shortstop Christian Guzman. At the time of the trade, Tatusko was pitching for AA Frisco, both starting and relieving. After being acquired by the Nationals, Tatusko finished 2010 exclusively as a starter for AA Harrisburg.
From 2007-2009, Tatusko did not have numbers that jumped out. ERAs each year of 4.13, 4.46 and 4.64, records of 3-7, 3-11 and 7-6, in addition to WHIPs of 1.347, 1.372 and 1.338. A young developing pitcher, but not one on the “radar” so to speak. In the 1st half of 2010 with Frisco, Tatusko pitched in 24 games, 13 as a starter. His record was 9-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.340 WHIP. Definitely solid numbers, but a breakout was still in order. That breakout occurred in the 2nd half of his 2010 season with Harrisburg, where Tatusko pitched in 6 games entirely as a starter, to a sparkling 3-1 record, 1.72 ERA and 1.173 WHIP. His SO/BB ratio with Frisco was 1.45 and ballooned to 2.77 with Harrisburg. When I review these numbers, I see a Kyle Drabek type pitcher at the beginning of 2010 and a Stephen Strasburg clone at the end.
Looking at Ryan’s final 2010 numbers combined in AA, we see a 12-3 record, with a 2.63 ERA and 1.295 WHIP. From an 18th round pick with a microscopic chance of advancement in professional baseball, Ryan is a pitcher likely ticketed for AAA to start 2011 and could end up with the big club sometime between the all-star break and September.
I have had a pleasure to chat with Ryan on a couple of occasions by e-mail and did some research on him as well. Tatusko has a strong curveball as well as good command of 3 other pitches- fastball, changeup and slider. The debate early in his career was whether he would remain a starter or be moved permanently to the bullpen. Young pitchers in the minors are often eased through both roles in the hopes that they will excel in one given spot. As a 4-pitch pitcher and coming off a strong finish in 2010, Tatusko will likely be a full-time starter for the foreseeable future. A student of the game, Tatusko keeps journals of his work and watches video in working on and perfecting his mechanics. A tireless student of the game, Tatusko has the will and ambition to succeed at the pro-level, which is often described as “90% mental and 10% physical”.
Running into growing pains and adversity early in his career was likely a very good thing for Ryan. Too often in the MLB we see hotshot prospects rushed to the majors, only to have their careers cut short by injuries or failed confidence. By building his time up in the minors the right way, Tatusko has been able to prove himself and rise up the prospects ladder. The Nationals going into 2011 are in an interesting situation pitching wise. They have a young highly touted closer in Storen, that is expected to close for the club for the next decade. The starting rotation however, is filled with questions marks and landmines. Livian Hernandez is currently tabbed as the opening day starter. Enough said. From there we see the other potential starters being Marquis, Zimmerman, Lannan and Maya. In the mix we have injured starters Strasburg and Wang who are not certain as to the roles they could play in 2011. As soon as an opening arises, Tatusko will be one of the first to be called up this year. If Ryan is able to grow in 2011 the way he did in 2010, his first stay in Washington could be permanent.
Ryan Tatusko is a man who eats, breathes, sleeps and bleeds professional baseball. Talking to him, I got the sense that this was a ballplayer with no sense of entitlement that has worked hard and earned everything that he has accomplished. Good luck to Ryan on the 2011 campaign and we all look forward to watching you as you continue your baseball journey to the show.
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