Chico's Aim Is to Regain Winning Stride

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By Barry Svrluga

Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 2, 2007; Page D09

The morning before Matt Chico reported to Class AAA Columbus, pitching coach Randy St. Claire had a bullpen session with the 24-year-old left-hander. Chico had just endured a stretch in which he had walked at least three men in each of his previous seven starts, and his fastball was tailing badly, directly into the center of the plate.

The goal of that bullpen session: get Chico to shorten his stride. St. Claire believed, and videotape evidence backed him, that when Chico strode too far out with his right foot, his torso flew open and he threw across his body, creating the unwanted tail on his pitches. Shortening his stride would allow Chico's momentum to carry more toward the plate.

Today, Chico will pitch in the majors for the first time since Aug. 17, when he walked five New York Mets in 4 1/3 innings. He was recalled late Friday, and Manager Manny Acta said his start against the San Francisco Giants will be part of a regular turn the rest of the way.

If all goes right, Chico will have cut down on his stride, his main focus when he went 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts at Columbus.

"It's more natural than it [was] in the bullpen I had before I left," Chico said. "But I still feel like I'm not using any legs, which in reality I am. I'm just not using as much as I was before. It's something that's not going to feel right until next year because that's the way I've been pitching my whole life. That's something I'm going to work on in the offseason."

When Chico threw seven scoreless innings July 4 against the Chicago Cubs, his ERA was 4.39. But his struggles with control over those final seven starts before his demotion bumped it to 4.96. Still, Acta said the rookie has earned a chance to be a top contender for the 2008 rotation if he completes this season well.

"I'm still satisfied with what Chico did," Acta said. "I mean, come on. Let's be realistic. I don't think anybody was expecting Chico to pitch as well as he pitched for that period of time that he was successful up here." . . .

Touted draft picks Josh Smoker and Jack McGeary made their debuts for Class A Vermont last night. Smoker pitched two hitless innings in which he walked one and struck out two; McGeary gave up two runs in one inning on a two-out double.