Read: Joe Smith’s Tutelage
In an article for The Star-Ledger, Jeremy Cothran speaks with relief pitcher Joe Smith about how his former pitching coach from Wright State, Greg Lovelady, has helped him this off-season.
Cothran writes:
“Smith spent the better part of the winter back home in frigid Ohio, where he worked out on the Wright State campus in Dayton. “
“[Lovelady] told me I was (ticking) him off,” said Smith, who finished 3-2 with a 3.45 ERA in 54 appearances last year. “It’s good because I think that’s what I needed.”
“Lovelady, who watches as much of Smith as he can on satellite television, detailed [Smith's] flaws. They discussed tapering Smith’s throwing regimens to spare fatigue in the late summer months.”
…this is the first i have heard from joe smith this off-season who was a phenom in the beginning of last year…to be honest, i haven’t thought about him too much either but i suppose that is because of how he declined so rapidly before he was sent back to the minors…however, if he can pitch at his best over a longer period of time this season, it would be a huge bonus to the middle relievers…
