Video summary
Schlittler attributes his successful outing against the Angels primarily to a mental shift away from trying to be perfect, opting instead to simply pound the zone with confidence in his delivery. He explains that while he has struggled in recent starts by overthinking where the ball will go, he found success tonight by trusting his mechanics and letting the pitches find their natural spots without hesitation. This approach allowed him to navigate the lineup economically and efficiently, proving that a reset mindset can be more effective than striving for flawlessness under pressure.
The interview also touches on Schlittler's ability to control walks, noting that while he admitted to some frustration with allowing baserunners in previous outings, he was able to flush out batters effectively during this game. He emphasized the importance of having a solid pen between starts and maintaining consistency, which he felt he achieved tonight by sticking to his plan rather than forcing outcomes. This discipline helped him avoid the pitfalls that had bothered him earlier in the season, resulting in zero walks and a more controlled performance overall.
Defensively, Schlittler highlighted how amazing the team's effort was, particularly during the ninth inning where they managed to secure a crucial win despite facing a strong opponent. He recalled a specific play in the seventh inning involving a cutter to Grissom that initially looked like it would be a high deep pop-up, but ultimately resulted in an out that Schlittler felt he had to pay for with a good swing from the batter. The victory was described as a great feeling, especially after losing some games recently and failing to get ahead of opponents, making this win a significant step forward in their momentum.
Looking ahead to the final 22 games of the season, Schlittler expressed optimism about the upcoming series at home, acknowledging that it will be very important for the team's playoff push. He noted that while they have lost some recent games and struggled to get a lead on opponents, this win helps inch them closer to their goals and restores a positive feeling within the clubhouse. The team is now focused on building on this momentum as they head into a critical stretch where every game will count toward securing a spot in the postseason.
Read the full video transcript
Cam, what do you think allowed you to
navigate through that lineup
economically and efficiently efficiently
and successfully?
>> Yeah, I think just pounding the zone,
not really thinking about where it's
going and
think I've struggled a little bit, you
know, last couple starts just trying to
be too perfect and I think just being
able to go out there and
throw the ball and and trust where it's
going to go.
>> Was there any adjustment you made
mechanically or was it just a a mental
shift of trying to not be too perfect as
you said?
>> think just a mental shift a little bit,
just you know, a little reset, just go
out there, throw the ball and
trust that it's going to go where it
needs to go.
>> You had a few walks in these past few
outings. Was that something that was
bothering you coming into it? This one
you had zero today. Was that something
that you were trying to work on?
>> I wouldn't say it bothered me, but it's
definitely a little bit frustrating. Um,
yeah, you got to be able to flush it.
Have a solid pen in between starts and
then go out there and again just pound
the zone and and not try and be too
perfect and feel like I was able to do
that tonight.
>> What was your feeling when you watched
the ninth inning?
>> Yeah, it was crazy. Again, I mean again,
defense was amazing. Um,
they had a really good, you know, solid
pitcher going, so
um, you know, it was definitely a
battle, but
be able to come through there Wells with
a clutch AB being able to open that up
there is uh
is a great feeling, so um
it's a good one.
>> And the the cutter to Grissom there in
that seventh inning, it looked like you
didn't think that was out by any stretch
of the imagination. Was that a fair
assessment? Did you think that was just
kind of a fly?
>> Yeah, I mean I thought I thought it was
going to be a
high deep pop up, you know, again
he got a good swing on it
made me pay for it.
>> Okay, you guys picked up a game on the
Rays. Playing some good ball right now.
Just what's the feeling as you guys head
into the last 22 games with a lot to
play for?
>> Yeah, it's good. Again, it's going to be
a very important series we're playing
back at home. Um
feel like we've had some
some games that, you know, they've lost
and and we hadn't been able to, you
know, get a game on them, so it's a good
feeling for them to lose and and uh
again, just inch towards it.