The right-handed reliever began incorporating the ‘sweeper,’ a hybrid of a curve and slider, in September with positive results
TEMPE, Ariz. — When Ryan TeperaThese days, it seems just about everyone is adding the pitch they are now calling a “sweeper.” It’s like a hybrid between a curve and slider but with more horizontal movement than what used to be called a slurve.“I’m excited to be able to use it, to add it to the repertoire,” Tepera said. “I think it’s going to be a huge weapon.”
Tepera had made his career on a fastball and a slider, but the difference in velocity from his 92 mph fastball to his 85 mph slider was not enough to really throw hitters off balance. Tepera said he plans to throw the slider and the sweeper this season. If he can avoid the bad month he had last year, he would give the Angels a reliable back-end reliever.
The bases are now 3 inches larger, which makes is slightly easier to steal. Also, pitchers can’t throw to first more than two times per at-bat. If they throw a third time, they need to record an out or it’s a balk. “We’ve pushed that,” Nevin said. “We want our catchers to throw behind runners. I think O’Hoppe and Wallach do it really well. Thaiss does too. Stassi is going to have to do a little more. It’s something he hasn’t done in the past, but certainly he’s capable of doing it.”
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