Snell, Gorzelanny feel heat to heal pitching problems

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates probably won’t be able to undo their pitching problems this season unless Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny can turn things around.

“They’re two key guys,” pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said. “To get those guys back and to keep them growing — to keep them getting better — is really the key for us.”

Both pitchers made breakthroughs earlier in their careers, then took giant steps backward last year.

Snell, a right-hander, went 7-12 with a career-worst 5.42 ERA. The left-handed Gorzelanny went 6-9 with a 6.66 ERA and was demoted to Triple-A for part of the summer after winning 14 games in 2007.

The starting rotation was expected to be one of the Pirates’ strengths. Instead, it failed to produce a 10-game winner for the first time in a full season since 1890.

“Obviously, we need to pitch better,” manager John Russell said. “We didn’t want to dwell too much on it, but you have to. We have to do better.”

Last spring, the 27-year-old Snell signed a three-year, $8.8 million contract. But after winning his first two regular-season starts, he went into a slump. At one point, Snell went 10 starts without a victory.

“Ian really put the weight of the world on his shoulders, with the contract and the ’ace’ status,” general manager Neal Huntington said.

In late June, Snell went on the disabled list with soreness in his right elbow. He was diagnosed with an ailment commonly known as golfer’s elbow.

“I was never injured. I was tired,” Snell said. “It’s one of those times when you throw so many innings over so many years, and your arm starts getting a little tired.”

This offseason, Snell focused his workouts to build stamina. He also adjusted his attitude by training in the mixed martial arts.

“I had a whole lot of anger inside of me and it carried on for three, four, five years,” Snell said. “It’s gone away. Now, I take out my aggression on punching bags and things like that instead of through baseball.”

When the Pirates’ spring training camp opened this weekend, Gorzelanny reported weighing about 20 pounds less than a year ago. The impact is so dramatic, even Gorzelanny’s simple long-toss workouts are better.

“It’s not a rainbow when I throw from 90 feet anymore,” Gorzelanny said. “I’m throwing longer than I’ve ever thrown in my life. I can get it 200 feet on a line. It feels really strong.”

Last year, Gorzelanny struggled all spring with a sore shoulder, something he partially hid from the team’s medical staff. It’s a condition that in past had always gone away on its own.

“Last year, it didn’t happen,” Gorzelanny said. “It never really got any better. I needed this offseason to kind of reset the batteries and get my body back to where it’s supposed to be.”

On Sunday, Gorzelanny chatted and laughed with Kerrigan on the mound. After that, Gorzelanny tossed a sharp bullpen session.

“I’m not going to dwell on what happened last year,” Gorzelanny said. “I’m just enjoying the fact that I feel good. It’s fun to be here right now. I’m ready to get the season started and show the work I’ve been doing.”

Neither Snell nor Gorzelanny will pitch when the Pirates play their first exhibition game on Feb. 25 against Philadelphia, as Kerrigan plans to use nine relief pitchers one inning apiece.

Because of the World Baseball Classic, there are fewer days in camp before games begin, but more games in the spring schedule. Kerrigan wants to be sure his starters have ample rest.

The Pirates will have three days off when the schedule begins, compared to the normal one.