Xavier Hernandez taking new route to major leagues

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Xavier Hernandez taking new route to major leagues

The Port Arthur News

If Xavier Hernandez — X man to his friends in Port Arthur — has anything to say about it, and he apparently does, pitchers in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization are going to become increasingly aggressive about taking home plate back from hitters.

“Throwing inside is a dying art in the game,†said Hernandez, via cell phone last week on his way to the Devil Rays spring training base in St. Petersburg, Fla. “It’s something we as an industry have to stress. The pendulum has swung way too far in the favor of hitters.â€

Hernandez, who seems to be on the fast track to becoming a major league pitching coach, lasted 10 years in the bigs, partly because he didn’t mind playing a little chin music when the occasion demanded. Exhibit A was the night in Cincinnati he sent former Astros teammate Jeff Bagwell sprawling, triggering a bench-clearing brawl.

Bagwell, as a professional hitter, didn’t take it personal. The two exchanged pleasantries the next day. When X was a free agent the year, Bags and his buddy, Craig Biggio, successfully lobbied Houston management to bring him back.

The method to their madness was to infuse Astros pitchers with a more nasty attitude.

That’s exactly what Hernandez has been doing with Tampa Bay’s young pitchers, since joining the D-Rays organization in 2002. He spent three years as pitching coach with the Class A Charleston River Dogs and the last two seasons with the AA Montgomery Biscuits.

When the pitching coach post with the AAA Durham Bulls — think Bull Durham, Luke Laloosh and Crash Davis — came open last winter, management didn’t hesitate to promote him. The pitching coach job at Tampa Bay was also open, but it went to Jim Hickey, who was fired from a similar position with the Astros last season.

“I was never contacted about the major league opening,†Hernandez said. “Hopefully, I’ll get an opportunity to move on up at some point. Everybody wants to get to the top level. I think I’ve had a fairly rapid rise.â€

One baseball lifer who thinks Hernandez should already be coaching in the bigs is Lamar’s Jim Gilligan.

“I wish the Astros had considered him,†Gilligan said, “but I have no doubt he’ll be up there somewhere. He’s got a great disposition for coaching and he’ll command respect from major league pitchers because he’s been there.

“He had a really good career, he lasted 10 years and his sinker was tough to hit. Wherever he coaches, the pitchers are going to benefit from his tips on making the ball move down.â€

X, who pitched TJ to the 1983 state championship, made major league stops with Toronto (1989), Houston (1990-93, 1996), the New York Yankees (1994), Cincinnati (1995-96) and Texas (1997-98). He pitched in 463 games, mostly out of the bullpen, compiling a 40-35 record, 35 saves and a 3.90 ERA.

Despite all the pitching coaches he was exposed to, Hernandez credits Brad Kelly, his college coach at Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette), for having the most influence on developing an aggressive philosophy on the mound.

“Brad was the first guy who introduced me to the importance of pitching inside and trying to intimidate hitters,†he said. “It was something they encouraged and nurtured in the Toronto organization and I never got away from it.â€

MLB, on the other hand, has gone the other direction. Desperately needing more offense to spice up its game, the Lords of baseball shrunk the strike zone and the size of ball parks, allowed hitters to come to the plate wearing protective armor and became increasingly tough on those who pitch high and tight.