Perseverance Pays Off For Chen

[ThomasTomasz]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- There's no way around it. Any conversation about Bruce Chen's career generally comes back to his well-traveled path through the big leagues, a journey that has seen him pitch for eight different teams in the last six seasons.

That was the dominant thread before last season, when Chen ended his transient days with a strong performance as Baltimore's fifth starter. In fact, he's a good bet to spend his third straight season with the Orioles, which is no small achievement. That's the first truly stable period for Chen since the 2000 season, when he was still breaking in with Atlanta, his first organization.

The southpaw makes no excuses about the turbulent portion of his career, but he's clearly thrilled that it's over.

"I can't say I didn't get an opportunity. I got an opportunity. I just didn't have a lot of room that allowed me to fail," said Chen, who will turn 29 in June. "If I had a bad month, because I didn't throw hard, they'd put me in the bullpen or send me down. I had plenty of opportunities, I just didn't have a lot of margin for error.

"The other thing is I just wasn't ready yet. I could pitch in the big leagues, but I didn't have good command. I didn't have a changeup. I wasn't quite there -- I wasn't able to help a team win."

Still, as a highly touted prospect off the Atlanta assembly line, he got plenty of chances. Chen made his big-league debut just after his 21st birthday, appearing as a September callup for a Braves team that eventually lost in the 1998 National League Championship Series to the Padres.

That team's rotation featured pitching icons Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, and the back end was filled by Denny Neagle and Kevin Millwood. All but Neagle returned the next season, but Chen still wasn't ready to break in as a starter. Leo Mazzone was that team's pitching coach, and now he serves in a similar capacity for Baltimore.

"I've noticed from watching him that he's much more mature, much more confident," said Mazzone. "When I had him, he was trying to break into one of the greatest rotations in the history of the game. It wasn't an easy spot for him, but he's real smooth and has good control. He had a [heck] of a year last year."

Chen goes a step further than Mazzone when discussing that portion of his career. It wasn't that he was intimidated by his competition, it was just a little bit too much too soon.

"When I was over there, I was young, and I didn't have the command I have now. I didn't have the changeup I have now," he said. "I didn't have the experience I have now. I'm a much better pitcher. I used to throw harder when I was with the Braves. That's mainly the difference."

The odyssey began in innocent fashion, when Chen was the centerpiece of a trade to Philadelphia in 2000. He was dealt again a year later, this time moving to the New York Mets. And that's when things started getting a little crazy.

After a half-season with the Mets, Chen was dealt to Montreal in April 2002. He spent two months there before Montreal traded him to Cincinnati. The Reds released him early in 2003, and he bounced between the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox. Finally, after signing with the Blue Jays in November, he was traded to Baltimore in May 2004.

That dizzying tour taught him persistence, if it didn't teach him anything about baseball.

"Let me tell you something," said Mazzone. "When you're a left-hander that has good control and can change speeds, somebody will always find a place for you. Plus, he has great makeup and attitude."

Chen pitched well in a limited role for the Orioles in 2004, and then he finally broke through in 2005. The left-hander set a career high in wins (13), starts (32), innings (197 1/3) and strikeouts (133). He gained a lucrative payday for that season, but more importantly, he gained a guaranteed place in his team's plans.

Chen credits his success and his newfound confidence in his stuff to former Baltimore pitching coach Ray Miller, who taught Chen how to take a far simpler approach.

"He talked to me a lot, and he said, 'All I want you to do is show me that you can help this team win and you'll be on this team,'" he said. "I thought, 'If that's the only thing I'll have to do, I can do it.' I prepared myself. I showed them I could relieve.

"I was available to pitch against left-handers and I was available to start. I could do any of those things and eat a lot of innings to help this team win."

And what does his team expect from him this season? The Orioles know 2005 may not be his career year, but they also know he may not be able to sustain his success from year to year. Sam Perlozzo, Baltimore's manager, just wants Chen to be himself.

"He doesn't have to go out there and be the best in the world, but we certainly want him to be good enough to hold down whatever spot he is in the rotation. I'd be disappointed if he didn't," said Perlozzo. "If he came out of the rotation in the five-hole and won 10 ballgames, I'd be tickled to death.

"What we're looking for is Rodrigo [Lopez] and [Kris] Benson to pitch the way they're capable of pitching, [Daniel] Cabrera and [Erik] Bedard to get a little bit better, and Chen to hold his own. If we do that, that's a pretty good staff. I think we'll be successful if that happens."

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=bal

[ThomasTomasz]

Sometimes, a different pitching coach is all you need. Mazzone couldn't help Chen as a youngster very much, and it took 7 more teams until Chen found the Orioles and Ray Miller. Miller preaches changing speeds, and all of his pitchers learn the change up. That was the one pitch that Chen was missing, and when Miller taught him that, his career 180'd around. He's still improving, and working with Mazzone again, more mature, should push him to new heights again. I'm very excited to have Chen back as our third starter this year.

[Saber]

The guy refused to take any coaching throughout his career. He squandered his opportunities, they weren't taken from him.

I think he's the same pitcher he always was.

[ThomasTomasz]

The guy refused to take any coaching throughout his career. He squandered his opportunities, they weren't taken from him.

I think he's the same pitcher he always was.

Except he took coaching from Ray Miller. On his 8th team, he took to Miller, who helped him develop his change up, which is what he needed to excel in the majors. I think he's a changed guy, what happened in the past, happened in the past. One guy (Miller) can change that attitude.

[Saber]

The coaching from Ray Miller didn't shave half a homerun per 9 IP off his peripherals, which is what he needs more than perseverance.

[ThomasTomasz]

The coaching from Ray Miller didn't shave half a homerun per 9 IP off his peripherals, which is what he needs more than perseverance.

Look at his ERA and performance last year. He may still give up homers, but he's improved his pitching overall, and become a quality #3 starter for us. He's in his prime, and could improve even more. Take a look at the whole picture.