Blue Jays - Ricky Romero-SP

		Blue Jays     Ricky Romero-SP
		Mar 13, 2012  7:46 pm EST

Not so long ago, days like Saturday used to rattle the young Ricky Romero. But a strong 2009 Spring Training, followed by a promising rookie season, has led to a new mentality for the Blue Jays' 25-year-old left-hander this spring. So, on a hot afternoon with the sun beaming down and the wind howling at Champion Stadium, Romero was able to use that newfound confidence to take an outing where his pitches were "all over the place" and turn it into what he called "effectively wild." Effectively wild as in four walks but zero runs through a spring-high four innings, while serving as the starter against the Braves in an eventual 3-0 win by his club. But what if those four walks had come 12 months ago? "Take it back a year ago," Romero admitted, "I probably would've folded right away and kind of tucked my ears between my tail. "My sinker was sinking, and then it was cutting, and then it was staying straight. But you know, you're going to have days like this, and it's days like this that you have to be able to overcome. I thought I overcame it pretty well." So did Braves manager Bobby Cox, who said after the game that Romero is "good, real good," adding, "When he's right, that slider is a [Steve] Carlton slider." While throwing about 60 pitches for the first time this spring, Romero gave up two hits and struck out one. Seven of his 12 outs were on ground balls, including three double-play balls, which is a sign Romero's heavy sinker and crisp slider were getting good downward action. Romero overcame his biggest hurdle in the fourth, when he started the inning with back-to-back walks to Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus. After that, he got Yunel Escobar to fly out before inducing Matt Diaz into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. 2010 Spring Training - Toronto Blue Jays News & Features * Romero feeling more confident this spring * Eveland's attitude is newly adjusted * Romero sharp as Blue Jays blank Braves * Speedy Gathright seeks spot in outfield * Drabek sent down, but expected to return Sights & Sounds * Jays get back to basics * Bautista's solo shot * A sit down with Cito Gaston Spring Training Info * Schedule * Ballpark * Tickets It's still only early Spring Training, but that groundout capped off a day that saw Romero outduel veteran Tim Hudson, despite facing seven potential everyday players in the Braves' lineup. While facing a Blue Jays team that fielded just one projected starter (Travis Snider), Hudson yielded three runs, two earned, on seven hits, though he struck out six and didn't walk anyone. Romero has now given up just one run through nine innings this spring to compile a 1.00 ERA. "His ball was moving a lot," Romero's catcher, Jose Molina, said. "I don't know if it's the wind factor or if it just felt so good that the ball just took off whenever, but all his pitches were good. His changeup was good today. [His] location [was] not that good, but he located good when he needed to." "[Romero] did a great job," said Toronto manager Cito Gaston. "He was kind of overthrowing his fastball when he got in trouble, and he went back to his changeup and got out of it." Romero, who won a spot in the Blue Jays' rotation on March 30 last spring, went on to have a respectable first year, going 13-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 29 starts. This time around, he's in competition, if you want to call it that, with Shaun Marcum to be the Opening Day starter. But whether he's No. 1 or No. 2 in a rotation that's without ace Roy Halladay for the first time since 1997, outings like Saturday's, which saw Romero emerge victorious after fighting the weather and his own control, will only help him down the road. "You're going to have to pitch in conditions like this at times," said Romero, who used all of his pitches except his curveball. "You have to be able to battle. "You just have to go out there [and] work with what you have, and that's what I did."

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