By Joseph Del Busso
SPECIAL TO SPORTSNET.CA
DUNEDIN, FL – Toronto Blue Jays prospect Deck McGuire’s road to redemption begins in 2013.
The towering pitcher from Richmond, Va., says he is ready for a fresh start this season, rediscovering the attitude that led him to success in the past.
“I’ve always been the guy that doesn’t mind throwing any pitch, in any count, to anybody,” said McGuire, after Thursday’s workouts at the Bobby Mattick Training Center.
“That’s my calling card, what I’ve been able to be successful with, and I think that was part of the problem last year. I got away from that a little bit.”
It was a tough season for McGuire in 2012.
He went 5-15 and had a 5.88 ERA with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, but he took last season in stride, blaming himself, and was optimistic about what it will bring for his future.
“It was a learning experience, a great opportunity, a blessing in disguise I guess you could say,” he said.
“I learned a ton from it and got the opportunity to go out to Arizona and kind of tighten some stuff up at the end of the year and I feel really good about where I’m starting this year.”
The 2010 first round pick of the Blue Jays believes that attending Georgia Tech was necessary in order to mature both on and off the field.
“I didn’t get drafted out of high school and I definitely think it was a blessing,” said McGuire. “My three years at Tech gave me a chance to get away from home for the first time.
“I matured a lot. Not only away from baseball maturity wise but on the field, how I pitched. It really just gave me the chance to tighten up everything that I had and grow as a baseball player and a person.”
Danny Hall, McGuire’s coach at Georgia Tech, echoed the young pitcher’s statements.
“He learned to let a lot of things go on the mound and not be worried about things he can’t control,” Hall told Kendall Rogers of Yahoo! Sports in 2010 leading into the MLB Draft that season.
McGuire’s time with the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League gave him an opportunity to learn different things as pitcher.
“I got the chance to go out to Arizona and come out of the bullpen which was a different role for me.
“But at the same time I learned a lot of stuff coming out of the bullpen that I could use starting, like a mentality to be more aggressive hitter to hitter, pitch to pitch.”
The 6-foot-6 hurler has a unique way of preparing for games, keeping things normal and grounded.
“[I’m] probably a little different than others because I’m more relaxed and laid back. I try to stay even keel, I try not to get too fired up or too anxious or anything like that. It’s just like a normal day for me you know?”
Moving Forward
McGuire is not worried about what team he will end up on come the end of spring training.
“There’s nothing I can do to control it one way or the other. I’m going to go out and try and get better every day, just keep doing my thing and we’ll see where I end up.”
Recognizing the issue with last season was easy for McGuire and he knows exactly what needs to happen to regain success.
“I think it’s not going to be much of a different guy, there really wasn’t a whole lot to change but it’s going to be a little bit more fun and a lot more relaxed Deck this year”
