Q&A: Crowe on the transition from starter to reliever

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Starting pitchers are individuals of habit. They know what day they're going to pitch. They know what time to get loose. They know how many pitches to throw. Their routines are an exact science. Starting pitchers, then, are bakers.

But relievers? Their schedules are random, circumstantial. They're always on alert. They make do with what they have. Relievers work with what they have. Relievers are chefs.

So, what happens when you transition from a starter to a reliever, from a baker to a chef? I had a conversation with Wil Crowe, who has blossomed into one of the Pirates' most dominant pitchers.

MLB.com: When you get to the ballpark, what does your routine look like?

Crowe: When I get here, it’s kind of the same for a little bit. Getting in the hot tub, getting the body ready. It’s not as much cardio throughout the week. I’m not hitting 20 to 30 minutes every day other than the day I pitch. I’m still warming the body up, still going through my regular stretching routine.

I think more of it has been getting used to getting there at [3 o’clock], and then not getting into a game until after 7. Just letting the body get used to throwing early, and then not getting ready to throw in the game until later. In the first, second, third, fourth innings, [I’m] staying loose enough to be ready once the phone rings and they say it’s time to hop on the mound.

MLB.com: How do you stay loose?

Crowe: There’s some stretches I do out there. I have a weighted baseball that I throw against the wall a couple times every couple innings. Just the little things, keep the body moving enough to where when [manager Derek Shelton] says, "Hey, you’re up," then it’s just rip a couple throws and start my -- almost -- regular routine.

MLB.com: The phone rings. Your name is called. How do you get hot?

Crowe: It’s a simulated version of what I would do pregame [as a starter]. That would be like 30, 35 pitches. In the bullpen, it’s more like 15 pitches. You get 15 pitches out there, or so. Then, you get eight pitches when you run in. It’s about 23 total.

In my pregame routine as a starter, it would be like, "Hey, I want to land a slider in the middle, I want to land a slider away, I want to land a slider for swing-and-miss." Out in the bullpen, I just want to land a slider in the middle, because then I know I’ve got the strike pitch and I can work from there. So, it’s just simulating everything. Everything gets a little shorter, a little smaller.

MLB.com: Do you have a reliever alter ego?

Crowe: I don’t think there’s much of a difference. My confidence is different than it was last year, and I think that’s showing more, but me as the person, me as the pitcher, I’m still the same guy. I’m going to keep doing my work and going after guys the way I do.