Chat Room Session with Kyle McClellan, 02-18-07

[BleacherBum593]

BleacherBum593 Our guest tonight is a native of St. Louis and a pitcher in the Cardinals Minor League Organization - Mr. Kyle McClellan. Welcome to FanHome Kyle!

Kyle McClellan Thanks for having me

BleacherBum593 For our audience who may not be familiar with Kyle, here’s a little background on him. He was drafted in the 25th round (762nd overall) in the June 2002 first-year player draft out of Hazelwood West High School. Hazelwood West is a member of the Suburban North Conference and Kyle’s team won it and its district in 2002. Along the way, Kyle picked up 1st team All Conference honors as a pitcher and first baseman, Suburban North Conference Player of the Year and all-state honors as a pitcher in 2002. After being drafted in 2002, Kyle signed with the Cardinals and was assigned to Johnson City (A-Rookie). He returned there in 2003 and in 2004 moved up to Peoria (A) and was back in A ball again with Quad Cities in 2005. Late in that summer he was shut down with elbow problems that required Tommy John surgery. He spent 2006 rehabbing his arm and then late in the summer, he returned to Johnson City and got in 3 appearances before being shut down for the year.

BleacherBum593 So the first question for you Kyle is how is the arm and will you be at full strength at the start of camp?

Kyle McClellan Yes, I am at full strength finally. I recovered from the Tommy John surgery in July 2005, but I then discovered in my third rehab start that I was not quite right. I had my ulnar nerve moved in August 2006 and that was a 6 week rehab. I have been throwing since early December (2006) and I feel like I am 100% now.

BleacherBum593 That's good to hear. Have you talked to the Cardinals to see what their plans are for you this year? Rotation or Bullpen?

Kyle McClellan I am not sure what the Cardinals have planned for me. I think it is hard for them to have a plan until they see that I am healthy. I would guess that I will be a starter again, if there is a spot open. If they have the spots filled, I would then go to the bullpen .

BleacherBum593 If things break right for you what level are you expecting to start and finish at in 2007?

Kyle McClellan I would love to start in Palm Beach this year. I think that I can pitch there and I think it would be easier on my arm in the warm weather. Wherever I will go I just want to be a part of a team again. As far as where I finish I would like to just finish healthy.

BleacherBum593 What pitches do you have in your "arsenal"?

Kyle McClellan I throw a 2-seam fastball, curveball, and changeup.

BleacherBum593 What do you consider your best pitch at this time?

Kyle McClellan My curveball, but that is the pitch that I tore my elbow on, so I had some work to do to get that back after the surgery.

BleacherBum593 What range is you fastball in (avg mph)?

Kyle McClellan My velocity is usually 88-91 sometimes 92. I am hoping that the surgery makes it 93-98. Ha Ha.

BleacherBum593 That would be nice. Kind of like Jimmy Morris of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays a few years back.

BleacherBum593 Going into camp this year, what pitch will you be working on to improve? And are you looking to add another pitch or two?

Kyle McClellan I just want to work on commanding my off-speed pitches, For now I don't want to add pitches till I master what I have. I tried to throw a cutter that worked pretty well three years ago but it was too many pitches to work on.

BleacherBum593 Going back to your younger days, when did you first get involved in an organized baseball league.

Kyle McClellan I have played baseball since I was 3.

BleacherBum593 That's an early start. Was there any one player you considered to be your “hero”? Someone you tried to pattern yourself after?

Kyle McClellan Well my sports hero isn't a baseball player. My hero would be Brett Favre. I have always been such a huge fan of his. I like the way he plays and the passion he has about what he does.

BleacherBum593 Did you play football in high school?

Kyle McClellan Yes, I played football and basketball along with baseball. I played basketball for two years in high school and football for three years. I got a concussion my junior year and I didn't want to hurt my
baseball career.

BleacherBum593 From what I understand, you played 4 years of baseball. All on the varsity team?

Kyle McClellan I played for the freshman team and then I played on the varsity team for the next three years.

BleacherBum593 At what point did you start to you think that pro ball might be an option?

Kyle McClellan I was not heavily recruited for college. I signed with Mizzou in November (2001). I then did a showcase and I had the top velocity at the showcase. After that I had a lot of interest from major league teams. I don't think that I ever really thought that I could play pro ball until it happened.

BleacherBum593 What MLB teams (besides the Cards) showed an interest in drafting you after the showcase?

Kyle McClellan I talked to all the teams. When it got down to it, I knew that I would be drafted by the Braves, Cardinals, White Sox or Indians if anyone.

BleacherBum593 What was it like to answer the phone and hear that the “home town” team had drafted you?

Kyle McClellan Well, it was a stressful two days. We were actually offered to be drafted by the Cardinals in the 9th round, but it fell through. I was so stressed out knowing that I turned down the home team. When they actually did draft me the next day I was very excited to say the least.

BleacherBum593 From one of our more respected posters (ArRedbird) - Kyle, your last full year before the Tommy John surgery was 2004. The following spring, a very good prospect service [Creative Sports] listed you #198 among all prospects, and #6 in the Cardinal organization. So the potential has clearly been there. And since you're still a young man [22], what goals have you set for yourself this year? The future?

Kyle McClellan My number one goal this year is to stay healthy and get as many innings as I can. My goal for every year is to make every start. For the future I have a different perspective on things now after having this surgery. Before I would have said I want to be in the big leagues in X number of years. Now after having what I love taken away from me I am so appreciative of the opportunity that I have and I just want to play as long as I can. If I am blessed enough to get to play in the major leagues that would be the ultimate. It’s unbelievable what happens to you when you have something taken away from you like I did.

BleacherBum593 If you ever got the "call" to come on up, how fast will it take you to get to St Louis?

Kyle McClellan I don't know how long it will take me, but I assure you my family will be there waiting at the gate (Busch Stadium) about 15 min from that call. That's about the time it takes to get down 170 to 40.

BleacherBum593 That long huh? Just looking at your career stats, you seem to be a pitcher who knows how to keep the ball in the park [.77 HR/9]. Is that one of your strong points? Or something else?

Kyle McClellan I am a ground ball pitcher. I don’t throw hard enough to blow it buy Guys, so I try to keep it down in the zone and get groundballs. So yes, I would say that is one of my strong points.

BleacherBum593 Let’s talk a minute about pitching in the low minors. Many people get focused in on stats of an individual player and may not realize that a pitcher is working on a “new” pitch and the stats get distorted. Are their times, where a manager or a pitching coach, will instruct you to only throw a certain type pitch during a game? Or at least the majority of the time?

Kyle McClellan Yes, when I was in Peoria I had a rough season stat-wise, but I was working on not throwing my cut fastball and developing my curveball for a strike. I also really never had a changeup so I was trying to develop that.

BleacherBum593 I remember that year. It seemed you would have a rough couple of outings and then you would put back to back good games up. The reason I brought this point up is that I'm sure there's a bunch of people who get ready to write a pitcher/player off, when they really don't have the knowledge of what is going on with said pitcher/player.

Kyle McClellan Yeah, that was a rough year but when I look back from the start to finish I got a whole lot better. Towards the end I had better control of the curveball and I did throw a changeup in games for the first time. So stat-wise it wasn't good, but development wise it was a very successful year. And the good thing is the organization knows what I was going through.

End of Part 1.

[BleacherBum593]

Start of Part 2.

BleacherBum593 Besides working out and building arm strength, what kind of job(s) have you had while rehabbing in the off-season?

Kyle McClellan My dad owns a batting cage facility, The Fieldhouse Training Center. I give pitching lessons there. I really enjoy giving lessons there. I have met a lot of people and I feel that I have helped a lot of kids improve their skills. Besides that you can find me in the nearest duck blind. I do quite a bit of hunting in the off season. I just wish I got paid to do that.

BleacherBum593 Josh Kinney would love that too. Last question that I have from our posters – a two part question for one of our posters (1) Of the pitchers you have teamed with, who do you feel could have a break out year in 07? (2) Same question except what position players do you feel could have a break out year in 07?

Kyle McClellan Well, I have played with a lot of players in the organization since I rehabbed and played two years in QC. I would say that Mike Sillman is one that has been under-rated in his three years with us. He is an outstanding pitcher with great stuff. At a younger level, Elvis Hernandez has some real raw talent. I hope he has a good year. He is one of the Latin guys that I really got along with in Johnson City and he has electric stuff. As far as a position player, I would say that Cody Haerther will have a big year. I think last year he had some stress with the whole 40 man thing hanging over him. I think he will relax this year and let his true talent show this year. At the younger level I would say Jonathan Edwards will have a good year. He is a potential 5 tool player with unbelievable strength.

BleacherBum593 Thanks Kyle. If anyone in the audience has a question, now's your time to ask it.

NianguaToad Is your changeup of the circle grip variety or more of a palmball?

Kyle McClellan I started out with almost a split finger grip, but with the surgery it was too hard on my elbow so I went to the circle change grip.

Coop Do you have any ideals why there are so many arm surgeries?

Kyle McClellan My only ideal would be that guys are weightlifting a lot more in the off-season and that stretches everything more. Also guys are throwing harder now than before, and that is dangerous when you throw breaking balls that hard.

Fredbird What role has your family played in your development as a player?

Kyle McClellan They have played a large role. They have supported me and kept me on the right track

Ewttexas Hi Kyle and welcome. Bleacher has talked about you so often that I feel like I know you without actually meeting. What can you tell us about Rasmus, Jay, Ottavino and McCormick?

Kyle McClellan Unfortunately I have not played with any of them. Sorry I'm not any help.

tjwd83 Do you have pre game superstitions?

Kyle McClellan O boy I have a large list. I just like to have a routine that starts when I get up. I eat the same thing, play a play station game and I play the Cardinals vs. the team we are playing that night. And then I prepare mentally.

NianguaToad You alluded to this earlier, but it is not unheard of during the second year after TJ surgery for pitchers seem to pick up velocity, even beyond what they had before troubles began. Have you been prompted for that possibility?

Kyle McClellan Yes, I am hoping that I do pick up speed. My rehab has been very intense and that is where the increase in velocity comes from.

Fredbird What is your favorite little league memory?

Kyle McClellan My favorite little league moment is hitting the cycle of homeruns in the Show Me Games.

NianguaToad Duck blind!!? Lab or Chessie?

Kyle McClellan Lab

NianguaToad Good man

Kyle McClellan Chocolate, and yellow preferably. I wish I had one.

NianguaToad Even a better man. My gal is Chocolate.

NianguaToad What about thumb position on your pitches: do you grip with the pad of the thumb or on the 1st knuckle on the thumb? Or does it vary, dependent upon the pitch?

Kyle McClellan I grip everything with the pad of the thumb. My change up and fastball I hold loose in my hand but I choke the curveball as hard as I can.

NianguaToad I recall from earlier in the chat you said in high school you were both a pitcher and a 1B. Given that big stick position, have we ignored giving attention to your offensive potential?

Kyle McClellan Yeah Right!!!! I was a good high school hitter and we will leave it at that. I could never hit guys that throw in the 90's with good off speed.

NianguaToad Welcome to my world.

Kyle McClellan I always like to tell the hitters that I can hit though.

NianguaToad This is a two part question, stemming from your earlier mention of a repertoire consisting of a 2 seamer, curve and change up. Part 1: Although I appreciate you comment about not wanting to try working on too many pitches at once, but wouldn’t a cutter be less strain on the elbow than a traditional breaking pitch?

Kyle McClellan The Cutter/slider is easier to throw and locate but actually more stress on the elbow.

NianguaToad and then....Part 2: In professional ball, is there less focus on development by coaches and more on production?

Kyle McClellan In my experience I would say there is more emphasis on development until AA or AAA.

NianguaToad The "cutter" I'm referring to is where you simply apply more pressure with one finger or the other to a standard fastball grip and delivery.

Kyle McClellan Yes

NianguaToad Interesting. I did not know that.

Kyle McClellan You also hold it a little off centered .

NianguaToad Thank you, sir. For that.bit of insight, and the evening's chat.

Kyle McClellan Any time

NianguaToad Good luck, and come back and join us again.

BleacherBum593 Any more questions? If not, then I would like to thank Kyle for stopping by and sharing his thoughts with us. Hopefully, he'll take his laptop to Florida next week and can give us some earlier reports from Jupiter. Thanks Kyle!!!

Kyle McClellan Anytime guys. I appreciate your guys support.

Coop Ground balls sure sound good to me. That is the Cardinals way. Also not rushing all those different pitches. Your answers have been great information. Thank you for being with us. Come on back, you hear!

Fredbird Thanks Kyle!

Ewttexas And the hits just keep on coming. Another great chat. Thanks Kyle

BleacherBum593 Kyle - have a safe trip driving down to Jupiter. And you don't have to call and tell us it's in the 80's at Roger Dean, while I'm out shoveling snow

Kyle McClellan Thanks I'll be thinking of you while I'm on the beach getting burnt.

Coop Good luck, man. We are all for your success.

Kyle McClellan Thank You

NianguaToad Several members of the Kyle McClellan fan club here tonight. Some new, some veterans.

BleacherBum593 That's a wrap for tonight. I'll have a special announcement early in the week of some breaking news for the board. I think you all will love it.

NianguaToad Thanks to all. It has been quite enjoyable. Adios for now.

Coop Thanks again, as usual, Bleacher. Great job.

Ewttexas Nite all and take care.


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