Braves reliever and aspiring starter Sean Newcomb spoke with local media at Saturday's Chop Fest, discussing his role with the team and hopes of starting again.
Here are some of the topics Newcomb covered:
Q: When you look back on last year, how much did it help you moving to the bullpen and how much are you looking forward to potentially starting again?
A: It gave me new perspective. Those later innings, getting out of jams. You get to see a lot of different things. I think that helped. It also, obviously, was personally frustrating because I obviously wanted to be a starter. To have that taken and not get back in there. So I'm hungry for that.
More Braves Q&A
» Cole Hamels
» Mike Soroka
» Max Fried
» Read the entire series
Q: Does that motivate you now, knowing you have a chance to earn a starting spot back?
A: Definitely. You're always motivated. But definitely to have that taken sparked a huge fire under me for sure.
Q: How do you assess your career path and development?
A: I still feel like I'm settling in. Me and Max (Fried) are the same age. This is my fourth year. I've had a good experience so far. I feel like I'm just getting going. I haven't even been throwing a baseball – it's always been kind of a three-sport athlete kind of thing. Pitching only, I've been doing that six or seven years now. I feel like I'm still settling in as far as getting used to the big leagues, getting used to making starts, appearances, whatever it is. I'm still getting my bearings, and I feel myself getting comfortable more and more.
Q: What is it about the bullpen that seemed to suit you?
A: I don't know. I felt pretty locked in last year from the start to the finish. … For me, I was able to lock in on one pitch at a time, that mindset was a lot easier. To be able to take that approach and go start a game like that, it's definitely put me in a good spot.
Q: Were you told early in the offseason you’d get a chance to start again?
A: I had an idea. My agent had been in talks with (general manager Alex Anthopoulos) and kept that dialogue open. I got that spot start before I got hit in the head, so there was that emotion. If that hadn't happened, who knows? I might've stayed in there. But there's nothing you could do about that. The whole year I looked at myself as a starter, but where I fit this team right now was there (in the bullpen) and it was working well, so I couldn't really complain about it.
