Rick Porcello is a simple man.
Every starting pitcher has their own personal routine they follow on days they take the mound. Some remain laser-focused throughout the day while others are loose and interacting with their teammates in the clubhouse before the game.
There’s plenty of information a pitcher also takes with them to the bump — what pitches certain batters struggle with, what their strengths are, even stats such as WAR play a role. But Porcello doesn’t want to put too much thought into any of that.
“I tried to use every bit of the information available,” the pitcher told the Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman. “And then it goes back to me thinking about 17 different things and I’m trying to remember what quadrant of the heat map this guy hits the fastball and if it’s up and in, square — it’s too much for me to think about.”
Porcello has been in the league long enough to rely on what he feels is right each time he starts. and it’s certainly worked to his advantage, having picked up his first career Cy Young Award in 2016. And he knows no matter how much information he takes with him to the bump, the right-hander ultimately is the one in control.
“I have to go out there, feel the game, feel what I’m doing. At the end of the day, I’m the one holding the ball and I’m the one that’s establishing what’s going to happen,” Porcello said. “I’m going to pitch to my strengths and my quadrants. It’s up to the hitter to make those adjustments. That’s kind of it. I know the guys I am facing, I know the swings and I know where I want to throw the ball, it’s just a matter of doing it.”
Porcello picked up his club-best 17th win in Saturday’s 5-3 victory over the New York Mets at Fenway Park.
