No longer overlooked

 

By Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, March 8, 2004

 

 

 

JUPITER -- The conversation was not pleasant but may have been the most important discussion of the Marlins' post-season.

 

Pitcher Brad Penny and pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal aired it out during the National League Championship Series last season, after the Marlins decided to start Carl Pavano in Game 6. Penny approached Rosenthal after hearing from teammates he would be in the bullpen.

 

"They didn't handle it right,'' Penny said. "I was told after the rest of the team was told. The guy who was going to start, he came up to me and told me. That's what I was upset about.

 

"If you're going to be a big-league pitching coach, you're going to have to deal with your pitchers. That's what I was upset about, no communication.''

 

Apparently, the air was cleared.

 

After a disastrous Game 2 against the Cubs, Penny rebounded to throw a crucial perfect inning in relief in Game 7 and then beat the Yankees twice in the World Series.

 

Some believed Penny had as much right to the World Series MVP trophy as Josh Beckett. Penny was 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA compared to Beckett, who was 1-1 with a 1.10 ERA.

 

"Penny got overlooked,'' Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "He could have very easily won MVP as well as Josh, except (Beckett won) the clincher.''

 

This after allowing seven hits and seven runs in two innings in his only NLCS start and then verbally sparring with Rosenthal.

 

"You get mad one day, you come back out and it's a new day, you cool down,'' Rosenthal said. "When we skipped over his start against the Cubs, we had a discussion at home. It wasn't the nicest discussion, but we had it.

 

"It came to a point where some things were said.... I didn't get my piece in, he got his piece in. Later we talked about it saying, 'Hey, if you're going to get your piece in, hear my piece. Let's resolve it.' And we were fine about it.''

 

The disagreements have been put in the past.

 

"They have to understand, is this a personal thing, or is this a team decision,'' McKeon said. "It's got to be team-oriented. Someone has to make the decisions, and I make the decisions. We're doing it for 25, we're not doing it for one, and that's what they learned at the end.''

 

Like his victories in Games 1 and 5 in the World Series, Penny's inning in Game 7 of the NLCS was overshadowed, despite being the winning pitcher. The Cubs had the momentum and a 5-3 lead when Penny was summoned for the fourth inning. The Marlins then scored three runs in the top of the fifth before Penny was replaced by Beckett, who allowed one run in four innings.

 

"You look at it, he got us going in the Cubs' seventh game, he got us going in the World Series, he kept us going in the World Series in the middle of it,'' Rosenthal said.

 

Early returns in the spring have Penny and the rest of this pitching mates picking up where they left off in the fall. Penny has thrown three perfect innings and will pitch Wednesday against the Dodgers.

 

"He's a bulldog-type of rebel,'' Rosenthal said. "This year you're looking at a different Brad Penny. He's in great shape. His arm feels great. Everything is starting to click for him.''

 

Penny, 14-10 with a 4.13 ERA last season, is ready to capitalize on that range of post-season experience to take the next step in his career.

 

And the Marlins believe Beckett is not the sole young pitcher who will break out this season.

 

"It's going to make me mature as a pitcher,'' Penny said. "That's the first time I really had to get that focused. After pitching in games like that, you'll go out in the regular season and say, 'Wow.' It's definitely not easy, but it's going to be a lot easier than it is to pitch in the World Series.''

 

tom_dangelo@pbpost.com

Awesome.

 

I can see Brad also having a break out year.

 

Penny, Beckett, Pavano, Willis......each one of them could have 15 wins this year.

 

It's exciting.

Pitcher Brad Penny and pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal aired it out during the National League Championship Series last season, after the Marlins decided to start Carl Pavano in Game 6. Penny approached Rosenthal after hearing from teammates he would be in the bullpen.

 

"They didn't handle it right,'' Penny said. "I was told after the rest of the team was told. The guy who was going to start, he came up to me and told me. That's what I was upset about.

 

"If you're going to be a big-league pitching coach, you're going to have to deal with your pitchers. That's what I was upset about, no communication.''

 

Apparently, the air was cleared.

 

 

I didn't know that. :mischief2