Shaw Shining

July 9, 2008   ·   Patrick Hickey, Jr.   ·   Jump to comments

With hurlers the likes of Brad Holt, Pedro P. Martinez and Yury Santana on the Brooklyn staff, a soft-spoken guy like Scott Shaw could easily get lost in the crowd. With a 1-0 record and 1.40 ERA through four appearances, including three starts this season, Shaw has been a pleasant surprise. Chatting with DemBrooklynBums.com on June 30, Shaw discusses his game and how Brooklyn’s been treating him so far.

DemBrooklynBums.com: Even though you’ve pitched already at Keyspan, some fans may still be unfamiliar with your style. Can you tell us a little about your game?

Scott Shaw: I try to throw a lot of strikes. I’m not an overpowering pitcher, but I throw four pitches for strikes. I throw that many pitches so I can keep hitters off-balance. I keep the ball down in the zone and that’s what I been trying to concentrate on the most since I’ve been here.

DBB: Is there a pitcher at the major league level that you try and emulate or that scouts have told you that you resemble?

Shaw: I don’t think I’ve been compared to anyone at that level, but I do enjoy watching Gavin Floyd pitch and also Shaun Marcum. They say Marcum has such a good feel for his curve that he could wake up in the middle of the night and throw a curve ball for a strike. I really admire that and I think it’s pretty cool.

DBB: What is your bread and butter pitch?

Shaw: It depends on the day really. But most of the time, it would be my changeup because it looks like a fastball and it’s really hard to pickup. At other times, it could be my curve ball and other days it could be my slider. I’d say most of the times though it’s my changeup.

DBB: Your delivery is also very deceptive in the fact that hitters never see your hand until the very last second. They see more of your elbow than anything else, which makes it incredibly hard for hitters to get an idea of what is coming. How did you come up with that kind of delivery?

Shaw: It’s all natural. That’s just how I throw the ball. If it’s deceptive, then it’s just a bonus.

DBB: You’ve also shown fantastic control this season, is that something you really pride yourself upon?

Shaw: As I told you before, I try to throw a lot of strikes and I always try to stay ahead in the count. If I’m not doing that, I’m not cutting it. I try and go after hitters early and if they hit me, they’ve only seen one or two pitches. That’s my game plan.

DBB: Where are you from and how are you adapting to Brooklyn so far?

Shaw: I’m from Chicago, a suburb just north of there, but I really like Brooklyn so far. It’s been everything everyone has said about it and more. It’s definitely been a good experience for me. We don’t have a lot of time to really explore much, but everything I’ve seen has been great.

Photo by Ron Hatcher