BOSTON -- For the first time since May 5, Aaron Cook will start for the Red Sox. <\/p>\n
After recovering from a gash on his leg that required 11 stitches, the 33-year-old was purposely scratched from Saturday's start in Pawtucket to start in Sunday's game against Atlanta in place of Clay Buchholz, who is battling an undisclosed illness. <\/p>\n
When Cook takes the mound at Fenway Park, expect a few deviations from his traditional sinkerball. Under pitching coach Bob McClure's watch, Cook incorporated a new pitch to his arsenal -- a cutter. <\/p>\n
\"With the arm strength he's got now, it looks like he may be able to throw one,\" McClure said. \"It's a really nice pitch for a sinkerballer to have because they nullify left-handed hitters. It's enough to keep left-handed hitters honest it's moving the opposite way, it's hard. I think it could be a good pitch for him.\" <\/p>\n
Shortly after Cook suffered his leg injury, the idea was born. As he played catch with McClure one day -- because he was limited due to injury -- the Red Sox pitching coach asked Cook if he'd ever experimented with a cutter. <\/p>\n
Cook attempted to showcase one, but McClure was far from pleased, calling the endeavor \"some sort of slider.\" Despite initially failing, Cook remained interested in developing a cutter to complement his sinkerball. <\/p>\n
So he started peppering Red Sox starter Josh Beckett with questions about grips with cutters. Before long, Cook formed a grip similar to Beckett and started turning heads in bullpen sessions with McClure. <\/p>\n
\"I know this -- he threw some in Toronto [in the first weekend of June] that were really good,\" McClure said. \"You don't want to try to jam the guy. If it's low, the left-handed hitters can get to it too easy. Once you start elevating it high thigh to above the belt it's really good and he threw some really good ones.\" <\/p>\n
It won't supplant his sinkerball as a primary pitch, by any means. But during his seven weeks on the shelf, Cook was hell-bent on improving his chances of returning to the Red Sox' rotation. <\/p>\n
In order to achieve that goal, the hurler realized he needed to become more versatile with his pitches. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/p>\n
Aaron Cook Plans to Turn Heads In Return to the Red Sox With New Secret Weapon<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BOSTON -- For the first time since May 5, Aaron Cook will start for the Red Sox. After recovering from a gash on his leg that required 11 stitches, the 33-year-old was purposely scratched from Saturday's start in Pawtucket to start in Sunday's game against Atlanta in place of Clay Buchholz, who is battling an undisclosed illness Continue reading