Adrian Houser describes mentality amid new role in Giants' bullpen after win
San Francisco pitcher Adrian Houser speaks with the media after the Giants' 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday at Oracle Park.
Adrian Houser describes mentality amid new role in Giants' bullpen after win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
I think that was your first time coming in batting opener this year.
Just what was the overall experience like for you?
Just kind of the same as the bullpen.
You know, they kind of told me ahead of time, but, you know, I was just treating it, you know, just like any other game, just going in there, trying to do my job.
Balls working really well for you tonight.
Just kind of what I've been doing, going over the last month, just staying aggressive, kind of, you know, being aggressive in the zone, throwing a little few more fastballs and trying to get work ahead that way.
And, you know, just trying to be aggressive in the zone with all the pitches and, you know, just going back to kind of a little bit of my solid pitching of last year and, you know, it's been working really well, feeling really good with it, and just trying to keep stacking the good on top of the good.
When you go from starter to, to bullpen, is it a different mentality?
Is there a different routine that goes with that?
Or r- r- what do you have to change since you went into the bullpen?
No, not really.
I mean, it's a little bit different, but, I mean, mentality stays the same, going out there, trying to get outs and do your job and, you know, just go as long as possible and help out the guys behind you.
The only thing I've really changed is just kind of get back to my mechanics, get my hands a little way, way from my body, get a little bit more balanced, and I've been able to, you know, be in the zone a lot more and execute and command the ball a little bit better.
Is the adrenaline now a little bit different than when you're coming in, like, say, third, fourth inning and starting a game?
A little bit, but not much.
You know, I think it's just kind of the same as you're starting, you know, even though if you know you're gonna pitch today, kind of like today, I knew ahead of time, so I think it's kind of all the same kind of adrenaline.
But, you know, at the same time, you get a little bit extra boost out of the bullpen sometimes.
But yeah, just kind of going with the same way as I have been.
Does being in the bullpen allow you to, like, make any adjustments or, like, work on things that you feel like has helped, has helped you now moving forward?
No, but I mean, once I got moved to the bullpen, I definitely was doing a deep dive by myself, trying to figure out what was going on and, noticed that my hands were getting a little stuck close to my body and wasn't, wasn't able to have balance and wasn't able to have a strong front side.
And so was able to see in that, just got my hands away from my body and a little bit more balanced on the mound, a little bit more in my legs like I wanted to be.
And, you know, just being able to stack that on top of each other and just working on that every day.
Are you pitching to a certain comfort level pitching in th- in this role versus starting?
No.
I much prefer a starter.
That's what I signed here to do, and that's what I plan to do in the future.
But right now, it's all about just getting outs and helping out the guys as much as possible.
Tony said that, you know, he, he's so versatile that, you know, he put you in the ninth inning if, if needed be.
And is that something that if that role came up, you'd be in for as well?
Yeah.
I mean, if that's something they want me to do, I would do it.
You know, like I said, I'm just here to help out the guys and do everything I can.
And, you know, just mentality is the same.
Go out there and get outs and help everybody out.
The pitch plays with, you know, and I think it was in the fifth inning, plays by Jung Ho Lee and, Grant McCray.
You know, like, how, how helpful is it for you to have guys that you can trust?
Oh, that's, that's game saving plays right there.
I think that, you know, completely changes the whole game right there.
It takes the air out of them.
You know, they had no outs and runner on first and sec-- or first and third, and then Jungie was able to make that catch, get the ball in quick.
You know, and then he's able to do it again.
And then Grant making that catch, I mean, that's, that's game saving, game changing.
So, you know, t- tip your hat to those guys for those big outs right there.
