Last weekend, when the leading New Yorkes of the Eastern League (then 30-19) visited Cours Field to play the historic BAD Colorado Rockies (then 8-42), a sweep seemed inevitable.
Reality came Friday night when the RHP Tanner Gordon took the rockies to a surprising 3-2 victory.
The next day, however, Max Fried would leave things well while dazzling around 7 entries, struck out seven and giving six hits that they would like only one race. As he told the media after the game, his fast ball was working, and used it aggressively to close an offensive of fairy rockies.
Fried was also in the best defensive form, eliminating two runners base at the beginning.
On Sunday, Fried answered some questions in the Coors Visiting Clubhouse field about adapting to Yankee Stadium, the increase in the vertical movement of his plumb and what would be needed to return to the box.
(This transcription has been slightly edited for clarity).
Renee Dechert: This is your first season with the Yankees. Everything indicates that you have quite well tasks. What son of settings have had to do to launch on the Yankee stage?
Max Fried: Physically, not too much. I feel that I am only being myself. I am not trying to do anything too crazy, realizing that it is the same game, and I just want to be myself and not try to be anything else. But as for the transition, being close to these guys in this club has made it really easy. They have received me, and so far it is a perfect transition.
RD: When you say “be yourself”, what do you mean by that?
MF: I only know the same person and the player I have in my career. I am not trying to do more or trying to be more than I have already done.
RD: So far this season, it seems that you use your plumb more and your less curved ball. Can you talk a little about that change?
MF: It is nothing that is premeditated. It is just a child or what happened. I have never entered a season or a game saying: “I will launch my curved ball less” or “I will throw a certain launch more.” It is just when, when you go, sometimes, you lean on one on the other.
RD: Its plumb shows a significant change in the vertical movement. Have you made adjustments to get that?
MF: Yes, I have made some adjustments when I come, and they seem to be working.
RD: Can you talk a little about that?
MF: It’s just a grip change. They showed me a grip that was a little better for me, and I have only tried to launch it, and it is bone to get some results at this time.
RD: You have won three gold gloves. Yesterday we saw some of his defensive works, when he chose two runners. Can you talk a little about how defense became a part of your game and your development in this area?
MF: I grew up playing positions. I played in first base and in the garden while growing, and being an athlete, only pride in my defense was something that always came. And then, when I became a pitcher, it was my way of trying to have some athletics in the field, and also realize that presenting their position and keeping the runners and things of that nature is a real benefit, and a test to win. So just keeping that emphasis,
RD: In 2021, you won a silver slugger, suggesting that you are quite good on the other side of the plate.
Seth Lugo told me last year that she feels an advantage over many younger pitchers due to her experience as a batter. Have you had a similar experience?
MF: I would definitely say it gives you perspective. When you are standing in the box and you face a big leagues and you are seeing how it looks from that end, it only gives you a perspective of how difficult it is real. That is the only thing strange, he is able to enter the box and see how it seems to give him that assurance that what he is doing in the mound is really difficult to do and really difficult to hit.
RD: Do you think there is ever a possibility that you can hit again? I know Germán Márquez loses it a lot.
MF: Maybe if there is a certain feeling in which we burn to each type of bank and we got into many or additional entries and something crazy happens, but I do not wait for it, but if it ever happens, I will be ready.
RD: You arrive at high school with Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito. Did you keep up with those guys?
MF: Yes, absolutely. We can keep in touch all the time. I follow each of its beginnings. I make sure when, when they are throwing, frame the score of the box and send the messages and things like that.
RD: How is the leg, seeing the three evolve in the way you have?
MF: It’s really great. You realize that it is weird, and something that not many people are having, but we try to make the most of it, or we only ate to support each other. You know, it’s a difficult game, and it’s hard to do so, so just support our friends. It is important.
RD: The last one on my part. What is the best release you have shown so far this season?
MF: Wow. The best release I have released this season [long pause]. I don’t know if I have a single release, not one that stands out for me as it was, “that was the one.”
RD: Can you think of one?
MF: There is one in the past. He was the first sailor on the side of the gloves he had launched, and had hit Starling Marte.
RD: Can you take me through that?
MF: Do I mean it was 2023? I threw it, and it was the first time I called it, and I executed it, and I hit it. And it was like a moment of “that, that felt really good.”