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Pitching Developments Around The AL West

I could do this for hitters, too, but hitters are boring.

This is (probably) not a complete list, so please fill me in if I'm missing something.

SEATTLE

  • Ryan Rowland-Smith is working on a cutter
  • Shawn Kelley is bringing back his changeup
  • Kanekoa Texeira apparently throws a cutter (don't know if this counts)
  • Luke French is trying hard to improve his change, and throw it more

LANAHEIM

  • Jered Weaver is experimenting with a cutter/slider hybrid, recommended by Joel Pineiro
  • Jered Weaver is also working on improving his two-seam fastball, which he had but didn't use a whole lot in 2009
  • Brian Fuentes hasn't recovered his lost velocity yet
  • Ervin Santana hasn't either
  • Scott Kazmir is throwing his slider with a new grip, using his middle finger instead of his index. Based on the description is sounds like it's similar to Weaver's new slider

TEXAS

  • Neftali Feliz appears to be headed back to the bullpen
  • Derek Holland appears to be headed back to AAA
  • Matt Harrison claims to have improved velocity after surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome, but a few days ago he averaged 91.3mph over a four-inning appearance, matching up with last year's 91.1
  • In case you were wondering about round-trip traveler Colby Lewis, he's got a low-90s fastball, a cutter, a curve, a slider, and a change. Don't know anything about quality
  • Brandon McCarthy has played with a cutter this spring, and from the sounds of things, so have a lot of his teammates
  • McCarthy has also revamped his mechanics to, I believe, reduce the stress on his shoulder

OAKLAND

  • Gio Gonzalez has adjusted his changeup grip
  • It seems Brett Anderson wants to use his changeup more
  • Don't know if this means anything, but Ben Sheets says he made a little arm angle adjustment after that one ten run/no out start of his
  • Trevor Cahill has a new curve that he'd like to use as a strikeout pitch

In injury news, rotation favorite Tommy Hunter strained his oblique, and like the entire A's bullpen is hurt.