The Arms Race: How Jim Czajkowski works our young pitchers
It took five organizations, nine minor league seasons, and nearly 400 appearances to do so, but for the five games that he saw playing time in with the Colorado Rockies, it all became worth it.
Now, the Parma, Ohio native spends his time in a much different capacity, mentoring as many as 15 pitchers in an attempt to help them attain their goal of stepping onto a major league mound. In his tenth season as a pitching coach, Czajkowski recently made the transition to the Blue Jays organization after spending his first nine seasons as a coach with the Atlanta Braves.
Of the three coaches that were assigned to the Canadians after the Jays-affiliation agreement kicked in for 2011, Czajkowski had the most knowledge of Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium having played there as an opponent for two seasons in the PCL, and so far that knowledge has paid off, with Vancouver finding itself third overall in the league pitching ERA race. By looking at his track record of developing young arms between the Jays and Braves, there is no doubt that success will continue as we enter the second half of the NWL season, if not improve even more.
When having a conversation with Jim Czajkowski, it strikes you almost immediately that the man possesses a wealth of knowledge when it comes to pitching, and the game of baseball overall. With his over twenty years of professional experience, the Canadians pitchers are just as eager to pick his brain as they are to hit the mound and apply the lessons they learn from their mentor.
More than a month into his first go-around in the NWL, Czajkowski is impressed with how his pitchers have handled themselves in front of crowds that they had never seen before making the trek up to Canada.
"My expectations are that each one of these pitchers will improve over the course of the season," he said, "I've already seen some improvement with a few of these guys, some of whom started out hot like (LHP Justin) Nicolino, and others who have had some struggles but have matured from it. My goal is to hopefully make them all better."
Improvement and struggles are nothing new to the 6'4" 215lb graduate of the University of North Alabama, who despite his brief major league experience, spent 12 seasons grinding it out in the minor leagues where he could go 5-4 with a 2.71 ERA like in 1994 with the Colorado Spring Sky Sox, to a 3-10 record accompanied by a 5.06 ERA in the same league a year later. Such is life as a minor leaguer, a skill he can relate to his pitchers who are around the same age Czajkowski was when he broke into professional baseball - 22 years old.
His career stats as mostly a reliever aren't too flashy, but his 3.76 ERA and an average of less than a hit per inning are very good for someone who toiled at various levels. Nonetheless, he doesn't look at stats as a value of how a player is really doing in the minor leagues, something he carries over to the coaching side of the game that can be tough to understand for a player who wants nothing but success from the minute he signs his first professional deal.
"If you look at guys like John Smoltz for the Atlanta Braves for example, he had pretty bad numbers in the minor leagues," Czajkowski said, "Some of the times the stats in the minor leagues are skewed but if a player has stuff, and the makeup is there, he'll figure it out and be on his way. I don't take much stock into statistics, but if they concentrate on one quality pitch at a time, usually the stats will take care of themselves."
At the peak of his career in 1994, he became the first Czajkowski to ever make the Major Leagues, and made his debut against the powerhouse San Francisco Giants. As he toed the rubber at Candlestick Park in front of nearly 25,000 fans, and looked in for the sign from his catcher Joe Girardi, he noticed his first batter wasn't an ordinary everyday player, it was the future home run king himself, Barry Bonds.
"Getting to the big leagues was a thrill, so I don't think it mattered who I faced, it just happened to be Barry Bonds. I was a bit nervous going into it," he recalled, "Yet once I stepped out there it seemed like god put an ease and that I was meant to be there. Even though he got a base hit, and I gave up three hits and a run that inning, I broke two bats in the process. I thought it was pretty good for my first game in the Major Leagues."
Once his playing days were over, he almost immediately looked into the professional coaching ranks, and became the pitching coach for the Danville Braves (R) in 2000, a capacity he would hold for five years. Between 2005 and 2010 he spent time with both Danville again and the Rome Braves (A), guiding some of the brightest stars in Atlanta's organization. This past off-season, he switched to the Blue Jays, with whom he finished his career on the field in 1997 as a member of the Syracuse SkyChiefs. So far, his transition has been solid, with barely any changes to his coaching style.
"I talked to Dane Johnson (Toronto's minor league pitching coordinator) in the off-season and we'd played together before so we knew what each other was about. We both really try to have pitchers pound down the fastball - which is exactly what I did when I played," he said, "The Braves philosophy was at times more mechanical, where as here it's about finishing off pitches, using what you have, and not taking stuff away from guys. It's an interesting mix now that I've been there and here, but I hope the mixture is good for the Blue Jays."
In the first half of the season, Czajkowski's brightest pitcher as far as stats go would have to be the 19 year old phenom LHP Justin Nicolino, who has dazzled fans, broadcasters, players and coaches alike in over his first few starts. However, it isn't unfamiliar territory for Czajkowski to be in charge of handling a 1991-born pitcher, after he coached RHP Julio Teheran in the Braves organization, who has risen to nationwide popularity in the last two calendar years.
"They're both two different pitchers: one is left-handed and the other right-handed. Julio has an incredible fastball, but I see the similarities as they're both young, and willing to compete at such a young age that they don't get flustered," he continued, "They both have a go-to changeup that they use to get into counts, and a relentless pounding of the strikezone."
Teheran, who has spent time with Atlanta at the big league level this year already, is ranked the #5 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, and you have to give credit to his pitching coach from the Rome Braves for getting him to the point where he is today. In the case of Nicolino, his first go at professional baseball has seemed like a breeze for the Orlando, FL native, with a 5-1 record and 1.22 ERA through eight appearances. The pair both signed for hefty signing bonuses, something that isn't lost on Czajkowski but he says it shouldn't affect how players take advantage of their opportunities.
"It's tough to give people a fair shot, because there is a lot of money invested in top picks, but that doesn't mean those guys will succeed," he said, "When you enter pro ball, and go out on the mound, every time you have an opportunity to shine. If you can do that, people will see it, and word will get around."
"RHP Brandon Beachy (one of Czajkowski's pitchers with the Braves) was a NDFA, and the next thing you know he's in the big leagues three years later. He was simply given a chance and took advantage of it."
The example of Beachy shouldn't be lost on the Canadians staff, six of whom are also NDFA's, and pitching, like Beachy did, under Czajkowski.
After spending time in the Appalachian League where attendance isn't nearly as large as in the Northwest League, Czajkowski certainly appreciates the support the fans have shown the team already here in Vancouver.
"They've been great. I love when a crowd gets loud and rowdy. They've been bigger crowds than any of these guys have seen before, so they definitely get an adrenaline boost when they reach the mound and 3000-5000 fans are cheering them on. It's good for them."
Despite there being a 16 year gap between when he played in Vancouver with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, and when he began coaching here, he remembers vividly how happy he was coming to Scotiabank Field as a player, and how he loves it to this day for his pitchers sake.
"I loved coming here because the fences were deep and the ball didn't travel, unlike in Colorado Springs. Vancouver was always a great place to come to," he said.
With a handful of games remaining in his first NWL season, Czajkowski is hoping his staff can lead Vancouver to their second straight post-season appearance, in addition to the C's first NWL championship. Eventually, it'll be the lessons that they learned beginning here that will help them earn success at higher levels, and hopefully doing like he did in realizing his Major League dream.
Until then, his 15 pitchers will listen, learn, and understand his coaching philosophies, experiences and advice as they look to quickly move up the ranks in the Jays system.
Maybe as they suit up for the Las Vegas 51s, or even the Toronto Blue Jays they'll even still be able to hear Czajkowski in the back of their mind, guiding them through every situation with one simple saying.
Make your next pitch a quality pitch.