Faces on the Field: Harold Williams

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Stay back and you're likely to go forward.

It sounds a bit paradoxical, that's for sure. But, if you're Harold Williams, you don't need a team of decoders to understand the message. The hard-throwing southpaw, whom the Mariners selected in the 38th round of the 2004 draft, has a huge upside. But in order to move up from Wisconsin in the Class A Midwest League, he'll have to stay back a bit longer in his delivery, keeping his weight on his left foot.

So far this season, Williams, 21, has been perfectly able to work that cryptic bit of coaching into his repertoire. He's appeared in eight games for the Timber Rattlers and hasn't allowed a run in 11 2/3 innings. Williams has struck out a mind-boggling 23 hitters during that stretch, and walked only seven, while holding the opposition to a .154 batting average.

"It's all about keeping my weight on my back foot a little longer," said Williams, who was 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA in 14 games (10 starts) last season while splitting time between the Arizona and Northwest Leagues. "Before, when I picked up my leg, I was already moving forward, and I didn't give my arm time to catch up to my body. At the end of last season, I ended up with a little shoulder strain because of it."

Williams appeared in four games for Everett at the end of last season, and the strain on his shoulder had become evident in his performance. After striking out 44 in 47 innings and posting a 2.30 ERA in Rookie Arizona, his ERA jumped to 5.79 over 14 innings with the Emeralds. And it wasn't entirely because he was facing a better caliber of hitter in a tougher league.

The Mariners, correctly, did not believe Williams' injury to be serious. And now they're excited about the possibilities surrounding the 6-foot-3 flamethrower. Wisconsin pitching coach Lance Painter, a former Major League who retired in 2003 after a 10-year career, has been working with Williams on keeping his mechanics consistent.

In addition, Painter has been trying to instill in Williams the belief that harder isn't always better. Williams says he likes to intimidate a hitter, that when he's on the mound, the batter needs to know he's "serious." Painter believes Williams can be as intimidating as he wants to be, if he'll just pull back on the reins a bit.

"Harold always had a good arm," Painter said. "The problem was his mechanics. They weren't working for him. And he's only been throwing one pitch the past two years. A lot of guys have been trying to get him to harness his mechanics, and get him to understand that a 94-mile-an-hour pitch around someone's head isn't as good as one that's 92 and down in the zone.

"This year he's been able to use all three pitches and have good composure. He's still a work in progress, but I'm definitely pleased with the way he's progressed from the start of Spring Training until now. He's got a consistent leg kick now, and he's been able to repeat it. When you see him repeat his mechanics, he's fun to watch."

While Williams started in 10 of his 14 appearances last season, Painter believes he's better suited for the bullpen, at least for the time being. Williams says he's comfortable in his current role, but that he'd be able to take his newfound approach back to the rotation, if necessary. It's a good example of his team-first attitude, one that was instilled in him by his father, Ellis, when he began playing ball as a 12-year-old.

The elder Williams was an umpire in the Scout League in California, and as a result of his work there got a job as a scout with the Royals. He moved on to Detroit, working for the Tigers until his death in 2002. Harold Williams was 17 when his father passed away, but it's obvious he thinks about him often.

"If he was scouting me, he would have recommended me to a club," Williams said. "He always thought I was going to play pro ball. He taught me about the mentality of the game. I am the way I am now because of him."

And if Williams winds up moving on to the California League in the next few months, his dad will have played a part in that as well. Of course, much of it will have to do with his ability to stay back.