Your 2010 Brevard County Manatees -- Latest: Scarpetta talks about improved control

[Mass Haas]

The Florida State League announced their full-season 2010 All-Star Team. Congratulations to outfielder Erik Komatsu and utility infielder Sergio Miranda.

[Mass Haas]

Manatees' players can look forward to a perfectly rebuilt playing surface throughout when their season begins. Full story includes detailed video.

[battlekow]

Pitching and teaching part of Cody Scarpetta's big year

Matt Trowbridge/Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — Cody Scarpetta wants to be like his dad.

That means he wants to pitch, yes. But it also means he wants to teach others how to pitch.

“Being a professional baseball player is also doing stuff for kids and being part of your community,” said Scarpetta, an 11th-round draft pick by the Brewers in 2007. “Milwaukee has special events for fans and community up there. A lot of kids look up to my dad and our family, so I’m glad to give back a little.”

The Scarpetta clan will hold their second annual pitching clinic Dec. 19. Scarpetta’s dad (Dan) and uncle (Dennis) are longtime area baseball coaches and former minor-league pitchers. Cody’s cousins Brett and Ryan also were star NIC-10 pitchers in high school. All five Scarpettas will be instructors at the clinic, started by Cody and Brett last year.

“I used to love hearing my dad tell me about the experiences he learned in pro ball. I want the kids in my community to get the same information I got,” Cody Scarpetta said.

That doesn’t mean Scarpetta is ready to become a coach. He said the Brewers told him he should start the 2011 season in Class AA after a solid year in the Florida State League in high Class A ball.

After a slow start, the former Guilford right-hander finished 7-12 for the Brevard County Manatees with a 3.78 ERA and an average of 10 strikeouts per nine innings. Scarpetta has averaged at least 9.9 strikeouts in all four of his minor league stops where he’s made at least three starts.

His problem has been control. Scarpetta walked 4.7 batters per nine innings last year and 4.6 for his still-young career.

He said his control improved dramatically since his dad and Brevard County pitching coaches noticed a flaw in his delivery in midseason.

“When I strided out, my front foot was throwing across my body, stepping toward third base instead of going right toward home plate,” Scarpetta said. “My knee was flaring out. Once I corrected that, it made my arm slot higher and I took off. My walks went way down.”

“I am very happy with how I finished. Every game is important, but if you don’t start well, it always looks better when you finish better than you started.”

Scarpetta also only allowed four home runs in 128 innings. He credits some of that to pitching in a big ballpark. But he also did a good job keeping the ball low. “An old pitching coach told me you can’t hit a 500-foot ground ball,” Scarpetta said.

Scarpetta reports Feb. 13 with pitchers and catchers to the Brewers’ major league camp in Phoenix. The minor league camp is next door. “If you get sent down, you just walk across the street,” Scarpetta said.

He knows he’ll make that walk. But he also thinks this is the year he can establish himself as a true major league prospect.

“It’s going to be a big year for me,” Scarpetta said. “I want to see how far I can get.”

Much of it depends on his control.

“I’m happy with making hitters put the ball in play and going right after them, instead of trying to go around them,” Scarpetta said. “If I’m able to put my fastball wherever I want, and if I can command a secondary pitch whether it’s my change-up, curve or a cutter, I think I’ll be a tough guy.”

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