Anderson talks offseason plans in Q&A

PHOENIX -- It was an up-and-down year for D-backs right-hander Chase Anderson, who was the team's best pitcher over the first two months before struggling in the middle of the season.

He finished 2015 on a good note, and he took a few minutes to sit down with MLB.com just before the season ended to look back on his year and ahead to his plans for the offseason.

MLB.com: How would you assess your season?

Anderson: Overall, I feel like I learned a lot. They talk about "sophomore slump" in your second year in the big leagues, but I don't really believe that. I just think your second year, the hitters are obviously going to know you better, and you have to adjust to their adjustments. For me, the middle part of the season I struggled in some outings, and I wasn't happy with it. But I tried to learn from those outings and implement a new pitch -- the cutter -- and make some adjustments mechanically to finish the season off better. I want to take the strong finish I had into next year.

MLB.com: Do you plan on making any changes to your offseason workout routine?

Anderson: I'm going to do my normal workout routine, but I'm going to try and gain even more weight than I did last year. I gained 10 pounds last season, and I want to gain another 10 pounds this offseason and try to get to the 200-pound mark or a little above that. I think that will help me durability-wise and just to be stronger.

MLB.com: Anything different from a baseball standpoint?

Anderson: Baseball-wise, I'm going to do the same throwing program as I have in the past, but when I start throwing bullpens, I'm going to really focus on just working on one simple thing that first day instead of trying to throw a two-seamer here, a four-seamer there, a cutter here. Just focus on one thing and progressively get to the point where when I get here to Arizona for Spring Training, I can do everything because I've gone step by step. I think that's going to help me. I've kind of listened to some other guys that have had a lot of success like [Jake] Arrieta, [Clayton] Kershaw and [Zack] Greinke about how they approach it, and I've taken from that and want to implement it into how I do things.

MLB.com: You used the cut fastball this year in your last couple of starts for the first time since 2013. Do you plan to use it more next year?

Anderson: I think I will use the cutter more next year. I think it will be an effective pitch because I have three solid pitches, but the more I throw it and get better command of it, it's going to be something else for hitters to think about. It will also be something I can throw in lefties so they can't just sit on the changeup or the two-seamer away.