Catching up with Bruce Zimmermann

Orioles left-handed pitcher and hometown kid Bruce Zimmermann recently made history as the second Maryland-born Orioles starting pitcher to earn a win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Zimmermann has earned the win in three of his past six outings, including June 8, when he threw 5.0 innings in a win over Minnesota, helping the O’s snap their 15-game losing streak.

In this week’s episode of “Inside the Yard,” Zimmermann joins Geoff Arnold and Brett Hollander to talk about how he overcame a rough patch earlier this season, what it is like to be compared to leftie John Means, and the emotions that come with pitching for his hometown team.

“It definitely was an adjustment stress level wise and lineup wise,” said Zimmermann. “It was just a learning process, going through May, getting adjusted to the stress level of those innings. I got a little bit of breathing room when I went back down to Triple-A, and then came back up and refocused on what made me successful as a pitcher and I really have been able to capitalize on that as well as just settling into the game.”

Means, the staff ace, has played a large role in helping Zimmermann settle in during his rookie campaign. Zimmermann often finds himself bouncing ideas off Means and getting advice on how to pitch to different batters – one reason why it means so much to Zimmermann when he hears comparisons between the two.

“I can’t really not take it as a compliment,” said Zimmermann. “I really appreciate it when I hear those comparisons because it makes me feel like I’m doing some things right, and that I have a chance to really make it at this level, which I think is true. I can’t wait to keep learning from him as much as possible. He’s been instrumental in the first part of this season in my development.”

The strides in his development may have been most noticeable in his relief outing against the Yankees on May 16. Zimmermann entered in the second inning, and threw 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on two hits, while striking out six. That game is also one that sticks out in Zimmermann’s mind when he thinks about what it means to be pitching for his hometown team.

“It has hit me a couple times,” said Zimmermann. “The Yankees outing was a big one. It was a weekend series, and it was the Yankees. I grew up not wanting those guys to win as much as possible as an Orioles fan. Also, the big Twins game when we finally ended the losing streak. I had a couple big punch outs and the crowd got behind me there and kind of gave me a standing ovation. That gave me chills.”

Staying local, Arnold and Hollander asked Zimmermann what he looked like as a pitcher at Loyola Blakefield, his high school in Towson, Md.

“Probably two inches shorter and 30 pounds less, a little chubby,” said Zimmermann. “I didn’t throw hard at all. I was a low-to-mid 80s guy out of high school. I got guys out and had a great time. I really didn’t have my sights set past college baseball at that time. I was just a kid who loved the game and threw a lot of strikes. I’ve come a long way from that point with a lot of help.”

One of the people who has helped him the most, especially when it comes to his early baseball development, is Zimmermann’s dad.

“He still tries to be my pitching coach every once and awhile,” said Zimmermann. “He pretty much taught me everything I knew from the time I picked up a baseball as a kid until mid-way through my high school career. We would sit on the couch in the summer time watching the Orioles and watching them pitch and we would basically go through entire outings of just pitch calling. He was definitely one of the biggest parts of my early growth as a baseball player.”

The trio finishes with their “fun five” asking Zimmermann his favorite baseball movie, high school senior year ERA, the most influential baseball person in his life, his favorite minor league city to play in or visit, and one talent or hobby Zimmermann has outside of baseball.

“I wouldn’t consider my golfing a talent,” said Zimmermann. “But I do love to get a round of 18 in with some friends. I also read quite a bit and I like to go outdoors.”

You can listen to this week’s episode of Inside the Yard above, or wherever you stream podcasts.