SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies second-year right-hander Chase Dollander will spend part of Thursday evening studying the lineup that he expects the Athletics to use in Friday’s Cactus League matchup.
Then Dollander speaks to Dollander.
“I try to find a quiet place in my house, or when I’m doing my recovery stuff at night,” Dollander said. “I’ll throw in my AirPods and go through my whole mental routine. It’s more of a message -- myself, talking through different things.”
As a rookie last year, Dollander had some sizzling sequences. His six pitches at 100 mph or more joined the 90 pitches by Ubaldo Jiménez during his Rockies tenure as the only triple-digit pitches thrown by a Colorado starter since the pitch tracking began in 2008. Dollander began the year in Triple-A with the assignment of honing his strike-throwing, but was called up after one start -- and went 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA in 21 starts.
Dollander, 24, is looking to elevate the talent that attracted the Rockies to select him ninth overall out of the University of Tennessee in 2023 into the Major League-level production that the Rockies need to begin climbing toward consistent winning.
His speeches to himself offer instruction and confidence – and even some roadmaps in case trouble spots materialize.
“It can be broad. And it’s encouraging things like, ‘I’m the best pitcher in the league.’ ‘I’m this, I’m that,’ trying to hone in on my self-belief. It’s saying, ‘I execute what I need to execute, and as soon as the ball leaves my hand, it’s out of my control.’ It’s honing in on the controllables, rather than the uncontrollables.”
Dollander’s last Cactus League start, Sunday against the Guardians in Goodyear. showed how mental preparation can help him overcome his hurdles.
Some of last season’s numbers within the numbers hold a key to improvement:
- MLB batters after 0-1 count: .216/.363/.344.
- Against Dollander after 0-1: .280/.340/.440, with seven home runs and five hit batters.
- MLB after 0-2, .165/.198/.255.
- Dollander after 0-2: .299/.333/.416.
- MLB after any two-strike count: .169/.245/.267.
- Dollander after 0-2, .227/.320/.338 – six homers and four hit batters.
On Sunday, Dollander faced the Guardians’ Steven Kwan and landed a 97.6 mph fastball in the zone, then had him whiff at a curveball. Then he hit Kwan with a 97.9 mph fastball, and yielded a 1-2 double to Guardians No. 2 prospect Chase DeLauter.
But Dollander worked José Ramírez to a sacrifice fly before buckling down for the last two outs.
“Bad things are going to happen,” Dollander said. “But it’s having complete confidence and trust in myself to get back in the zone and keep doing what I need to help the team win.
“Mistakes are learning opportunities. For me, my 0-2 and 1-2 putaway pitches, I was trying a little too hard. We talked about it in the dugout and made a plan of attack.”
The next inning, Dollander got the Guardians in order on 13 pitches, which included a strikeout of Brayan Rocchio on a cutter, plus two pitches with triple-digit velocity -- 100.2 and 100.6.
It’s not conscious, but Dollander’s pre-start advice that he has everything it takes to win helped fuel his comeback from some early trouble. And his free mind and mechanics allowed his fastball to take over.
“For me, less is more,” Dollander said. “I don’t need to try harder. Try less. When I’m really relaxed, and everything is flowing, that’s when I throw hard, and it looks effortless.”
Dollander has worked since his junior collegiate season with noted mental skills coach Brian Cain, and the Rockies’ coaches and mental skills teams are on the same page with his work.
With the Rockies having added experience to the rotation, Dollander looks to be competing against righties Ryan Feltner and Antonio Senzatela for the fifth spot.
New president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, general manager Josh Byrnes and manager Warren Schaeffer have made clear that they want a roster deep enough that young players can receive more development time if necessary.
COMPLETE ROCKIES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Whether Dollander wins an Opening Day spot or needs more time, the Rockies are pouring effort into his development.
“He’s been rock solid for us this spring so far,” pitching coach Alon Leichman said. “After we had that pretty tough outing as a team the other day [the Guardians won the game Dollander started, 8-3], I texted him, ‘We fully expect you to get us right back on track.’
“He was like, ‘I got it.’”
Dollander’s response was nothing that he would not say to himself.