Bryan Harvey, a two-time all-star who gained the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1991, sported the blouse in 1993 when he used to be a better for the Florida Marlins. Last season, he gave it to his son right through the all-star ruin for just right success.
“It was right after he was hurt, and I said: ‘Here, wear this. This is going to change everything,’ ” Bryan Harvey mentioned. “I’m more superstitious than anybody — when I was playing and now when he’s playing. I’ve got certain shirts that I wear when he pitches good and they win. I keep wearing them. I still do crazy stuff now.”
Who is aware of what magic the blouse holds? But after the all-star ruin, Harvey didn’t permit a run in 24 of his 31 appearances. He completed the season with a 2.52 ERA. He located himself to keep within the again finish of Washington’s reduction group of workers. And with Tanner Rainey out till a minimum of the second one part of the season convalescing from Tommy John surgical operation, the 28-year-old Harvey might be the crew’s nearer.
Perhaps most significantly for Harvey, he completed the season wholesome after lacking two months with a correct pronator pressure. His ability hasn’t ever been in query; he used to be drafted within the first spherical via the Baltimore Orioles in 2013. But he has struggled to keep away from accidents.
“It just felt good to finally be used as a real reliever and not be babied,” Harvey mentioned. “To be able to go back-to-back [games] and three out of four [games] and just be able to actually help the team, it was awesome. And then to be able to go into the offseason just building off of that and getting ready for this year.”
Injuries derailed Bryan Harvey’s profession as effectively. He used to be in a position to lie to hitters with only a fastball and a splitter. But his over-the-top supply wasn’t routinely sound, and he had a troublesome time staying wholesome. In 1992, between his all-star seasons, he had a bone spur got rid of. The right-hander made 13 reduction appearances earlier than his arm gave out simply as he believes he used to be “figuring out how to pitch.”
Hunter’s older brother, Kris, used to be born in 1984 and in a position to see his father pitch, however Hunter wasn’t born till 1994. Bryan pitched his ultimate MLB recreation in 1995. Hunter has observed simplest video, which his dad nonetheless presentations him to end up how just right he used to be.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a really good pitching coach my whole life,” Hunter mentioned. “And some guys don’t have that; they’re on their own in the offseason or with guys who didn’t get to play. So having a guy that’s been there, done it, been in the big situations, knows the mental struggles that there is — you can’t beat it.”
Hunter had a bat in his hand from the age of two, so he jokes he had no selection however to play baseball. Once he stepped at the mound, Bryan mentioned, Hunter all the time threw moves.
Hunter hit a expansion spurt his junior yr of highschool and started to throw with higher pace, achieving 95 mph; that used to be when Bryan concept his son had an opportunity to succeed in the majors. As Bryan spoke about his son from Hunter’s highschool baseball box in North Carolina, he mentioned he may just nonetheless see the foremost league scouts covered up alongside the fence to watch him pitch.
Draft day itself used to be a tease. The Kansas City Royals decided on Hunter Dozier with the 8th select, and the San Diego Padres took Hunter Renfroe thirteenth, subjecting the circle of relatives to two first-name false alarms. But Bryan used to be extra excited than Hunter when it used to be his time.
The father and son nonetheless communicate after each and every spring coaching exercise. During the season, they communicate at the telephone as Hunter makes his approach to the stadium and when he heads house later on. Hunter ceaselessly is glad with his outings, however his dad is some other tale.
“That’s how it was, even in high school,” Hunter mentioned. “I threw a couple no-hitters in high school, and it’s like, ‘What did I do wrong this time?’ There was always something. Just kind of taught you that, no matter what you do, you still have to keep going and keep growing.”
Hunter spent ultimate offseason making an attempt to revamp his supply to have the opportunity to keep wholesome; he known as it one of the most toughest issues he has had to do. But he used to be extra in step with the plate. He makes use of his legs a little extra. He additionally added weight to put much less pressure on his arm.
This offseason, with no need to rehab, he inquisitive about throwing his slider and splitter for moves. He hopes the ones pitches take batters off his fastball and curveball. He mentioned it doesn’t topic the place he pitches, however preferably he hopes to be Washington’s nearer.
Why? To catch his dad. He has already handed his brother, who by no means made it previous Class AA with the Marlins. But his dad has 177 profession saves. He desires circle of relatives bragging rights.
“I think I’m better than him,” Hunter mentioned. “When the stats come out in 10 years, I’ll be able to tell him that. But right now, technically stat-wise, he’s got me beat.”
“Until he gets three all-stars and the Rolaids Reliever . . .” Bryan mentioned. “When he passes me in all that, then he can be better than me.
“And trust me, I’m pulling for that to happen. No one wants that to happen worse than I do.”
