As we are over the half way point in this season and Tech already reached the 30 win mark, it may be a moot point at this juncture to revisit how former Ace Ryan Moseley is doing. However, with question continually asking question about Moseley, his issues and what to expect from him going forward, I thought this might be a good opportunity to give an update on Moseley's slight improvement.
After the Milwaukee series to open the season, I wrote in a recap that this may be a long season for Moseley due to his mechanics... which I broke down in a later article. Soon after his ERA sky-rocketed into the seven's and my suggestion was rest and to not see him again until mid-April. Well, I wasn't far off, though Tadlock and Tech have used him slightly more than my recommendation and as of late, Moseley has been showing signs of improvement.
Since blowing a 3 run lead against Baylor on 3/19 (Tech's only loss in Big 12 play), Moseley has seen frequency of his appearances decrease and at the same time, his performances improve.
3/26, 4/3, 4/5 (only faced one batter), 4/8, 4/17, and 4/20... primarily used in long relief or as a closer for one inning. In that time, Moseley has lowered his ERA from 7.00+ into the mid 4.00's which is a great sign for the junior. One of the things I was concerned about with Moseley was shoulder fatigue with how much strain his shoulder takes during his throwing motion, and though Tech didn't completely shut him down, it seems the decreased work load and using him in specific situations is proving to be fortuitous for Moseley and for Tech, who is happy to see quality work from him.
Another point of mention is the benefit of Moseley moving to the bullpen. The projected Ace of the pitching staff before the season has been a stabilizing presence during the back half of games, which was a sore point for Tech at times this year. Going to show that even though Moseley is having a down year, his veteran influence and leadership has been a great asset this year and helped Tech reach the 30 win mark so early this season.
With 40+ wins a definite possibility for Tech going forward, a big series with Texas this weekend, and especially going into the postseason, Tech needs Moseley to continue to churn out quality appearances out of the bullpen to make a run at Omaha. That being said, the way Tech changed their approach to Moseley and what I have seen in his mechanics, shoulder fatigue still may be an issue and should be watched carefully if his turnaround is to continue.
We will continue to update you and go more in depth during the baseball pod next week.