TUCSON — Ubaldo Jimenez spent the winter disorganized and perplexed. Not about his career. About his new house. It’s an eight-bedroom, two-kitchen, one-swimming pool casa in Santo Domingo.
“It was a lot of work, packing and taping up the boxes. My mom is still at it,” said Jimenez, whose parents and close family friends live in the digs. “I love the swimming pool. I was in there the first day it was finished.”
The symbolism is impossible to miss. Jimenez is moving up in the world. First stop, financial security for him and his family. Next stop, superstardom. Jimenez is on the brink, everyone from teammates and opponents say.
“I need better fastball command to take that next step,” said Jimenez, who went 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA last season. “If you can throw the fastball where you want, it means everything.”
At 26 and entering his third full season, Jimenez is more interested in long-term success than short-term recognition. He has made himself a better bunter. And he has evolved into a terrific fielder. But to become pure acid reflux for hitters, Jimenez must throw more fastball strikes early in games.
Here’s why, explained manager Jim Tracy.
“Of course, 97 miles per hour is great, but 94 to 95 well-located at the knees is even better,” he said. “If he can do that the first few times through the lineup, just think how much more effective his off-speed pitches will be later in the game, when the other team hasn’t seen them much. We’d be in business.”
It’s not that Jimenez doesn’t trust his fastball. According to Inside Edge scouting services, he threw it 64 percent of the time last season.
Sometimes he will get too cute, using the changeup or slider against weaker hitters, such as when former Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf rapped a game-winning single on a curveball last year.
“There are games I feel like I have so many good pitches that I don’t want to stick with just one. But I don’t need to go back and look at video; the video of the mistakes is in my head,” Jimenez said. “I know the hitters better, and I am learning to make adjustments.”
Jimenez, who is 6-feet-4, 207 pounds, turned into a beast last season, working at least six innings in 29 starts, including 25 in a row from May 1 to Sept. 7. He credits pitching coach Bob Apodaca and Tracy for sparking his U-turn after he went 1-3 with a 7.58 ERA in April.
Apodaca helped fix Jimenez’s mechanics, specifically getting him to take the ball out of his glove more quickly when he starts his windup. Tracy, meanwhile, puffed out the right-hander’s chest.
“When he became manager, he called me into his office and the first thing he told me was, ‘I don’t want to take you out of the game. I want you to win or lose it.’ Hearing that gave me a lot of confidence,” said Jimenez, whom Tracy has nicknamed “The Chief.” “Before he was the manager, I was always looking over my shoulder when I got into the fifth inning. I loved having more responsibility.”
For the Rockies to win their first National League West crown, they need more victories from their ace in waiting.
Apodaca has been pleased with Jimenez’s spring-training approach thus far, saying: “He’s been assertive in everything he does. Before he was quiet as a mouse, and now he doesn’t even hesitate to give his opinion.”
Everything is in reach — from the franchise’s single- season win record (17), to Cy Young Award contention.
“He’s one of those guys, along with (Tim) Lincecum and (Adam) Wainwright, that are going to be the next generation of great pitchers,” said TBS analyst Ron Darling.
Added Rockies closer Huston Street: “He throws easy cheese. He doesn’t have a ceiling.”
Every good season, like a home, begins with a strong foundation. For Jimenez, that is his fastball. Taming it is his quickest path to superstardom.
“If my team thinks that I am an ace, why shouldn’t I think the same?” Jimenez said. “I want to live up to their expectations. If I am able to consistently locate my fastball, I can get any hitter out.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
