PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Vince Velasquez jumped ahead of the first batter he faced Wednesday afternoon, Steven Souza Jr., and he had an idea. This spring, assured of a rotation job, Velasquez wants to find faith in his curveball.
It was not a good pitch in 2016, to the point where Velasquez could not trust it. A.J. Ellis, the veteran catcher who was with the Phillies at the end of last season, told Velasquez he needed conviction in all of his pitches.
How could someone like Velasquez, blessed with a prized right arm, lack conviction?
"I don't know," Velasquez said.