Mark Buehrle’s left arm already is a topic of discussion, but White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper is pleased with reports about Buehrle’s off-season preparation.
”He’d doing more arm specific stuff, and he hopes to continue to feel good,” said Cooper, who has stayed in contact with Buehrle through telephone calls and text messages.
”He’s doing all he can. So far, everything is going smoothly.”
Buehrle’s health has been a topic of discussion for the past four years, as he has thrown at least 200 innings for nine consecutive seasons. Cooper wanted Buehrle to focus more on concentrating on his left arm to ensure his durability.
Buehrle, 30, has worked with a trainer in his St. Louis-area off-season home this winter. At the end of the 2009 season, there was some speculation that, with the addition of Jake Peavy, Buehrle could be pushed back to as far as the fourth spot in the Sox’s rotation in an effort to preserve his arm.
In recent seasons, the Sox have protected Buehrle’s arm by pitching him in minor league and ‘B’ games during spring training and adjusting the rotation during the first month of the regular season to give him an extra day of rest when it was possible.
”I’ll say this,” Cooper said. ”I’m getting a lot of energy from Mark Buehrle.”
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