As he tries to regain a spot in the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen, Brandon Medders will be more focused on the cerebral part of his game rather than the physical.
Medders said he will work on regaining confidence while in the minors. The D-backs optioned him to Tucson on Friday and he joined the club Saturday afternoon.
"No one wants to be sent down, but sometimes you have to take a negative situation and turn it into something positive," said Medders, a 27-year-old right-hander who went 1-2 with a 4.84 ERA. In two innings on Saturday with the Sidewinders, Medders allowed one run and one hit and struck out a batter.
"It's not so much mechanics," Medders said. "It's just concentration. The biggest thing is confidence."
Medders said it was difficult to stay sharp in his situation with the D-backs. His appearance Thursday against the Giants, when he gave up a run in one-third of an inning, was his second outing in two weeks.
People are also reading…
"You struggle a little bit already and you're sitting for seven days at a time and having to go in a situation — it's tough to pitch like that," Medders said.
Pitching coach Mike Parrott said he doesn't expect Medders to take long to regain his confidence. Medders also pitched for Tucson in 2004 and 2005, with a combined 47 games.
"This is what I've been told — his stuff is as good as it's ever been," Parrott said. "They just want to see him get more aggressive throwing strikes, going after hitters, trusting his stuff more, not trying to be too fine and get back to being that guy who goes after every hitter with no fear."
Manager Bill Plummer said Medders will be a setup man, replacing right-hander Jailen Peguero, whom the D-backs promoted Friday.
"We're sorry he's here but we're happy to have him," Plummer said of Medders. "Hopefully we can get him back to the big leagues."
Peguero made his majorleague debut Friday, throwing a scoreless ninth in Arizona's 10-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Tracy goes back up
Chad Tracy batted third as the Sidewinders DH Saturday in his third rehab appearance. He is on the D-backs disabled list with a rib cage strain. Tracy said he would get four at-bats Saturday and rejoin the D-backs today.
He went 1 for 5 in Thursday's game and 3 for 6 Friday. On Saturday, he went 3 for 4 with a double, home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. He went 2 for 9 in two games at extended spring training this week.
"I felt better as the game went on," Tracy said about Friday. "I started off slow, but started to get my timing back. When I get some adrenaline going when I get to the big leagues everything will take care of itself.
"It's just a process you have to go through to get your timing back."
