http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/minors/features/264611.html


By Ben Badler
August 10, 2007


Vermont lefthander Glenn Gibson never threw a curveball until he turned 15.
But according to Gibson, now 19, not throwing a curveball as a youngster is
one of the biggest reasons he now has such outstanding command.

"My dad wanted to protect my arm," said Gibson, referring to his father Paul,
a former major league pitcher. "I think he knew that you've got to learn to
pitch off your fastball to succeed. He was my coach in Little League and in
high school, and he was emphasizing location from day one.

"When I was in seventh grade, I was playing on an eighth-grade team. My dad
wasn't my coach on that team, but I remember I left one game after I gave up
eight runs in three innings. I came home really down in the dumps because my
dad wouldn't let me throw a curveball, and all the other guys were already
doing it. But he promised me that one day this would all work out."

Paul Gibson's advice has paid dividends for his son. Gibson's outstanding
maturity and superb command—145 strikeouts against 11 walks in 61 high
school innings in New York—were just a couple of reasons that persuaded the
Nationals to select him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft, and to sign
him for $350,000.

After throwing just six innings at short-season Vermont last year, Gibson has
dominated New York-Penn League hitters this season, with 35 strikeouts and
just four walks in 31 innings en route to his 0.87 ERA for the Lake Monsters.
Gibson pounds the ball down in the strike zone, inducing mostly ground balls
when batters do put the ball in play.

Student Of The Game

Gibson has found success without an overpowering fastball, instead relying on
his savvy, command and secondary pitches. His fastball generally sits around
87-91 mph, his changeup is a plus pitch, and his curveball is a
self-described "work in progress," but also has the potential to be a plus
pitch. Gibson pounds the ball down in the strike zone, inducing plenty of
ground balls and allowing just one home run on the season.

"Glenn had a very good extended spring training," Nationals farm director
Bobby Williams said. "He's made a lot of progress, and he's very receptive to
instruction and teaching. He really works hard and has great makeup.

"He has excellent fastball command, locates it to both sides of the plate and
he can throw strikes at any time in the count. He also has a plus changeup
that has great arm action. It looks like a fastball coming out of his hand."

People who come into contact with Gibson rave about his maturity, polish,
work ethic and aptitude, none of which should be too surprising from the son
of a former major league pitcher. Gibson's manager, Darnell Coles, was a
teammate of Paul Gibson's with the Tigers in 1990.

"He has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do when he's on the mound,"
Coles said. "He reads over pitching charts. He studies a lot. We're a
meeting-oriented team, and he's real keen on paying attention in our
meetings. He makes mistakes, but he's been able to pitch out of jams, and
that's partly a result of his father showing him how to pitch in certain
situations."

Coles said it's more than just his dad's experience, but his specific
experience as a southpaw that has proven so helpful.

"When your dad is not only a former major leaguer but also a lefthander just
like yourself, it helps because he's gone through what you've gone through
and can teach you from the same side of the rubber," he said. "It's more
difficult for a righthander to try to teach a lefty the same things."

Maintaining Balance

Gibson isn't the only pitching prospect the Nationals have to teach in
Vermont. Righthander Jordan Zimmerman, a 6-foot-2 righthander from
Wisconsin-Stevens Point whom the Nationals drafted this year in the second
round, rang up 25 strikeouts in his first 16 innings. Zimmerman's repertoire
includes a 93-95 mph fastball, a good slider and a changeup.

"He works fast and throws strikes," Coles said. "He has an array of pitches
that work well for him."

The Vermont staff also features 2006 first-rounder Colton Willems. Although
Willems's 2.76 ERA ranked 10th in the league, he also had more walks (15)
than strikeouts (12) through 29 innings. Righthander Adrian Alaniz, leading
the NYP with a 0.35 ERA, was giving Willems an example to follow, having
walked four and allowed just 11 hits in 26 innings while striking out 31. The
former Texas ace throws in the mid-80s, but he has a very good curveball and
an advanced feel for pitching, which has been good enough for him to succeed
in short-season ball and to earn Big 12 pitcher of the year honors this
spring at Texas.

"He's a special pitcher," Coles said. "He just knows how to pitch. He does a
great job of commanding his pitches down in the zone."

Alaniz, however, is already 23 years old; Gibson is just 19. With maturity
that belies his youth, Gibson knows both his strengths and the areas of his
game that he must work to improve to succeed at a higher level.

"I don't have a dominant fastball, so I have to be crafty, keep the ball down
and be able to throw my offspeed pitches for strikes," Gibson said. "I'm
throwing my curveball in the dirt too much right now, though. It's there a
lot of the time, but it's something I need more consistency with.

"The most important thing for me is to get a first pitch strike. Once you get
the first pitch strike, you can throw any pitch off that."

Gibson has thrived on his father's advice throughout his baseball career, and
since signing with the Nationals, he said the best advice he has received
from his father has been to keep his emotions on an even keel.

"Don't get too high, don't get too low," said Gibson, recalling his father's
words. "Just keep your attitude in the middle. That's been such a help. I'm
confident because I know I can get people out, but I'm not cocky. The key is
just to stay balanced no matter what happens."