Ubaldo Jimenez on 2014 struggles: “My mechanics are not the mechanics you’re used to seeing”

Ubaldo Jimenez was a mess last season, losing his rotation spot and immediately making the Orioles regret signing him to a four-year, $50 million deal.

But at the team’s fan fest event he seemed optimistic about turning things around:

I can’t wait. Whatever happened in 2014 is in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it now. I can just look forward and now I’m going to do everything in spring training to get myself ready the best I can for the season and help the team.

Jimenez also said all the right things about continuing to work on his mechanics with the coaching staff and not worrying about his role:

My mechanics are not the mechanics you’re used to seeing every day with other pitchers. It takes a little bit more time, a little bit more hard work to get it going. I keep repeating it. The last couple--two or three--years I’ve been dealing with injuries, talking about leg-wise. Last year, I had the ankle problem, so that makes it a little more difficult to get it going.

It’s worth noting that Jimenez was already performing terribly and in danger of losing his rotation spot by the time he injured his ankle, but the stuff about his mechanics being a little trickier for a coaching staff to work with certainly seems valid.

Also worth noting: Jimenez had a 4.85 ERA in 125 innings for the Orioles and dating back to 2011 he has a 4.52 ERA in 673 total innings.

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