Phillies skipper Gabe Kapler offers frank critique of Nick Pivetta as pitcher heads to Triple A

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article_body => "MIAMI \u2014 Nick Pivetta was clearly steamed as he emerged from manager Gabe Kapler\u2019s office at Marlins Park late Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\nThe 26-year-old right-hander grabbed his equipment bag and quickly began emptying the contents of his locker into it. His disappointing season had taken another sour turn with his second demotion of the season to Triple A.<\/p>\nPivetta learned of the move in an apparently tense meeting with Kapler. The stunned pitcher was loath to offer details of the conversation, but Kapler, rarely one to criticize his players publicly, was unusually frank.<\/p>\n\u201cIt wasn\u2019t the easiest conversation,\u201d Kapler said. \u201cI think he took it hard. I think Nick is a developing young man and, specifically, I think he\u2019s still really learning 100 percent accountability.\u201d<\/p>\nKapler was asked to expound on that.<\/p>\n\u201cWell, I think the most important thing a player can do in these situations is look themselves in the mirror and say, \u2018What can I do better?\u2019 And that\u2019s what I mean by accountability.\u201d<\/p>\nKapler was pressed for an example of where he believed Pivetta lacked accountability.<\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t think I need to dive much deeper than I just dove,\u201d he said. \u201cNick can go down to Lehigh and use 10 or 12 days to focus on getting better and focus on working on his craft. It\u2019s fairly simple.\u201d<\/p>\nAsked for his reaction to Kapler\u2019s saying he lacked accountability, Pivetta said little.<\/p>\n\u201cThere are a lot of things I need to process,\u201d he said, trying to contain his emotions. \u201cI just have to get back to who I am and do what I need to do to stay in the big leagues.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a conversation that we had and I\u2019ll keep it between us.\u201d<\/p>\nPivetta has become a symbol of the Phillies\u2019 disappointing starting pitching this season. The Phillies front office and coaching staff banked on him \u2014 and others \u2014 contributing significantly, but the hard-throwing pitcher was demoted to Triple A after just four starts. (Others struggled, as well.) Pivetta made it back to the majors but was eventually demoted to the bullpen. He had a couple of stellar performances out of the bullpen but has recently struggled, notching an ERA of 6.75 in his last five appearances. Over that span, he\u2019s allowed 13 hits and eight walks in eight innings and opponents have hit .371 with a 1.110 OPS.<\/p>\nPivetta pitched 2 1\/3 innings of relief in Friday night\u2019s abysmal 19-11 loss to the Marlins. He allowed four hits, walked two and was charged with five runs in the fifth inning, four of which were unearned after a costly error by third baseman Maikel Franco.<\/p>\nOn his way out the door Saturday, Pivetta was asked if he believed he\u2019d still be in the majors if the Phillies had played good defense behind him Friday night.<\/p>\n\u201cI have no idea,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s my teammates. They try every single night and they work their ass off every day.\u201d<\/p>\nPivetta\u2019s pitching role remains up in the air. Kapler said it was possible he could get some work as a starter in Triple A. He will likely be back in September because the Phillies need arms, but in what role?<\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019re open to any and all possibilities,\u201d Kapler said.<\/p>\nPivetta prefers starting. He\u2019s made that clear a number of times. Asked Saturday if his heart was in relieving, he said, \u201cWhatever the team needs me to do is what I\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\nFor now, the team needs him to go to Triple A. The Phillies brought up relievers Austin Davis and Edgar Garcia as Pivetta went down and Juan Nicasio went to the injured list with a sore shoulder.<\/p>\n\u201cWe know that there\u2019s a more effective version of Nick in there,\u201d Kapler said of Pivetta. \u201cWe want him to continue to work on his craft. In particular, we think that the more he can command, first control then command, his breaking ball, the better he\u2019s going to be. And just as importantly, he\u2019s going to be down for a couple of days and that\u2019s the nature of this business; sometimes you need length on your roster and Austin Davis provides that length for us. He was the right choice for our group at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&creative_id=nbcsphi1356&cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&cp_1=washington&cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Phillies<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/phillies\/was-phillies-worst-loss-ever-marlins\">Was that the Phillies\u2019 worst loss ever to the Marlins?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/landing\/nbc-sports-philadelphia-philadelphia-sports-news-and-video\">Velasquez \u2018flat-out embarrassed\u2019 by performance in brutal loss to Marlins <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/phillies\/so-much-momentum-phillies-blow-7-run-lead-to-marlins-plummet-horrendous-loss\">So much for that momentum \u2014 Phillies blow 7-run lead, plummet to horrendous loss <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/phillies\/will-phillies-promote-pitching-prospect-spencer-howard-september-discussions-ongoing\">Will Phils promote pitching prospect Howard in September? Discussions ongoing<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/phillies\/yard-podcast-how-avoid-another-miami-letdown-nl-cy-young-race-scary-nationals\">At The Yard: How to avoid Miami letdown; NL Cy Young race; scary Nats<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Phillies

MIAMI — Nick Pivetta was clearly steamed as he emerged from manager Gabe Kapler’s office at Marlins Park late Saturday afternoon.

The 26-year-old right-hander grabbed his equipment bag and quickly began emptying the contents of his locker into it. His disappointing season had taken another sour turn with his second demotion of the season to Triple A.

Pivetta learned of the move in an apparently tense meeting with Kapler. The stunned pitcher was loath to offer details of the conversation, but Kapler, rarely one to criticize his players publicly, was unusually frank.

“It wasn’t the easiest conversation,” Kapler said. “I think he took it hard. I think Nick is a developing young man and, specifically, I think he’s still really learning 100 percent accountability.”

Kapler was asked to expound on that.

“Well, I think the most important thing a player can do in these situations is look themselves in the mirror and say, ‘What can I do better?’ And that’s what I mean by accountability.”

Kapler was pressed for an example of where he believed Pivetta lacked accountability.

“I don’t think I need to dive much deeper than I just dove,” he said. “Nick can go down to Lehigh and use 10 or 12 days to focus on getting better and focus on working on his craft. It’s fairly simple.”

Asked for his reaction to Kapler’s saying he lacked accountability, Pivetta said little.

“There are a lot of things I need to process,” he said, trying to contain his emotions. “I just have to get back to who I am and do what I need to do to stay in the big leagues.

“It’s a conversation that we had and I’ll keep it between us.”

Pivetta has become a symbol of the Phillies’ disappointing starting pitching this season. The Phillies front office and coaching staff banked on him — and others — contributing significantly, but the hard-throwing pitcher was demoted to Triple A after just four starts. (Others struggled, as well.) Pivetta made it back to the majors but was eventually demoted to the bullpen. He had a couple of stellar performances out of the bullpen but has recently struggled, notching an ERA of 6.75 in his last five appearances. Over that span, he’s allowed 13 hits and eight walks in eight innings and opponents have hit .371 with a 1.110 OPS.

Pivetta pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief in Friday night’s abysmal 19-11 loss to the Marlins. He allowed four hits, walked two and was charged with five runs in the fifth inning, four of which were unearned after a costly error by third baseman Maikel Franco.

On his way out the door Saturday, Pivetta was asked if he believed he’d still be in the majors if the Phillies had played good defense behind him Friday night.

“I have no idea,” he said. “That’s my teammates. They try every single night and they work their ass off every day.”

Pivetta’s pitching role remains up in the air. Kapler said it was possible he could get some work as a starter in Triple A. He will likely be back in September because the Phillies need arms, but in what role?

“We’re open to any and all possibilities,” Kapler said.

Pivetta prefers starting. He’s made that clear a number of times. Asked Saturday if his heart was in relieving, he said, “Whatever the team needs me to do is what I’ll do.”

For now, the team needs him to go to Triple A. The Phillies brought up relievers Austin Davis and Edgar Garcia as Pivetta went down and Juan Nicasio went to the injured list with a sore shoulder.

“We know that there’s a more effective version of Nick in there,” Kapler said of Pivetta. “We want him to continue to work on his craft. In particular, we think that the more he can command, first control then command, his breaking ball, the better he’s going to be. And just as importantly, he’s going to be down for a couple of days and that’s the nature of this business; sometimes you need length on your roster and Austin Davis provides that length for us. He was the right choice for our group at this time.”

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