Daniel Bard on being a starter, his struggles last year late in the season, and his mindset going from a set-up man to a starter

Welcome back Dennis and Callahan broadcasting live from jetBlue park Fenway Park south in Fort Myers, Florida without question -- the -- most discussed aspects of this 2000 while Red Sox team. Was the beer and chicken stuff the subtle way wants Bobby Valentine is a new managers out of the way is he possible conversion of Daniel Bard from reliever to starter. -- -- -- -- also gold so far. Can't complain you know you're the subject of much discussion everybody's speculating as to what the transition will be like how will the adjustment take place how are you going to get how many innings and you can -- give me your thoughts about the whole process as it's unfolding in front you now. Missed -- pretty pretty pretty cool so far you know just kind of unfolded. In November this past offseason. I discussed it would fit in as a as a possibility and then when Bobby got hired. Spoke to him -- on our first conversation. Five minutes and he has I've been and ask more questions about you anybody else yes. So what are you wanna do certain elements that are close and animals you guys make the decision from there. What have you guys think of the team that's that's what I wanna do is that what I would do so. He said you know what. We're gonna try to make his starter receiving go to the you know get the right pieces and so you and perhaps. You know gaps left in the bullpen and that opened the door. In anticipation of the season and use of that conversation took place in November probably after. Did your offseason workouts and any way change any shape or form change based on thinking you were gonna be a reliever vs thinking you're going to be a starter. Has run and fifteen miles day in the mud supplement another -- enough where they are about the same. Very so on now is try to come in and it with my body in great shape and you know the throwing a servant opens a week or two earlier -- just to build the pitch count up and that's the the the big difference for me. Physically and another the that the workouts that about things. Why wouldn't you choose to start to mean starting I think in all of sports the starting pitcher a good study that you might have the best job there is. Yeah good group we thought he struck the Schilling about this all the time you have a good day goes seven innings gave up a run to win the game. -- the next four days just like. Have been coming here you work and I'll -- just enjoying the role. -- the job he didn't wait for your next. Alex you know it happens this year but it seems pretty good you know as a as a reliever. You have them you -- a dominant you know inning in relief and in the eighth and he gets overlooked by everybody credit adding yet note there's no media well locker Vietnam on don't let upstart team don't make the all star team which is kind of nice -- that is if you don't well. -- it kind of ignored there's a money factor too. There is that they in and it's hard not to us not to notice that mean the -- better and closing and starting so. But you look at an average starting pitcher vs an average closer. Mean you know Mariano makes fifteen. And AJ Burnett -- fifty -- -- to -- -- -- -- It's hard to ignore an affable and -- sixties like the best in the game in his prime and John Lackey got -- 82 the year before I want. Yeah they're equal comparison between Papelbon and CJ Wilson's career and how similar -- have a -- so much better for. First fighter's career both him bullpen guys and then. Did you make the conversion to to starting and does -- well for two years and he gets. More than. House was insane we knew that we knew he wanted to close because you need that adrenaline rush and it was the closest thing you get to play and defensive end which is what he really wanted to do you seem much more sane. Saying that's a good word. No I I I love being in the bullpen I think it fits my my. In a different way from path it fits my personality is well loved every day. Aspect of it. I do think I can you know mold that into being a starting pitcher to assist and then in four years so it's going to be you know just a learning process. -- would you consider yourself a creature of habit. His most ball players are they have a routine they do certain things certain time to put the uniform on a certain way are you one of those guys yeah. I think you have to be in baseball yeah it's not just pitchers it's its position players everyone's. Some guys it's -- -- would called superstition I'm more superstition others but even the guys -- superstitious and have to every team that's just the way we were it's humans I think. To be successful in this game you -- And prepare yourself in the game so unpredictable -- got to make everything else kind of predictable our social the routines. Are in place -- that routine gets changed as an example when they win a closer is brought -- a non save situation it should be about the same but for what some reason. It doesn't work out that well because the routine is a little bit change how will that change in terms of your routine from from 88 relief pitcher to a starting pitcher as an example. Will you have to. Consciously spread out your your energy X. You get your energy in your your intensity in your adrenaline over the course of five or six or maybe seven innings as opposed to. Needing to get three outs and. All rip. I think at some phenomenal learn with time. They had some that I can go out live my first you know spring training -- her first outing of the season and say. Canada Verlander does them throw. 1993 the first couple innings 9496. The middle and be 988. Yes because he's really good pitcher yes. I don't think. The fifth of them have to learn. And learn how much I need to save him. I think early on I gotta get out number one in the grew anywhere and that means there and out you know for the first that are in this moment this. And that's the spring training for him and get a -- for. Yes I'm there and enough for the first two innings and in the -- yeah and then and obviously that need to be changed their. For now I think I got to go out there. Hitter to hitter same mentality that he's -- Did you develop. A new pitcher you're in the process of developing some new pitches -- same thing and a four pitch mix this four seam two seam. Slider and change but I just think you're gonna. Probably see more of the changeup and sinker. And I think just starting to do so much more room to have to play around with different locations. If it's inside or not worry about -- guy that in the time or go ahead run. Things like that in it just allows you to. There -- things up a little bit you have four pitches on the bullpen area but through all four just he just didn't see him as often because. When in doubt I would go four seamer or slider I was. Ghosts you know what what I -- there would happen. In September Daniel in the -- accuse you you know I'm not caring who -- -- golf -- -- me go to and whatnot if it went -- and chicken in there because it doesn't look like you were. For taking the partaking in that but it didn't go well down the stretch yeah. What do you have do you understand why well you know I think it was a combination of things I. As a as a relief pitcher sometimes. Bad luck and complain can make it. Not so bad outing really bad it feels good luck Emeka outing he threw the ball terrible amount any runs. So that's. I think. -- once it was like Toronto in early September -- back to back games. -- homeless and ended up my balance or it's. -- enough -- -- -- Five runs or maybe one or two Portland but not five. There's three times I was one strike away from me in. And he's taken it cut to like that back to back. Where you feel like -- a lot Portland but the results were terrible. You compile that you know. On everyone's arms in. September. And everything in the training room to get yourself rated pitcher. But -- feel like he did in April basis suspect. -- couple. Results. Tired body tired arm. And then on top Nazis those two rough outings right. This year. You're trying to over over -- trying to do too much trying to make perfect pitches. Everything's -- and trying to make up for us to. A couple of things it makes things worse and it took me about a week -- two. And the snowball effect from this stuff. Is trust and it did for the first month. CC and kept that snowball effect be contagious when the loss to start piling up another -- start pressing and trying to do too much and win two games with one in on Monday. -- I think. I mean I can't speak for them. And I think when. I like to think I was pretty sure thing and -- happen in the game with a pretty sure thing for five months of the season us here and then when I faltered for a week -- -- there. See guys and a -- you know yeah that was something that we can count on and -- -- -- maybe a safety -- gun yet maybe I got to do more here right now and I don't like like this I can't speak for them that. I was up there doing what I didn't appear weaker to do it together myself and had a good last week of the season. Us -- like too little too late and gotten out. I feel like it motivated team in that club like a lot of guys include new -- on the prove. For sure I think so. It's -- guys coming in really good shape. You know have always been in great shape and just a good energy and you always have a greater effort -- spring so. It'll be more telling I think later in sprain and you know maybe NG and see how guys if we're still. And missing right now what are your -- your new your new manager compare and contrast if you will and notes early. Well like and his contrasts with that and I think there's a whole lot of an area they're both. They're both pretty you guys talked to and that's compare them both I think really good baseball minds in in very different ways. Com. Obvious. He's different than any manager. You know played for or against it seems like in just the way he. Runs spring training ways really hands on him. All aspects of the game is an editor league pitchers well for the most part if there morning meeting and you'll see him earth from the floor takes it from there. Basically yeah he's different -- it hands on a mixture ones. Gonna have a good pick off -- spring training like that I think it's good you know. This this team needed some more attention to detail as he stood in the blocks with a bat on his shoulder on what are your sides yet. I think he did a couple pitches generally on and here to pitch inside. I hated it at. That and I hadn't let a. -- what -- you know have I can't Daniel Bard as the starter win twenty games like can't be an all star of the Cy Young candidate -- hold you back. The role right now. They're a veteran and a starter they'll be a -- do other things though. But your starter now we've just to clear and you you're start in -- of the third fourth starter. What what are you limitations and emotionally can't go that many innings why not you've known about this since November. Nothing I've written in my mind I mean ices things dollars and big goals and definitely you know possibilities and obvious that set a high standard bit. I expect a lot of myself and until. Results start to prove otherwise. I see no reason why. You know they're not all possibilities. Songs and stuff and in the right role which it looks like I'm going to be. Do you do you think September you -- arms are dragging you which pitching out of the bullpen arms are dragging you think they'll be the case as a starter less or more with. The 45 days -- It's hard to say it and I think that. As a reliever you're you're pitching 35 Al -- almost in every other day right. And you definitely don't with a sore arm but it -- those outings in there and not to mention it. What we -- -- -- it up in the bullpen tonight yeah and then yeah there's ample -- those strikes point 50 isn't there to. We're here hot but still in the game and -- in appearance but it. You fields and their job at a hundred pistol on my -- there right so just a totally totally different things but they're both. I gotta think relieving is. At least just as tough on him and just look at this certain careers and relievers and amount of injuries -- -- than. Just me or mores as the starters though. You don't have a rich you don't have a routine yet that we you. Like talk to people before you see -- some guys starters you can come near him in and and yet you can't not talk to them we've be like that we've been one of those. Warner thinks something that's in the first -- more. -- get locked in once once it hit them on the on the field. You know. Schilling or news probably stream. Your. -- back. It. What we do those four lefties and I'm sure your drinking Beers. -- in the game but do you ever. You can look forward to it. The Atlanta Braves rotation used to play golf like three times a week. That might become part of my game. And I think it's there's a pretty good blueprint in place would. Talk in the there are veteran guys years you know Lester and Beckett. I guess despite contrary to popular belief that they have very good establishing a -- every team in between talking our training staff. -- it is no magic formula unity you know the days you know slipped into the side and he too. -- -- for pitch limit that and Williams missed a fraternity that camaraderie that is the bullpen. Willow that's that's it it's that play different groups yet the middle of the drumming like in the and the umpires for life but it it it it. You know we'll see hopefully hopefully tough calls on me to. We think we had a good time there in the bullpen though is like a team with the team and I've actually talked to Lester about it the last couple days about -- Think we anymore in the hole that you think you. They're starters and -- friends I mean by. Analyst with. But pitchers Lester and but -- just on the field like sometimes the starters go up for Strachan and the -- come out half hour later they're stretching. Think you -- have a lot of -- theory for guys you know. I think that's good that does it drags watched the game out in the bullpen. That game like game 135 yeah if you've been enough. If -- on -- the seven campaign accounts that we can do our part of the red. It's that's how that's over the world Nazis get pretty used to it. What what did you come up with was the camaraderie you can bond when he can do I mean like just it just just you know doing our running doing are working out together I think all that stuff. On outreach to those who surely if you know those are good things lead us. Movies sleepovers. At the front office to Chucky cheese. The it'll be. I think it just like it's -- doing things together in Vietnam. You want competition but should also be referred to Daniel -- thanks for tickets and Clement talk baseball -- appreciate them reluctant again next season Daniel -- to Dennis and Callahan broadcasting live from Fort Myers sport will be right back.