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Pirates Pitching Guru Details How Team Fixes So Many Pitchers

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - The Pirates are acquiring quite the reputation for being a place washed up pitchers go to resurrect their careers, and on top of pitching coach Ray Searage, a big reason for that is pitching guru Jim Benedict.

Benedict joined the Starkey and Mueller show to talk about his role in the organization and how he helps work with pitchers to get the most out of them possible.

"Believe me, it's all a collective effort," Benedict said. "A lot of guys, a lot of people, the great pitchers themselves" all deserving of credit for the reclamation projects the Pirates have come up with.

One major story line for the Pirates right now is reliever John Holdzkom.

"My role there was more after the fact, in fact a lot after the fact," Benedict said. "They sent him up to AAA, that's when I saw him. He had already had his confidence, was already downhill in the zone, it was 96, 97 with a cut fastball. My role is to say, what can we do to make a guy better, and I'm like, 'I'm not touching this one.' He's as good as you're going to find and he's been great."

Click the audio link below to hear Benedict talk about how they fixed Vance Worley and who the toughest project was for them as a pitching staff.

Jim Benedict

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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