Andrew Miller's changeup is the reason for his recent success ?

A key to left-hander Andrew Miller's success has been an improved changeup. Among his 103 pitches in seven scoreless innings Saturday were a career-high 20 changeups.

Pitching coach Mark Wiley was encouraged because "even the ones he didn't throw well for strikes were pretty good. It seemed like his arm speed got better and better on it."

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"The more comfortable he gets with it, the more he'll be able to throw it for strikes,'' Wiley said. "It helps all your other pitches. You relax on your fastball and you feel like you've got them off balance.''

That sounds great and all, and don't get me wrong, I am very happy with his recent progress.  But, if I remember correctly, and I think I do, his problem in the past wasn't that he couldn't get his changeup over the plate.  It was he couldn't get anything over the plate.  There is no doubt that Wiley knows more about pitching than I ever will.  But I must admit, this is the first I have heard that if a pitcher can master his changeup. all of the other pitches fall into place.

Has anyone heard this about a changeup before?

Fredi Gonzalez took to heart something Bobby Cox told him during his time in Atlanta.  Or at least I assume it was when he was with the Braves, but it really doesn't matter when it happened, so onto the story .

Again, though, Gonzalez dismisses any suggestion of complicated theory as an explanation for Florida's success so far. It requires no genius, he said, and instead he made reference to something mentor and Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox once told him.

"He said most managers get fired for one reason - they don't handle the bullpen right," Gonzalez said. "We have some pretty good guys out there."

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"It's almost to the point where anybody could do any job at any point," Gonzalez said of his bullpen after the win. "It's a nice problem to have.

Fredi's greatest in game strength as a manager this season has been his ability to manage the bullpen.  While I'm sure he gets advice from Mark Wiley, it is Fredi's decision to make.

The real test will come in July and August if most of the starters can't go deeper in the games than they are now causing the pen to become arm weary.  While he did sit at the feet of Yoda and all, there isn't much one can do with a dead arm pen.

Hopefully over working the bullpen won't be a season long problem.  Olsen should be good all season, if they don't allow him to throw an inordinate number of innings.  Hendrickson is looking solid.  Badenhop has promise.  I still think Nolasco will come around.  And then there is Andrew Miller, we will see about the young Mr. MIller.

If the starters can do their part, Fredi knows how to handle the relief.