July 28, 2006 http://0rz.net/4a1Gh The sizeable bonus, the celebrated international signing and the cultural obstacles seem like ancient history with Ching-Lung Lo. And in a way they are, because Lo began his professional career in 2002 at the age of 16. He will turn 21 on Aug. 20. Lo is pitching at high Single-A Modesto. He's in his fifth year in the Rockies system, by far his best, and "starting to emerge." Those are the words of Modesto pitching coach Butch Hughes, who has worked extensively with Lo to recapture the delivery he had as an amateur in Taiwan, when he tantalized scouts in the Pacific Rim and when the Rockies gave him a $1.4 million signing bonus. Lo is 8-3 with a 4.53 ERA for the Nuts. That's the big picture. In five starts this month, Lo is 3-0, with a 3.71 ERA. Opponents are batting .270 against Lo overall and .202 this month when he has five walks and 37 strikeouts in 34 innings. Overall this season, Lo is averaging 2.76 walks and 6.44 strikeouts per nine innings. In July those ratios have turned dazzling — 1.59 walks and 9.79 strikeouts per nine innings. "We've gotten to the point," assistant general manager Bill Geivett said, "where I think from a maturity standpoint, from a physical standpoint and from a competitive standpoint we're beginning to see the pitcher that he's going to be. He's been pressed a lot from the first day he signed as a 16-year-old kid, coming over here and not knowing any English to where he's at now." In one vital way, Lo has gone retro. Hughes has done nothing less than map out a concerted plan with Lo, where improving his delivery was a priority. Earlier this season, Lo's delivery was, well, "terrible," according to Hughes. Lo is 6-foot-7 but he was bending over and taking his arm reasonably far toward first base — hooking his arm, in pitching parlance — rather than back toward second base. Roving pitching coordinator Jim Wright implored Hughes to try to get a tape of Lo as an amateur, a tape Wright knew that Ming Harbor had. She lives in Greeley, helped the Rockies communicate with and sign Lo and is a cultural liason for the club in the Far East. Harbor sent Hughes two copies of the tape — one for him and one for Lo — around the beginning of June. The tape was made off television, showing Lo, at the age of 16 pitching for Taiwan against Australia in an international tournament. Hughes and Lo examined the tape together. "That tape was the thing that helped me turn things around as far as his arm slot," Hughes said. "He had changed it dramatically. So we went back to when he was 16 years old. "His arm slot was going toward first, and I was trying to get him to go to second. But he couldn't really comprehend it until he saw what he was doing when he was 16." Now that his delivery is no longer a pressing issue, Hughes has moved on to a mechanical fine point that will aid Lo's velocity — trying to push off a little bit harder with his back leg. "Becoming a little bit more violent to the plate, so to speak," Hughes said. "I would like to see him get his velocity up; he needs to get his arm up quicker. That's what I'm trying to do now. It all starts with the back leg to have stronger arm speed." As an amateur Lo would pitch at 92 mph and touch 95 mph. Hughes said Lo consistently has been at 90-92 mph with his fastball, touching 93 mph and very infrequently 94 mph. Lo's repertoire includes a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup and split-fingered pitch. "The thing that he's always had is pretty good touch," Geivett said. "He's always thrown strikes. I think with the power that's in there that somehow we need to unlock on a consistent basis — that power and touch gives him a chance to be an impact guy." For his part, Lo is considerably more upbeat than he was the past two seasons at low Single-A Asheville where he went 4-3, 5.05 in 2004 and 7-9, 5.65 last year. Asked whether he was upset at any point in his professional career, Lo said, "A little bit the last two years when I was in Asheville, because I didn't pitch very well over there. I was kind of sad because I tried getting better and the coach (Greg Booker) helped me." Lo said his mechanics are "getting better" but "not even close" to when he was 15. But better mechanics have enabled him to cut his walks, throw more strikes have a different mind set on the mound. "This year, I think every pitch will be my last pitch," Lo said. "I told myself that. That will help me focus on one pitch at a time. I don't think too much, not like before." And as a result of this approach by Lo and his improved mechanics, Hughes has noticed another welcome difference. Lo has been pitching inside more effectively. "Over the last six or seven weeks, he's gotten a lot tougher," Hughes said. "He'll challenge hitters. He doesn't back away from them. He doesn't just throw the ball up there. He comes after them with some vengeance. I think it's coming with confidence. "He's not only challenging them with his fastball, he's challenging them with his changeup and slider. It's like he's saying, ‘Here, hit this,’ and being aggressive on the mound." --

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