Jeff Beliveau and the Daytona Cubs make their final regular season South Florida appearance on Saturday. (FAUOwlAccess.com photo)
Worth the weight
The extra weight Jeff Beliveau added in the off-season has helped improve his velocity, control and stamina for the Daytona Cubs.
Originally published on
8/6/2010
by
Chuck King
JUPITER - Bulking up isn’t just for home run hitters.
High Class A Daytona Cubs pitcher Jeff Beliveau credits the 15 pounds he put on over the winter with helping him rebound from a withering 2009.
“I went on a diet last year and lost a lot of weight,” said Beliveau, who last played for FAU in 2008. “I got dead arm like two or three times during the (2009) season and my velocity dropped a lot because my body couldn’t handle the grind of 140 games.”
In 2009 Beliveau’s top-end velocity dipped into the mid-80s, contributing to a middling 5-4 record.
Now, his fastball is back to the low 90s, which is what he threw while in Boca Raton. Beliveau currently sports a 3-1 record with 3.10 ERA with Daytona in his first season working exclusively from the bullpen.
The Cubs moved Beliveau to the pen last season at Peoria. The lefthander began this season back in Peoria before earning a promotion to Daytona after six appearances.
Unlike many starters who don’t like the move to the pen, Beliveau has found he prefers relieving.
“There’s a chance of pitching everyday,” said Beliveau, who believes he’s being groomed to be a left-handed specialist. “When you are a starter you know exactly when you are pitching and you are not going to pitch for four more games.”
Beliveau’s Cubs play their final regular season game in South Florida on Saturday when they take on the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Stepping up: Daniel Cook is hitting exactly .300 (9-for-30) over last 10 games for the Class A Augusta Green Jackets. …Mike Gipson followed his first professional loss by tossing five hitless innings in relief on Wednesday to move to 3-1.
Low and away: Travis Ozga is hitting .211 over his last 10 games, dropping his average to .268.
Indy ins and outs: Danny Bomback has hit safely in seven of his last eight games for the Can-Am League’s Pittsfield Colonials. …Todd Moser won his second game of the season to move to 2-7 for the Northern League’s Schaumburg Flyers.