ATLANTA – Glendon Rusch learned from the horrible experience. He thinks tonight will be different. Having pitched in one Mets-Braves matchup, he is more prepared.
“I have a little bit better game plan that I’ll stick with,” said the 25-year-old Rusch, which includes not getting as overly excited as he thought he did last time out.
In the final game of the John Rocker Circus at Shea July 2, Rusch thought he threw more than pitched and allowed seven runs, all earned, on 13 hits during his five innings of a 10-2 loss to the Braves.
“I think earlier in the year it was, obviously, one of the bigger games I’ve ever pitched,” said Rusch, who before becoming a Met pitched for the Royals. “Now I’m a little more relaxed and I can go out there and pitch my game and stick to my gameplan.”
Rusch, whose 10 wins are as much as one could reasonably expect from a No. 5, must treat his matchup with Andy Ashby like any other game – even though he knows it is not just any other game.
This learning process is important for Rusch not only for the Mets’ division hopes this season, but for what Rusch can become.
Next season, he very well could be the Mets No. 4 or, possibly, No. 3 starter with the righty Bobby Jones and Rick Reed free agents.
“His experience have been tough experiences that is all part of the maturing process,” manager Bobby Valentine said of Rusch, who won the No. 5 job in February and March.
“I thought he was pretty mature coming into spring training. He was presented a challenge when he got there and he’s been answering challenges since.”
Rusch isn’t a hard thrower. He finesses opponents. For one of the rare times this season, Rusch forgot this July 2 as he faced the pitcher he looked up to most while growing up in Washington state, Tom Glavine.
“I felt the time I faced them before I got away from my game plan and was kind of throwing the ball out there more than I was pitching,” Rusch said. “I think I tried to do more than I can do that day and that ended up hurting me.”
In Rusch’s last outing, he picked up his 10th win, going 73 innings and giving up four runs. He must pitch better tonight.
Rusch, a control freak, walked the leadoff man three times vs. the Expos, but got away with it. This showed his maturity as a pitcher, because in years past he may not have been able to overcome such mistakes.
“What also has shown is a few times over the year he has given up a three or four spot in an inning that speaks volumes, keeping your composure, more importantly keeping the club in the ballgame even though things weren’t going his way,” pitching coach Dave Wallace said.
In his first start against the Braves the Glavine/Rusch comparisons were in full force. Rusch started mimicking Glavine’s style, because the younger lefty had watched the older lefty on TBS for years.
“I was excited about that game and a chance to pitch against them, against Glavine, the whole thing,” Rusch said. “I, maybe, let it get to me too much.”
But tonight Rusch faces Ashby, who dominated the Mets here later in July, shutting them out 1-0.
Although the anticipation of this series doesn’t appear to be as intense as in New York – which makes sense because the Mets are the hunters, the Braves are the hunted – it still should be loud and more intense at The Ted than other outings.
“You have to pitch like every other game,” Rusch said.
Rusch has seen how guys like Glavine have pitched in these spots.
“Growing up, [Glavine] is a guy I always watched and tried to model myself after and to pitch against him in a pennant race was a pretty neat experience,” Rusch said.
