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TAMPA, Fla. - Tyler Alexander couldn't wait to make his first Rays start, but he struggled putting the ball exactly where he wanted.
The Jays scored 5-runs in 5-innings off the former Tiger's pitcher, but Kevin Cash is still confident in his new starting pitcher.
"Tyler, he did mix well," Cash said. "Looks like he was right on the edges. Not bad misses, but right on the edges and as soon as you put some good hitters in leverage counts, 2-1, 2-0, that at times can make us pay."
The Rays have had a lot of success in revitalizing careers. That's what drew Alexander to the Rays, a pitcher that was cut by the Detroit Tigers after going 11 and 23. He earned a spot on the Opening Day roster after allowing just 2-runs in 9-innings with 5 strikeouts this spring.
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"I'm a confident person and I knew I had a good spring training," Alexander told Fox 13 Sports. "I liked where my stuff was. I wasn't necessarily shocked. I was happy that I was in the rotation. Excited for the opportunity. This is a great organization. A great team and I'm in a good spot."
Next time up, Alexander will be looking to hit his spot, and he's confident that Rays pitching coach Kyle Synder will fix his issue. Synder is considered one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. He's been helping get the most of the Rays pitching staff for 7 seasons.
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"It's no surprise after working with him for a couple weeks," Alexander said. "I think my stuff is in a better spot than it ever has been. It's not like they are doing a lot to the shapes of my pitches and changing a lot. It's how I approach and at bat."
Alexander likes the Rays way, and it hasn't taken him long to see the secret to their success.
"The communication is very good," Alexander said. "The analytics portion is at a high level, but they don't rely on too much of that. It's kind of the old school, new school feel. Which works well with me. The simplify the approach to pitching in my mind at least. It's made things easier for me."
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