Zack Wheeler's Full Comments the Morning After First Bullpen Session

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Zack Wheeler spoke Friday morning, the day after completing his first bullpen session of the spring.

Wheeler came away from the all-fastball, 21-pitch session feeling good, and he confirmed that it essentially began the unofficial six-week ramp-up period that starting pitchers typically need in spring training.

Here is what Wheeler, who underwent venous thoracic outlet surgery in September, had to say at his locker at BayCare Ballpark:

How did yesterday feel?

"Good."

How did you expect to feel?

"I didn't know how to feel yesterday or know what I was going to feel like yesterday. But I felt good, I felt smooth, natural."

When will your next bullpen session be?

"I have no idea, I couldn't tell you that."

The Phillies tend to give their pitchers two days off after a bullpen session. If all goes well with Wheeler this weekend, that means his next could be Sunday. He may throw a third, as well.

In a normal offseason, how many 'pens do you throw before camp?

"I play it a little different than most guys. I kind've just throw and it just depends on the year. Sometimes I've thrown none off the mound by the time I come in, sometimes I've thrown four or five times off the mound before I came in. It depends on how I came out of the year before, if I was a little banged-up or not, how the throwing progression went that offseason.

"It just depends. There's been years where I came in and I'm basically at where I'm at right now. It's a little different, but at the same time, I'm not too far behind."

Was yesterday the first day of a six-week ramp-up for you?

"That's what it looks like, yeah."

April 9 is six weeks from yesterday ...

"Yeah. I don't know. I couldn't tell you. I don't even know when my next bullpen is."

Were you thinking about anything physically while throwing yesterday?

"No. I've been playing catch every day and I knew this day was coming. You can't think about it, you've just got to go out there and do what's natural."

Rob Thomson said your shoulder is stronger than ever?

"I've been strengthening it all offseason. I've got to give a lot of credit to Paul (Buchheit), the head trainer. He's been working with me all offseason, a few times a week and he's helped me get my arm a lot stronger. You've just got to help protect the area as much as possible. Concentrate a lot on the shoulder strengthening and just overall body. Hopefully, that helps out for the long run. I would agree that I'm a little stronger coming in than most years, probably."

What percentage were you letting it go yesterday in the bullpen?

"Just whatever was coming out. Percentage-wise, probably 80-85%, just a guess."

Staying away from breaking balls early in the process?

"Spin usually comes last just because it's putting a little more torque, pressure on your arm, elbow. I've thrown them off flat ground but you kind've build it up, throw 'em off flat ground, then you go do your first bullpen and it's all fastballs usually, maybe a changeup. And then you start mixing that in as the next few bullpens come along. Before you know it, you're throwing live BPs and you need to be spinning it there. I'm sure the next bullpen, whenever that is, I'll be spinning a couple. That's the goal."

Could you get into a spring training game?

"I don't know."

Could going slow be wise for you to preserve you for October?

"If I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go. I don't think I have any problems when October comes usually. I don't think this year is any different than any other year trying to preserve."

Sigh of relief after yesterday?

"It's just another accomplishment in your rehab phase. The first one's throwing a baseball, then the next one is throwing long-toss, usually that feels good, and then getting off the mound, getting into a game, facing live hitters is probably the next one. You just have those checkmarks along the way."