A Giant sophomore task

By Andrew Baggarly
Special to The Advertiser

Jerome Williams is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in three spring training starts. Associated Press

That's what happens when you post a 3.30 ERA in 21 starts as a 21-year-old, help your team win 100 games and a National League West title, then become the first Giants rookie to start a postseason game since 1937.

Now as he stretches out his arm in spring training, the Waipahu High School product is getting questioned by reporters and receiving unsolicited advice from teammates.

"Everyone's telling me not to change my mentality," said Williams, who likely will open the season as the Giants' No. 3 starter. "Last year I didn't know any of the hitters. It was a good thing. I was new. Nobody had seen me. This year people know how I pitch.

"I'll do the same thing as last year. If it works, it works. If not, I'll change it up."

Adjustments are a vital part of the game, and as you'd expect, veterans make them much quicker and easier than younger players. Williams expects his second season to be just as much a learning process as his rookie year.

Pitching coach Dave Righetti is an experienced counselor. Righetti was the American League Rookie of the Year with the Yankees in 1981, when he was 8-4 with a 2.01 ERA in 15 starts.

"I went to camp the next year and was getting questions about the sophomore jinx and I didn't know what that meant," he said. "It's a funny thing and young players have to deal with it."

In 1982, Righetti was 11-10 in 27 starts and his ERA climbed to 3.79. For him, the second year really was tougher.

"For one, if you're good, the league will pay attention to you and look for ways to beat you," he said. "And two, you (tend to get) comfortable in your surroundings. You can't just go out there and expect it to happen again.

"You can't get complacent. That's one thing you really worry about as a coach. 'Will he get happy in his surroundings?' I'm speaking about the group, not just Jerome. Luckily we've got enough pros in here and enough competition that I don't think that will happen."

Williams hasn't looked sharp in his first three exhibition games this spring, giving up nine runs over nine innings in three losses.

While adjusting to new catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Williams is working to regain the feel for his curveball but isn't trying to reinvent himself as a pitcher. For the most part, he knows his strengths and he plans to pitch to them.

Then again, this is his first big-league camp. Because of a pulled muscle in his back, he missed most of the spring last year.

"It's hard to tell because I don't know what he looks like this time of the year," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "All this is new to him. But I can tell you this kid is no fool. He knows what he is doing out there. He's already having a better spring because he's healthy."

Williams admitted to some nerves after his first start of the spring March 6.

"I didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but the next thing it was like, 'Oh my, I've got to throw strikes,' " he said. "You know me. I'm unpredictable. Sometimes I don't know what I'm doing out there. I get nervous every time in a new situation, every time I start."

It's a safe bet Williams will have butterflies going in his season opener. If he holds the No. 3 spot, he would pitch the third game of the opening series at Houston — and face Roger Clemens in his Astros debut.

If Williams ends up pitching fourth, he would pitch at San Diego — in the first major league game at Petco Park.

"It will be an interesting year for him," Righetti said. "He's more driven than people give him credit for. He's laid back and you never want to knock somebody out of their personality. You just want to make sure they stay on the right track."