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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Edinson Volquezs renaissance began with a simple game of catch. During his brief session with Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage on that January day at the teams training facility in Florida, the talented but erratic right-hander listened as Searage outlined a plan to help the 31-year-old regain the form that once made him an All-Star. He felt wanted, Searage said. That builds trust. Ten months later, Volquez will try to repay that trust by sending the Pirates into the NL Division Series for the second straight year when he starts Wednesday nights wild-card game against San Francisco. Facing Mr. Reliable The Giants will counter Volquez with Madison Bumgarner, who has been the face of consistency over the past three years. Bumgarner ranks second in NL wins and third in the NL in strikeouts, innings pitched and quality starts since 2011. The raucous scene that awaits Volquez at PNC Park is in stark contrast to his ignominious exit from San Diego last summer, when the floundering Padres released him after a miserable stretch in which his ERA ballooned to 6.01. Its kind of sad a little bit, Volquez said. You feel like your career is over. He ended 2013 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he showed minor improvement before hitting the free-agent market. But most teams hardly seemed interested in signing a pitcher who spent a half-decade struggling with his command and composure. Yet he found a home in Pittsburgh, where the clubhouse has become an Ellis Island of sorts for players looking to regain something theyve lost. A year ago it was left-hander Francisco Liriano, who signed with the Pirates and put together a 16-8 season that included a victory over Cincinnati in the wild-card game. Liriano and Volquez are good friends, and while the $5 million flier Pittsburgh took on Volquez to be a back-of-the-rotation guy raised eyebrows, he remained confident he could make the changes necessary to become competitive. People (who) know about baseball, they knew I was really close to getting ready to go, Volquez said. Searage tweaked Volquezs delivery. Pirates catcher Russell Martin worked with him to set a steady pace during games, often hustling to the mound when Volquez starts working too quickly. When Volquez gets out of rhythm, his mechanics run amok. Early on he couldnt control it. He had elbows and knees flying all over the place, Searage said. Now hes able to control it better. Thats the biggest thing between a major leaguer and a minor leaguer a€” they basically have the same stuff, but it all comes up to (their mental approach). Volquez responded by going 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA in a team-high 32 starts, the lone constant in a rotation that saw Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton spend a significant amount of time on the disabled list. Volquez went 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in his last 11 starts, his consistency one of the main reasons the Pirates sent Cole to the mound in the regular-season finale against Cincinnati in a last-ditch bid to win the NL Central. Cole was brilliant but Pittsburgh lost 4-1, putting its hopes of an extended playoff stay in Volquezs maturing hands. Curve Control Only two NL starters (A.J. Burnett, Adam Wainwright) used the curveball more than Volquez (25.9% of all pitches) this season. For the Giants, Bumgarner uses his curveball on 14 per cent of his pitches. Its the biggest start of his career, but Volquez isnt exactly sweating it. He spent Monday laying around his house napping. On Tuesday he traded jokes with other Latin players before playing long toss and shagging flies during batting practice. Ive got to pitch my game and be myself, he said. Its unlikely it can go any worse than his other post-season start. The Philadelphia Phillies tagged Volquez for four runs in 1 2-3 innings during Game 1 of the 2010 NL Division Series when he played for Cincinnati. Phillies starter Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter that day to start a three-game sweep. Four years later, Volquez faces another formidable task: beating a team that thrives this time of year. The Giants have captured two World Series titles this decade, including a resilient run in 2012 when they won six elimination games on their way to the championship. Most of the core that celebrated with a champagne shower after sweeping the Tigers in the World Series two years ago remains intact, including left-hander Madison Bumgarner. The 25-year-old is coming off a solid regular season in which he went 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA. He lost his only start against Pittsburgh, giving up five runs in four innings on July 28 at AT&T Park. The vibe will be decidedly different this time around on the other side of the country. And thats just fine by Bumgarner. Hes been here before, and so have most of the other guys in the San Francisco clubhouse, including his manager. I dont know whats going to happen, but youre going to see guys who are comfortable playing in this type of game, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Theyre all about winning. I dont think theyll be affected by any kind of element or environment. Including whatever Volquez might have in store. He hardly resembles the enigma who could never find his footing in San Diego. Now hes flourishing in Pittsburgh with a chance to cement his transformation from lost cause to something else entirely. Hes become a complete pitcher, Searage said. His evolution of becoming a major league pitcher has been nothing but forward. Another important step awaits. Volquezs improvement First 14 Starts Past 17 Starts ERA 4.67 1.85 HR Alowed 11 6 K rate with RISP 16% 24% Volquez Pitch Selection vs RHB vs LHB Fastball 57.4% 52.9% Changeup 14.3% 23.9% Curveball 28.2% 23.2% Karl Mecklenburg Jersey . And, just for good measure, lets say the lottery team finishes the game short-handed because two starters come down with the very same injury. Shannon Sharpe Jersey ., climbed from seventh to fifth spot in womens competition Sunday at the ISU world junior figure skating championships. http://www.cheapbroncosjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-peyton-manning-jersey . As deep as their roster is, they need their superstar. Rose scored 23 points in his return from a five-game absence due to back pain, and Chicago hung on to beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 90-79 on Monday. DreMont Jones Jersey . While he was away, it was the division-rival Baltimore Orioles conducting a little business of their own, scooping up Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday evening to a reported four-year, $50-million contract. Noah Fant Jersey .com) - The collective hearts of Chicago Bulls fans sank on Friday night when Derrick Rose went down with a leg injury against the Cleveland Cavaliers.The Ottawa Senators have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $2.5 million per season with defenceman Chris Phillips. Phillips deal reportedly includes a no-trade clause. The 35-year-old has appeared in 52 games with the Senators this season, scoring one goal and 12 assists. He is in the final year of a three-year, $9.25 million contract and was scheduled to become an unresstricted free agent on July 1.dddddddddddd Phillips was selected first overall at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Senators. He has spent his entire 16-year NHL career in the nations capital and ranks behind only long-time former captain Daniel Alfredsson on the teams all-time games played list. In 1,125 games with the Senators, he has scored 71 goals and 212 assists. 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