51s’ Cecil agrees to uneasy truce with Vegas climate

No offense to the fine citizens of Las Vegas, but 51s left-hander Brett Cecil would prefer to pitch pretty much anywhere else.

"It's just the air," he said. "The ball travels so much here."

When Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos gave Toronto's former 15-game winner the choice to start this season in Las Vegas or Double-A New Hampshire, the 25-year-old Cecil didn't hesitate to head East.

"Literally, it's a lot better atmosphere on the East Coast," Cecil said. "I told Alex I needed to get some confidence back, that I felt like I needed to have a dominant start.

"I could do that here, but with the conditions we pitch with out here, you can be dominant but still give up three or four runs. They're not necessarily accurate results."

After regaining his command and going 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in nine starts for New Hampshire, Cecil was promoted to the 51s on Tuesday in a move that initially baffled him.

But a conversation with Toronto assistant GM Tony LaCava helped alleviate Cecil's fear that he could pitch well here and have nothing to show for it.

"Tony said something to me that kind of really stuck - he said, 'If you're pitching the way you're pitching now, you can pitch anywhere,' " he said. "I finally came to the conclusion that I'm not going to let where I'm at beat me."

Working on little sleep Tuesday, Cecil (1-0) got the win for Las Vegas (38-29) in a 9-3 victory over Tucson, allowing three runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts and no walks.

"I didn't see him last year, but what I saw (Tuesday) was real good," pitching coach Bob Stanley said. "He kept the ball down, pitched inside and he had all his pitches working. He got a little tired in the last inning, but he'd traveled all day."

Cecil concurred, saying, "Coming off a 13-hour bus ride from Manchester (N.H.) to Richmond (Va.) and the next day flying across the country and pitching the same day, I couldn't really ask for anything better."

After going 15-7 with a 4.22 ERA for Toronto in 2010, Cecil struggled last season to a 4-11 record and 4.73 ERA. He compiled a 5.26 ERA for the 51s, surrendering 15 home runs in 12 starts.

Determined to turn things around, Cecil lost 45 pounds in the offseason, slimming down to 207.

"I kind of used last year as a little bit of motivation," he said. "I watched what I ate more than usual, and I upped the intensity of the workouts a little more."

After allowing nine runs in his first two starts this season, Cecil was aided by a visit from Roger Clemens, whose son Koby plays for New Hampshire.

"I had a side session with him. I asked him if he would watch, and he gave me a few pointers. It's really helped," said Cecil, who is slated to start Sunday at home.

■ NOTE - 51s manager Marty Brown will manage the Pacific Coast League All-Star team against the International League in the 25th Triple-A All-Star Game on July 11 at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, N.Y. Brown managed the IL's Buffalo Bisons from 2003 to 2005.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.