Wearing down led Neshek to lifestyle changes

FORT MYERS, FLA. - If Twins righthander Pat Neshek executes the plan he has crafted for himself, he could be as unhittable all summer as he was the first three months of 2007.

Entering his second full major league season, Neshek has converted to veganism and vows to improve his in-season workout program. He wants to take off from last season, when he was 7-2 with a 2.94 ERA and emerged as the Twins' most reliable setup man in front of closer Joe Nathan.

Neshek, 27, was so dominant early last season that he was placed on the balloting for the last spot on the American League All-Star team. He didn't win, but he gained some fame.

However, Neshek's 2007 season didn't end up as the excellent adventure it promised to be -- which led to changes.

"You have to make [life changes]," said Neshek, a former Park Center High School standout.

He posted a 4.82 ERA after the All-Star break and was shut down after Sept. 16 because of weakness and fatigue in his right shoulder.

He looked at the big picture and realized that -- in addition to inconsistent conditioning -- his diet was poor.

"It started four years ago when I first met [wife] Stephanee," said Neshek, who got married in December 2006. "I would pound down seven Whopper Jrs. and she'd be like, 'What the heck are you doing?' and she would tell me why it's so bad."

Neshek finally took his wife's message to heart and is trying life as a vegan, which means he no longer eats meat of any kind or any animal byproducts.

"[Stephanee] is a real excellent cook, probably the only reason I could do it," said Neshek, who has been in the majors with the Twins since July 2006. "If she wasn't I would have no chance. The food is not convenient to find and it's tough, but she makes it better tasting than what she used to make."

The results have been noticeable to him. Neshek took a blood test in January during TwinsFest and saw a drop in his cholesterol level.

"I've maintained my weight, and my energy is awesome," he said.

Neshek's challenge will be to maintain his diet during road trips because his wife can't travel on all of them. He might have to have some food packaged or find out which restaurants match up with his diet goals.

"We'll see where it is in June," he said.

The other key for Neshek is the in-season conditioning program that pitchers rely on to maintain arm strength throughout the year. The Twins believed Neshek could have pitched all of last season had he stuck with the program.

"I asked him, 'Are you doing your arm strength maintenance?' " Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson said. "He said, 'Well, the more I throw, the better it will be.' I said, 'You have to do your arm strength maintenance with your tubing and your light weights and manual resistance.' He got away from all of that. That's not right."

Neshek intends to change that this season. He already arrives at the ballpark earlier so he can get his workout in. And a recent visit to a chiropractor has helped his range of motion. His fastball has more life.

"Staying on top of my game and being healthy, that's the biggest key," he said. "If my fastball is where it is at and my slider is moving, I think I'm going to have success. If I'm off, if I don't get enough rest, it is tough going out there when you have half your arsenal."

When told of Neshek's workout goals, Anderson said, "I think he learned a valuable lesson last year."

Now able to focus on pitching, Neshek and Anderson had the following exchange this week.

Neshek: "My slider stinks."

Anderson: "Oh gosh, you have to give it at least two more weeks, Pat."

Neshek: "No, it stinks. I should be striking out every guy out there. I had them all two strikes and if I get anything on my slider I strike out the side."

Telling that story got Neshek thinking about last season, when he wasn't at his best.

"I got into that mode where I was throwing so many sliders and I didn't have that [other] pitch," he said. "If I had the fastball I have now to mix with that, it would have been tough to hit."