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SAN DIEGO – Reliever J.J. Hoover says he can feel the difference, that his right arm and his shoulder are noticeably stronger than last year. The stuff he’s been able to generate has been noticeably better, as well.

 

Hoover has been something of a revelation out of the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, a reclamation project who has made good on the low-risk gamble the club took on him during the offseason.

Entering last year, Hoover owned a 3.34 ERA in parts of four big-league seasons. He went into the season as the Cincinnati Reds closer. But his stuff was down and he struggled badly, getting sent to the minors and ultimately losing his spot on the 40-man roster.

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He elected free agency after the season and wound up signing a minor-league deal with the Diamondbacks. He won a spot on the roster in spring training and has thrown 6 2/3 innings in relief so far, allowing two runs with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Hoover said that midway through last season he traced the decline in his stuff to his offseason strengthening program.

“I was actually trying to strengthen my arm even more under guidance from the strength staff,” Hoover said. “It didn’t work for me. That’s the crazy thing about baseball. What works for one person doesn’t always work for another.”

This year, though, he said he feels much better, a result of having returned to his previous routine.

“All the small muscles in my arm and shoulder are a lot stronger and I’m able to repeat my delivery,” he said. “There’s more life on my pitches. It just kind of has all come together.”

During an impressive two-inning outing on Monday night at Dodger Stadium, Hoover hit 95 mph with his fastball and was flashing a sharp, darting slider.

MORE:‘Long’ Diamondbacks road trip ends with loss to Padres

He said his goals after last season were first to get a contract, then win a spot on the team and then work his way up to an eighth-inning role. But he’s seen the way the Diamondbacks have deployed relievers so far this season, and he says pitching strictly in a high-leverage role isn’t a priority for him.

“I think we’ll play more matchups,” Hoover said, “and go for whatever is best for that win on that particular night. I am 100 percent completely good with that. I think we’re very versatile. I think that’s one of our strengths.”

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Getting better

Manager Torey Lovullo said he’s already seen Brandon Drury grow more comfortable at second base within the season’s first two-plus weeks, evidenced by a couple of nifty flips to start double plays in the past two games.

On Wednesday night, he made a backhanded feed to the shortstop at second. That wasn’t quite as flashy as the play he made on Tuesday, when he flipped it straight from his glove to second.

“I know it’s a lot of hard work that he’s put in the last couple of months that allowed him to make that play,” Lovullo said.

Drury’s angles to balls and his footwork have gotten better, Lovullo said.

“I think that familiarity has come to him very quickly,” he said. “Really, the first step and the angle you’re taking to the ball in the middle of the diamond is crucial and he’s starting to get a good feel for that.”

Still effective

Right-hander Zack Greinke threw just four pitches that cracked 90 mph on Wednesday night but was still highly effective, giving up just one run in an eight-inning complete game. The Diamondbacks lost 1-0, with Erick Aybar’s eighth-inning solo homer the difference.

“Velocity wise, I know it wasn’t something that he was probably comfortable with, but he made pitches,” Lovullo said. “He executed pitches. He was throwing every pitch he wanted to where he wanted, and it was a pretty impressive night.”

MORE:Diamondbacks’ bats go quiet on road trip

Short hops

  • Outfielder Gregor Blanco (oblique) played five innings in center field and got five at-bats in an extended spring training game on Thursday, Lovullo said. He could play again on Saturday.
  • Lovullo said right-hander Jake Barrett (shoulder) will throw a live batting practice session and that lefty Steve Hathaway (shoulder) will pitch in an extended spring training game on Saturday.
  • Right-hander Rubby De La Rosa (elbow) was scheduled to pitch in an extended game on Thursday but had a “non-baseball situation he had to take care of,” Lovullo said, adding that De La Rosa will instead pitch on Friday.

Coming up

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (2-1, 3.94) vs. Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (1-0, 1.00).

Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (1-0, 1.96) vs. Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda (1-1, 7.07).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (2-1,3.50) vs. Dodgers RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 2.12).