"He's done a great job for us," White Sox designated hitter Jim Thome, another former Phillie, said Thursday. "We really feel confident when he goes to the mound."
The 25-year-old righthander is 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA in three starts. He has beaten the Detroit Tigers, a team that has the potential to lead the majors in runs, twice. He was in line for his third win before the Sox' bullpen lost a late three-run lead to Baltimore on Thursday.
In his first 191/3innings of the new season, Floyd has allowed just nine hits. He carried a no-hitter into the fifth Thursday. In the start before that, he took a no-hitter into the eighth.
On the mound, Floyd looks sure of himself. The days when he was as uneasy as a 16-year-old driving on the Schuylkill Expressway for the first time appear behind him.
"I get my sign from the catcher, get my rhythm and tempo and attack the strike zone," Floyd said. "It sounds simple, but you could have told me that two years ago and I'd try, but it wouldn't come out right."
Pitching is coming naturally to Floyd again, as it did in high school, as it didn't with the Phillies. He has stopped over-thinking and stopped fiddling with mechanics. No more paralysis by analysis. Just pitch.
"I'm back to being smooth, natural, effortless," he said. "Once I started messing around too much, I wasn't as natural and things just snowballed. Everything went downhill and I lost confidence and focus. Then you try too hard and you overthrow. It got frustrating.
"The people here knew what I went through [in the Phillies organization]. They knew I was listening to too many people, trying too many new things. We focused on a couple of keys, and it's made a difference. Before, I was diving with my front shoulder, jumping at the hitter. Now I'm staying back and letting my natural ability work."
