The next time you head out to your driveway or local playground to shoot some hoops or play H-O-R-S-E, try this experiment: Instead of shooting overhead or overhand, try shooting underhand or “granny” style.

Just over a year after the Houston Astros drafted Mike Collar in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft, he’s being asked to make an “adjustment” that is just as drastic.

An overhand pitcher for all of his organized baseball career, the 22-year-old right-hander is being groomed as the lone sidearm pitcher in the Astros’ entire organization.

“I started off real bad in spring training and [pitching coach] Charlie Taylor suggested I try it because he thought I had the arm strength to do it,” said the Scarborough native and former University of Maine standout.

Rather than balk at the thought of altering his delivery, Collar agreed to try.

“I figured I might as well try it. What am I going to do? He’s been around the game for 30 years and he knows what he’s doing,” Collar said. “Besides, I took it as kind of a positive that he took an interest in me.”

Ironically, two months after first trying the new delivery, Collar’s velocity has increased from a top speed of 87-89 miles per hour to 89-91.

Through Sunday, Collar had a 1-5 record with a 9.90 ERA in 28 appearances with the Single A Lexington (Ky.) Legends of the South Atlantic League. In 66 1/3 innings, Collar has allowed 107 hits, issued 39 walks, and notched 47 strikeouts. After starting six games, he was switched to relief and has finished seven games.

“I don’t think I’ll start again here. It’s tough being a reliever. It’s kind of lonely out there in the bullpen,” Collar said. “But maybe I’ll get a shot at short relief and closing games.”

What seemed impossible initially is gradually becoming a more natural motion for the six-foot, 210-pound son of Ken and Vickie Collar.

“Sometimes I’d throw and not know where it was going. I still have difficulty keeping my hand steady and my eyes focused on the mitt,” Collar explained. “Now I just try to let it run off my arm and kind of fall off. My motion is like [Boston Red Sox reliever] Mike Timlin’s, only lower.”

Collar is optimistic about his chances to rise through the organizational ranks and hopes to be in high Single A next year, Double A after that, and maybe get a shot to play in the Arizona Fall League at some point.

“I feel good. My coaches have said it’s a good thing for me and it finally feels good,” he said. “It feels comfortable.”

Collar plans to drive home to Scarborough shortly after the season ends in late September, or after the playoffs. He’s looking forward to seeing his parents and sisters Jessie and Katie again, but especially Astro, his year-old Black Lab.

“Lexington’s nice,” he said. “People are real nice and they go out of their way to help you, but it can get over 100 degrees here and I still miss Maine.”

Training Arizona

Portland Sea Dogs team trainer Lee Slagle has been named the trainer for the Peoria Saquaros of the Arizona Fall League, a select late season, six-team league which is stocked each year by the top five or six prospects in each major league organization. More than 60 percent of the players in the AFL’s 13-year history have gone on to play in the majors. The league’s 44-game season begins Oct. 5.

Each AFL manager, coach and trainer has been nominated by their respective organizations and are regarded as excellent candidates for future big league positions.

Slagle is in his first season with the Boston Red Sox organiztion. The Auburn University graduate previously worked for the Cleveland Indians and Montreal Expos.

No doubting Thomas

After watching 25-year-old Miami native Adam Thomas notch his second complete-game win of the Northeast League season Thursday, Bangor Lumberjacks manager Kash Beauchamp was impressed.

Thomas (6-3, 3.94 ERA) retired the last 15 batters he faced in 3-2 victory over New Haven.

“I watched Bronson Arroyo pitch against the Yankees the other day and I think Adam Thomas has better stuff,” Beauchamp said flatly. “I’m not downgrading Arroyo, but he’s throwing 87-88 and Adam at Brockton [two weeks ago] was 91 to 94 with a better slider, better fastball, and better changeup.

“He can get big league hitters our right now the way he’s throwing.”

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or at aneff@bangordailynews.net