“How I would define the pitching lab is an infrastructure, and a kind of physical structure, that collaborates across multiple departments and enables us to pursue, fairly aggressively, initiatives that will allow us to optimize our pitchers either through pitch data, through pitch delivery, or even potentially gleaning information about usage and location.”
...
“There are certainly examples, and fairly well-documented examples, of grip changes that have been employed and very targeted instances with particular pitchers,” Breslow explained. “We also have the opportunity to explore the biomechanical component of the delivery and the ways that those are inextricably interconnected is a frontier in which I think we are gaining better understanding.”
Over the past two summers, the results of the pitch lab have been significant, especially in the bullpen. Cub fans have seen pitchers like Rowan Wick, Ryan Tepera, and Adbert Alzolay take off at the major league level by developing new pitches or better sequencing their existing repertoire.
....
“For us, it’s absolutely become a critical component of our development apparatus and also of our big league infrastructure,” Breslow said. “I think it represents an opportunity to push development across all levels, it enables us to give real-time feedback to what we’re seeing and what our pitchers are feeling.”
He mentioned that the pandemic was sort of like a “silver lining” as the Cubs streamlined their development process and formalized communications that allowed the staff to coach remotely. Those changes allowed for what he called a “proof of concept” that lets the Cubs track data, goals, and initiatives while measuring the organization’s own methodology and process.
https://www.radio.com/podcasts/inside-t ... -score-755
Interview 24:50:
- Like Hoyer, seems extremely confident they made alot of gains top to bottom in 2020 despite the pandemic conditions.
- Keeping that thread Epstein started even before the pandemic and MiL coup, went out of his way to emphasize player development at the ML level was a little less direct than Epstein about how dramatic that shift is
- Says the game hasn't incentivized contact hitting in recent years but that, if it did, there would be a generation of young hitters out there who make the adjustment. He isn't limited to just pitching as an Asst. GM, believes there's more on pitching than hitting right now
- Talked about pitcher workloads: Cubs want pitchers to throw, have to be trained early (coughRichardGallardocough) to get those 200+ and playoff rotation arms, overuse unfairly overshadows being under worked when it comes to pitcher injuries, big 200+ workloads aren't for everybody obviously but also you're not going to get any by having minor leaguers capped at twice through the lineup or some similar philosophy....Good stuff IMO
- Summed up philosophically that the FO's job is to create as much room for error as possible in a given year. Sounds fair?
