Bleacher Bums Forum

I'm not 100% certain what is in the pitch lab, but the equipment is likely to be at the major league level.  I think the value of having it in Arizona having a place where guys can go and apply in low leverage situations.  I bet the slom-mo camera's, trackman etc are all available at each minor league team and traveling with the Cubs.

Thanks, yeah, maybe that's all there is to it.  You're probably right.  I wonder, though?  It seems like the Athletic has included several articles within the last 10 months talking up pitch lab; the spin was that it was something "state of the art" and perhaps something whose insights guys like Wick and Wieck didn't have access to previously.  Maybe it's "state of the art" is no more cutting-edge than what's at every other minor-league stadium.  But I admit I kind of secretly hope that it offers some info that perhaps isn't already being used or being available to 25 other teams in the majors?  If that makes sense? 

Perhaps it's just the immediacy of feedback.  If I'm tinkering with grip in Eugene, and I don't get to see the data until a half hour later when I can look at my laptop, maybe that's not quite as responsive as throwing in pitch lab, and immediately seeing spin rate and movement data instantly?  Beats me. 

 if the pitch lab doesn't actually have anything more than what's available at every park in the system, and has been for years, why do the Athletic reporters have so many articles kind of

Thanks, Ron.  Yeah, there was that one, and at least one or two in spring training, suggesting it being highly advanced technically.  That implied the authors at least thought there was advancements perhaps beyond what's in every minor league stadium?  I guess I'm hoping it's got special stuff that is helpful and is beyond what's widely accessible!  (Which is why I think *if* it's got helpful, hard-to-access advantageous stuff, then it might be nice to enable our big-leaguers to access it and perhaps get advantaged....)

Thanks, Ron.  Yeah, there was that one, and at least one or two in spring training, suggesting it being highly advanced technically.  That implied the authors at least thought there was advancements perhaps beyond what's in every minor league stadium?  I guess I'm hoping it's got special stuff that is helpful and is beyond what's widely accessible!  (Which is why I think *if* it's got helpful, hard-to-access advantageous stuff, then it might be nice to enable our big-leaguers to access it and perhaps get advantaged....)

Edgetronic camera’s and Raspedo’s can be moved pretty much anywhere. The Cubs had them out in spring training with pitchers throwing. KinaTrax seems a little more complicated of a setup, but it wouldn’t shock me if teams are setting it up in minor league stadiums. Pro clubs were paying to put Trackman systems in JUCO colleges just so they could get the scouting data and not share it with other teams.

The Pitching Lab is the instructors taking the data and working with the pitchers to implement it. Guys like Wick you could tinker with his curve grip in Arizona or Chicago. Lowering an arm slot or making somebody a side arm pitcher is going to a bigger project.  I sure hope that the Cubs have all these toys in their minor league stadiums.

Most likely, the "pitching lab" is a scam perpetrated by Epstein and his cronies.

Jeff Exasperated Hyperbole Meter Rating:

7.5

From Sharma and Mooney on the status of the selection process for manager:

"David Ross and Joe Espada are highly thought of candidates, but it hasn’t yet reached a level where they’re the two finalists. Other names remain in play, and there’s a possibility one more candidate is interviewed."

https://theathletic.com/1303687/2019/10/18/in-the-next-phase-of-reckoning-theo-epstein-makes-big-changes-to-the-cubs-front-office/

They also mentioned they could name a manager before the World Series. 

That piece was really interesting, especially for the player development stuff.

A consideration I haven't noted so far.  To attract quality free agents, you need a manager players want to play for.  Would one of those guys appeal to Cole?  Other FAs?

Yeah if he came across great, I think he's my choice over Ross.  Better experience, and there's part of me that's worried about the "buddy" factor with Ross.

I’m absolutely with you on this. I loved David Ross the Cubs catcher and team leader. And found/find him to be a great, humble, fun guy based on his interviews and broadcasting work since he retired. I worry (from his commentary) about how strategic and astute he is (though admittedly that’s not all that much to go on) and about the “buddy factor” w Rizzo, KB, Lester, and others.


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