FanGraphs Q&A and Sunday Notes: The Finest Quotes of 2025

In 2025, I as soon as once more had a possibility to interview quite a few folks throughout the recreation. Lots of their phrases have been shared in my Sunday Notes column, whereas others got here by way of an assortment of Q&As, characteristic tales, and my Outdated Scouting Reviews Revisited collection. Here’s a number of the most effective quotes from this 12 months’s conversations, with the bolded traces linking to the items they have been excerpted from.

———

“Guys are fascinated by the sport in completely alternative ways now, and typically we lack the artwork. We lack specializing in the artwork. We’re considering like robots as a substitute of considering like a human, and attempting to make choices based mostly on one other human being in a field. That’s the problem of pitching.” — Max Scherzer, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

“You see a variety of guys attempting to chase that good swing. That’s laborious to do when you will have a man throwing 99 and it’s operating 20 inches, or sinking 20 inches. My thought is simply, ‘Go up there and get the bat to the ball.’ Hold it that easy. Don’t attempt to chase the proper swing.” — Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers infield prospect

“We are able to measure the swing — most, if not all of it — and since we are able to measure it, we are able to observe it. We are able to see whether it is altering. What we are able to’t measure… really, we are able to, however we’re not allowed to place eye-tracking glasses on gamers in-game. You don’t know what’s really occurring within the mind with regards to decision-making.” — Dillon Lawson, Boston Crimson Sox hitting coach

“I bear in mind Invoice James saying {that a} participant’s worth is in his uniqueness. How distinctive is he to the pool of gamers? The choice-making course of in immediately’s recreation, with the number of completely different instruments we now have, permits us to raised determine that uniqueness. As an alternative of taking a look at a pitcher and easily saying, ‘He’s a small righty,’ we are able to know why he’s so efficient. We are able to determine the precious qualities inside that uniqueness.” — Jerry Dipoto, Seattle Mariners, president of baseball operations

“What’s distinctive is changing into extra regular now. However I suppose the apparent reply could be that there’s something about Bryan Woo’s fastball that’s perplexing for hitters. And in truth, whereas we all know it’s good, we’re nonetheless shocked at simply how good it’s by the outcomes.” — Trent Clean, Seattle Mariners director of pitching technique

“I suppose it’s ugly. I by no means thought it was ugly. My mother at all times informed me I used to be tremendous fairly. However ugliness… I would like to name it uniqueness. I’d moderately we use type phrases.” — Payton Tolle, Boston Crimson Sox pitcher

“I wouldn’t have been throwing 97-100 [mph] if it have been 40-50 years in the past. Even 10 years in the past, we have been speaking about 93-94 being prime of the league. The sport is in a a lot completely different place now. When you throw 93-94, that’s hitting velocity.” — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers pitcher

“Kerry Wooden wasn’t enjoyable. His arm was extraordinarily highly effective, so it was not a enjoyable recreation of catch on the receiving finish. The rate, the motion… he threw laborious. It bought on you actually fast, and in case you didn’t catch it proper you felt it for awhile. It was an offended fastball.” — Mark Prior, Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach

“Terry Forster yelled at Goose Gossage to go play catch that day, and Gossage stated, ‘I’m accomplished.’ Forster stated, ‘What are you speaking about?’ Gossage took off his glove and confirmed Forster his hand, which was about twice the scale of a traditional hand… He’d been crushing Gossage all 12 months lengthy, however Gossage hadn’t wished him to know that he’d outdone him in a recreation of burnout.” — Steve Sparks, Houston Astros broadcaster

“I yanked it proper down the center, and he hit a homer. As quickly as I let it go, the exclamation level above my head went off like within the Wii baseball recreation. It was, ‘Oh boy, that’s not good.’ He hit it a good distance.” — Hunter Brown, Houston Astros pitcher

“Batting common is type of taking a again seat — I believe it could possibly be coming again in some unspecified time in the future, during which case it’s important to make an adjustment — however with the pitchers throwing so laborious, and being so good, getting extra bang in your buck while you do hit the ball is essential. Guys like me have to have extra of the FanGraphs-type stats with a purpose to maximize our price.” — Dylan Moore, Seattle Mariners utility man

“The sport tells you what it’s important to do. Now, these children don’t hearken to the sport when it speaks to them. See what I’m saying? If a variety of these children listened to the sport when it spoke to them… what the sport asks you to do is extra essential than what you need to do.” — Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels supervisor

“My previous rocker step was loads towards the aspect — after I turned, my momentum went towards third base — and Yamamoto is straight backwards. He turns the again foot, and from there the whole lot is simply straight towards residence plate. He’s very directional, so I figured, ‘All proper, possibly I’ll give this a attempt.’” — Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds pitcher

“I broke my humorous bone. I threw that curveball to a man named Kumar Rocker. You most likely know him? We went to highschool collectively, and have been enjoying an intersquad. I threw him a curveball, he hit it about 400 ft, and I had surgical procedure on my elbow two days later.” — Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher

“When you go to a full ABS system, you’re going to develop extra throwers and the harm charges are going to spike,” opined the 36-year-old Toronto Blue Jays right-hander. “You then’ll have to return to pitching. The one solution to keep wholesome is to pitch.” — Chris Bassitt, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

“I confronted some minor-league guys this spring. While you used to throw on again fields — the chainlink-fence league — all they’d do is hack. Now they’re arising [through the minors] with ABS and are a little bit extra conscious of the strike zone.” — Jameson Taillon, Chicago Cubs pitcher

“Yeah, I suppose so. I’ve been in a position to put collectively some good seasons, and I’m persevering with to work at it. Man, it’s been a very long time since I’ve considered any of those [old scouting reports].” — Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs outfielder

“Attention-grabbing. Possibly someone caught me on a foul day? I had fairly good command and I assumed my breaking pitch was fairly constant. Possibly it simply wasn’t constant via the framework of how they have been projecting me on the subsequent degree.” — Matthew Boyd, Chicago Cubs pitcher

“That’s an ideal query, as a result of stuff type of will get you within the door. You might want to have one thing that opens up eyes for scouts and will get you into that door. When you’re within the door, if there are traits, or pitchability, that make a participant distinctive, then you definitely don’t must chase the stuff as a lot.” — Chris Younger, Texas Rangers president of baseball operations

“Instructing command is one thing we don’t do very properly as an business. We simply train them to overlook bats. Command expertise, I believe, are one thing innate that we may assist enhance, particularly in a world the place there are solely so many bullets in your arm to apply. But it surely’s a steeper curve to get to that degree of command than there may be to show someone to throw actually laborious.” — Brandon Gomes, Los Angeles Dodgers basic supervisor

“Sure guys get extra alternatives due to the information, and sure guys are extra restricted due to the information. If I have been with the Rays, I’d most likely nonetheless be in [Triple-A] Durham. So yeah, I’m glad I’m right here. I’m glad I’m in a position to pitch within the huge leagues. It’s undoubtedly extra enjoyable.” — Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins pitcher

“I used to be on prime of the world. It was like, ‘Oh my God, I may be the first-overall choose if I simply proceed what I’m doing for the remainder of the season.’ It was the subsequent outing, or possibly two outings later, the place I damage my elbow.” — Lucas Giolito, Boston Crimson Sox pitcher

“Some groups within the draft known as to see if I might go as a pitcher. I wished to play third base, although. I used to be by no means going to pitch. I don’t suppose my arm would have held, to be trustworthy. I most likely would have ended up having [Tommy John surgery].” — Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants infielder

“My arm damage on a regular basis after I was pitching. It was by no means enjoyable after I pitched, and I wished to do one thing enjoyable. I ended up backing out of the draft as a pitcher and simply getting in as a place participant. I let folks know, ‘Hey, in case you’re going to draft me as a pitcher, I’m going to go to Mississippi State.’” — Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves infielder

“I’m a hitter, man. There are a variety of issues that I imagine make me who I’m… You don’t need to be too caught up on what you will have happening, however on the identical time, you need to imagine in what you will have happening.” — Termarr Johnson, Pittsburgh Pirates infield Prospect

“He would inform me, ‘I’m attempting to arrange this pitcher. I’m going to look dangerous on this breaking ball so he’ll throw it once more.’ This was in A-ball, as a young person. The man would throw it once more, and he’d hit a house run. The identical swing you see now, he had then. Altuve took some donkey hacks.” — Rodney Linares, Tampa Bay Rays bench coach

“That mini model of myself was in a position to develop into this larger model. That’s the place it stemmed from. In my childhood, I used to be at all times quick, enjoying up. I used to be small enjoying with the large boys, and felt like I wanted to swing tougher to maintain up with them.” — Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees outfielder

“Quick-season offered an avenue for them to get a little bit publicity to affiliate baseball. [Not having it] expedites the timeline for these guys. So sure, in an ideal world… development-wise, I believe it hurts us greater than it helps us.” — Paul Janish, Chicago White Sox farm director

“He might need doubled up changeups in a single at-bat. His changeup is de facto good. He could have additionally doubled up on a sweeper a couple of times, throwing one for a strike and one other for a ball. He threw me a few fairly good sweepers.” — Nick Kurtz, Athletics first baseman

“The sweeper has additionally grow to be an enormous pitch. I actually don’t suppose it’s a brand new pitch — they possibly simply use one other adjective to explain it — however it’s completely different than a real slider or a real curveball. Once I take into consideration folks like Dave Stieb, his ball swept.” — Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins broadcaster

“I haven’t actually bought on that bandwagon of supinators [versus] pronators, mainly bucketing folks. There are a variety of alternative ways that you could make the ball come off your hand, the kick-change being an instance. Pronation and supination most likely lead you down the highway of sure sorts of pitches, however I believe we will be far more artistic than that.” — Desi Druschel, New York Mets pitching coach

“I threw one within the pen, and it wasn’t good. He was like, ‘Alright, let’s do this.’ It was the splinker grip that I’ve now, and Teel nearly jumped up and down after I threw it the primary time. He was like, ‘We’re throwing that within the recreation immediately.’ I did, and I believe I bought 4 or 5 punchouts with it.” — Hunter Dobbins, Boston Crimson Sox pitcher

“We have been enjoying catch — I work out with him in the course of the offseason — and he was similar to, ‘Dude, get off the seam.’ I attempted it, and it simply took off, straight down. It was like, ‘OK, that’ll work.”— Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies pitcher

“I used to be displaying Charlie how I threw it. He was like, ‘Wow, man. I don’t need to sit right here and inform you what to do, however you’ve bought to be good — have good timing — for that pitch to maneuver such as you need it to.’ He was proper. I might throw a pitch that moved like this, and the subsequent one moved like that, but they might really feel the identical.” — Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves pitcher

“That was the honey gap, launch height-wise. So, after I got here in it was actually excessive. I’d type of been chasing Trackman numbers, however then I type of figured issues out and moved it again down.” — Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians pitcher

“A Vulcan is simply one other solution to create some friction and affect the baseball another way. If I have been simply to do a circle [change], I don’t suppose I might get fairly the velo differential or the motion profile. I get extra of the standard changeup sidespin, however with the break up grip.” — Joey Cantillo, Cleveland Guardians pitcher

“I spin the ball. I spin the ball higher than anybody in baseball. That’s a reality. I nonetheless have sufficient velo to permit that to play. That’s a reality. I can take my fastball and go each methods with it, simply pretty much as good as anybody. I nonetheless get my strikeouts.” — Sonny Grey, Boston Crimson Sox pitcher

“My supervisor pulled me into the workplace and stated, ‘Hey, I want to speak to you.’ I used to be like, ‘Cool, let’s go chat.’ I used to be consuming a bowl of Cap’n Crunch. Had simply are available from shagging. Only a common day. No drawback.” — Kenya Huggins, Athletics pitching prospect

“My complete life, I’d needed to breathe out of my mouth, as a result of I couldn’t totally breathe out of my nostril… In spring coaching, I assumed I used to be going to move out on a regular basis. My thoughts was racing, however my physique felt prefer it was falling asleep. It was a bizarre feeling. Not getting sufficient oxygen triggered a variety of nervousness.” — Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins infielder

“I began doing a deep dive into the mind-and-body connection. I went right into a rabbit gap with that in 2020. I spent the entire 12 months, mainly, out in Arizona with Native American practices of meditation. It utterly modified my in-game velocity.” — Bowden Francis, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

“I used to be shocked. That was the primary 12 months A.J. Preller was the GM, and I believe the primary time that I spoke to him was when he informed me I used to be getting traded. I’d simply had Tommy John, after which I bought traded to the Braves.” — Max Fried, New York Yankees pitcher

“The economics of baseball have modified drastically. There’s extra income within the recreation, and better payrolls, however there may be additionally how you consider transferring expertise for expertise. It’s rather more based mostly on economics than simply pure ‘I believe he’s a very good baseball participant.’” — John Mozeliak, St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations

“We’ve got the most important scouting division within the business. We worth scouting considerably, and one of many mantras we reside by is ‘evolve.’ Don’t be a dinosaur. You higher sustain with the adjustments, otherwise you’re going to wind up on the quick finish of issues.” — Brian Cashman, New York Yankees Senior VP/GM

“You experiment with new info and know-how, however fairly often the lived expertise is extra direction-correct,” Elias stated. “Your experimentation can fail and lead you again to extra standard knowledge. It’s essential to have a stability. You must verify your balances.” — Mike Elias, Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations

“I like base operating. I like good base operating. It’s been a misplaced artwork. We bought away from it with the slug issue; you don’t need to make an out on the bases, finish rallies, no matter. However in case you’re going to observe a recreation… I need motion.” — Bruce Bochy, Texas Rangers supervisor

“Lacking bats is sweet, so we need to miss bats. I believe it begins with doing a very good job of staffing out with of us who can create a construction for our pitching workers, to place collectively a course of for them to take action. Create a tradition, not solely round that, however to be an enormous piece of it. It’s a debate that has been solved over time, proper?” — Paul Toboni, Washington Nationals president of baseball operations

“Coors Discipline has been round since 1995 [and] they’ve tried a variety of issues. I don’t must reinvent the wheel. I need to perceive what all of these issues have been and what they felt labored, and what didn’t. I don’t need to attempt issues a second time in the event that they’ve already tried them.” — Paul DePodesta, Colorado Rockies president of baseball operations

“You may be sporting an 0-for-30, and that’s the place you need to finish your profession. When you inform your self you’re going to stoop, you’re going to stoop. Conversely, in case you inform your self you’re going to play properly, you’re going to play properly. When you inform your self you’re going to win, you’re going to win.” — Maui Ahuna, San Francisco Giants infield prospect

“I don’t know concerning the need to play baseball going away. I don’t suppose that may ever occur. I believe it’s only a recognition that it’s time.” — Charlie Morton, Baltimore Orioles pitcher

“I’m really actually solely considering whether or not Liverpool goes to take the Premier League championship or win the Champions League. In comparison with that, I’m detached.” — Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins supervisor