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

In 2025, I as soon as once more had a possibility to interview quite a few individuals inside 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, function tales, and my Previous Scouting Experiences Revisited sequence. Here’s a collection of the most effective quotes from this yr’s conversations, with the bolded traces linking to the items they have been excerpted from.

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

“You see a whole lot of guys attempting to chase that excellent swing. That’s laborious to do when you could have a man throwing 99 and it’s working 20 inches, or sinking 20 inches. My thought is simply, ‘Go up there and get the bat to the ball.’ Maintain it that straightforward. Don’t attempt to chase the right swing.” — Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers infield prospect

“We will measure the swing — most, if not all of it — and since we are able to measure it, we are able to monitor it. We will see whether it is altering. What we are able to’t measure… truly, we are able to, however we’re not allowed to place eye-tracking glasses on gamers in-game. You don’t know what’s truly occurring within the mind on the subject of 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 at this time’s recreation, with the number of totally different instruments now we have, permits us to higher establish that uniqueness. As a substitute of a pitcher and easily saying, ‘He’s a small righty,’ we are able to know why he’s so efficient. We will establish 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 can be that there’s something about Bryan Woo’s fastball that’s perplexing for hitters. And honestly, whereas we all know it’s good, we’re nonetheless stunned 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 all the time instructed me I used to be tremendous fairly. However ugliness… I would like to name it uniqueness. I’d reasonably we use sort 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 high of the league. The sport is in a a lot totally different place now. In the event you throw 93-94, that’s hitting pace.” — 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 obtained on you actually fast, and if you happen to didn’t catch it proper you felt it for awhile. It was an indignant fastball.” — Mark Prior, Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach

“Terry Forster yelled at Goose Gossage to go play catch that day, and Gossage mentioned, ‘I’m executed.’ Forster mentioned, ‘What are you speaking about?’ Gossage took off his glove and confirmed Forster his hand, which was about twice the dimensions of a standard hand… He’d been crushing Gossage all yr lengthy, however Gossage hadn’t needed 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 feel it may very well 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 on your buck once you do hit the ball is essential. Guys like me have to have extra of the FanGraphs-type stats with the intention to maximize our worth.” — 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 whole lot of these children listened to the sport when it spoke to them… what the sport asks you to do is extra vital than what you need to do.” — Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels supervisor

“My outdated rocker step was lots towards the facet — after I turned, my momentum went towards third base — and Yamamoto is straight backwards. He turns the again foot, and from there every thing is simply straight towards house plate. He’s very directional, so I figured, ‘All proper, perhaps 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 in all probability know him? We went to highschool collectively, and have been enjoying an intersquad. I threw him a curveball, he hit it about 400 toes, and I had surgical procedure on my elbow two days later.” — Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher

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

“I confronted some minor-league guys this spring. If 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 thought of any of those [old scouting reports].” — Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs outfielder

“Fascinating. Perhaps anyone caught me on a foul day? I had fairly good command and I believed my breaking pitch was fairly constant. Perhaps it simply wasn’t constant by the framework of how they have been projecting me on the subsequent degree.” — Matthew Boyd, Chicago Cubs pitcher

“That’s an excellent query, as a result of stuff type of will get you within the door. It’s good 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 should chase the stuff as a lot.” — Chris Younger, Texas Rangers president of baseball operations

“Educating command is one thing we don’t do very properly as an trade. We simply educate them to overlook bats. Command abilities, I feel, are one thing innate that we might assist enhance, particularly in a world the place there are solely so many bullets in your arm to observe. However it’s a steeper curve to get to that degree of command than there’s to show anyone to throw actually laborious.” — Brandon Gomes, Los Angeles Dodgers normal supervisor

“Sure guys get extra alternatives due to the info, and sure guys are extra restricted due to the info. If I have been with the Rays, I’d in all probability 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 massive leagues. It’s positively extra enjoyable.” — Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins pitcher

“I used to be on high of the world. It was like, ‘Oh my God, I may be the first-overall decide if I simply proceed what I’m doing for the remainder of the season.’ It was the subsequent outing, or perhaps 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’d go as a pitcher. I needed 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 sincere. I in all probability 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 needed to do one thing enjoyable. I ended up backing out of the draft as a pitcher and simply entering into as a place participant. I let individuals know, ‘Hey, if you happen to’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 whole lot of issues that I imagine make me who I’m… You don’t need to be too caught up on what you could have occurring, however on the identical time, you need to imagine in what you could have occurring.” — Termarr Johnson, Pittsburgh Pirates infield Prospect

“He would inform me, ‘I’m attempting to arrange this pitcher. I’m going to look unhealthy on this breaking ball so he’ll throw it once more.’ This was in A-ball, as an adolescent. 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 greater model. That’s the place it stemmed from. In my childhood, I used to be all the time quick, enjoying up. I used to be small enjoying with the massive boys, and felt like I wanted to swing tougher to maintain up with them.” — Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees outfielder

“Quick-season supplied 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 feel 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 absolutely good. He might have additionally doubled up on a sweeper a few 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 a giant pitch. I actually don’t suppose it’s a brand new pitch — they perhaps simply use one other adjective to explain it — however it’s totally different than a real slider or a real curveball. After I take into consideration individuals like Dave Stieb, his ball swept.” — Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins broadcaster

“I haven’t actually obtained on that bandwagon of supinators [versus] pronators, principally bucketing individuals. There are a whole lot of other ways that you would be able to make the ball come off your hand, the kick-change being an instance. Pronation and supination in all probability lead you down the street of sure sorts of pitches, however I feel we may 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 that.’ 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 at this time.’ I did, and I feel I obtained 4 or 5 punchouts with it.” — Hunter Dobbins, Boston Crimson Sox pitcher

“We have been enjoying catch — I work out with him through 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 let you know what to do, however you’ve obtained to be excellent — have excellent timing — for that pitch to maneuver such as you need it to.’ He was proper. I’d 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 method to create some friction and impression the baseball another way. If I have been simply to do a circle [change], I don’t suppose I’d get fairly the velo differential or the motion profile. I get extra of the normal 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 mentioned, ‘Hey, I would like 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 in from shagging. Only a common day. No downside.” — Kenya Huggins, Athletics pitching prospect

“My complete life, I’d needed to breathe out of my mouth, as a result of I couldn’t absolutely breathe out of my nostril… In spring coaching, I believed 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 precipitated a whole lot 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 yr, principally, out in Arizona with Native American practices of meditation. It utterly modified my in-game pace.” — Bowden Francis, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

“I used to be shocked. That was the primary yr A.J. Preller was the GM, and I feel the primary time that I spoke to him was when he instructed me I used to be getting traded. I’d simply had Tommy John, after which I obtained 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’s additionally how you consider shifting expertise for expertise. It’s way more primarily based on economics than simply pure ‘I feel he’s baseball participant.’” — John Mozeliak, St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations

“We’ve the biggest scouting division within the trade. We worth scouting considerably, and one of many mantras we stay by is ‘evolve.’ Don’t be a dinosaur. You higher sustain with the modifications, 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 data and expertise, however fairly often the lived expertise is extra direction-correct,” Elias mentioned. “Your experimentation can fail and lead you again to extra standard knowledge. It’s vital to have a stability. You need to verify your balances.” — Mike Elias, Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations

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

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

“Coors Subject has been round since 1995 [and] they’ve tried a whole lot of issues. I don’t should 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. In the event you inform your self you’re going to droop, you’re going to droop. Conversely, if you happen to inform your self you’re going to play properly, you’re going to play properly. In the event 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 want to play baseball going away. I don’t suppose that can ever occur. I feel it’s only a recognition that it’s time.” — Charlie Morton, Baltimore Orioles pitcher

“I’m truly actually solely thinking about 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