‘WE HAVE THE HORSES. NOW, IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE BARN.’
Building a system requires more than just the acquisition of high-end talent. It requires facilities and a thought process to match it.
The Pirates draft helped people understand, appreciate or believe their long-term plan. Now, the focus should shift to development. After Pittsburgh added five of the top 100 available players, it’s fair for fans to wonder what will be different this time around.
That question took me recently to John Baker, the Pirates director of coaching and player development. To call it an enjoyable conversation would be a huge understatement. I like Baker a lot, and I think the way he sees the game is extremely important for what the Pirates are trying to do.
“I think there are some ideas out there that we haven’t tapped into,” Baker was telling me by phone recently. “It’s important for us to push the envelope. After this draft, we’re knocking on the door of having the best and most talented farm system in professional baseball.
“But what’s the point in investing millions of dollars in players, then not supporting them at the same level? That’s the way I’ve been thinking about it. I think that’s the way Ben [Cherington] and everybody else in the organization thinks about it, as well. Let’s not only put the best people in there, but let’s have the best practices and the best facilities. Let’s be on the cutting edge of developing and training.”
There’s a lot to unpack there — and I agree with everything Baker said.
While the Pirates are routinely criticized for how much they spend on major league players, they do not skimp on the other stuff, which includes the draft (approximately $16.5 million spent in 2021, most of anyone), international player acquisition, scouting and technology.
Did you know that the Pirates have added 19 scouts since the start of 2019? That’s more than three times as many as anyone else.
Sure, they should spend more on major league players. Absolutely. But I’m also OK with them taking a step back, allowing Cherington and Co. to take more of a homegrown approach and figuring out the right people to pay.
Which brings us back to Baker and development.
One of the first things this new group wanted was a pitching lab. It’s essentially a way to monitor spin rate and biomechanics, to drill deeper into the science of pitching. It’s like the Pirates’ own Driveline, the Seattle-based facility that has become famous for its data-driven approach.
They also have been willing to admit mistakes and address shortcomings, a philosophy that involves different development paths with guys such as Cole Tucker, Brennan Malone and Mitch Keller.
There even has been a change involving how players are coached, with greater emphasis placed on individual drill work and improving baseball- or position-specific skills.
The last thing involves the treatment of minor league players and how Baker wants the Pirates to get even better with it.
While the Pirates are starting from a good place — they’re one of only 11 teams who paid players in extended spring training, for example — they’re not done.
Baker wants to make Pirate City like one of several baseball ranches that exist in Florida or Texas, where players immerse themselves in the process of getting better. They basically live in the attached dorms. They can get all of their meals on-site and benefit from the coaching and technology that the Pirates have to offer.
“Anybody we can feed and house and give an opportunity for worldclass training, that’s an investment in our future that we’re really trying to push for and take advantage of,” Baker said.
As someone who spent about 65% of his pro career playing minor league ball (708 of 1,078 games), Baker knows the challenges those players face. He also thinks the experience can be instructive, if done right.
“You basically grow up together — cook food, go shopping, all those things,” Baker said. “Bonds get tighter, and I think that’s really important when it comes to developing a winning culture.”
The Pirates already do see some semblance of this at Class AA Altoona, where players live in a housing complex about 15 minutes from PNG Field. Mason Martin, for example, shares a house with Ji-Hwan Bae, Arden Pabst and Cal Mitchell.
They play video games and talk trash. They learn life skills. The housing comes at a discount, with rent automatically deducted from their paycheck.
“I think it’s why we get along so well,” Martin said. “We’re always hanging out together, and we just genuinely like one another.”
For Baker, how the Pirates — and other clubs — treat minor leaguers remains an untapped frontier when it comes to development. It’s another area where the Pirates are eying improvement.
“This goes beyond hiring the best coaches or getting the best players,” Baker said. “It’s about maximizing time with your players and doing things intentionally. It’s also teaching them about recovery strategies and nutrition, a completeness of life that’s required of major league players.“I don’t like comparing these guys to racehorses, but we have the horses. Now, it’s time to build the barn.”