FanGraphs Audio: Cole Irvin and Colin McKee Chat Pitching

Episode 923

On this week’s episode, we’re talking to a pair of pitchers before discussing a future Hall of Famer changing uniforms.

• At the top of the show, David Laurila is joined by Oakland A’s left-hander Cole Irvin and Houston Astros right-hander Colin McKee to talk about their craft. Irvin and McKee explain what kind of Statcast data they like to utilize — and what they don’t — and how they can use analysis to continue to develop on the mound. They also discuss teaching pitching in the offseason, how spin affects pitchers in various ways, variety in long-toss exercises, and the differences between pitching in the rotation and the bullpen. [2:27]
• After that, Jason Martinez and Jay Jaffe get together to discuss Albert Pujols joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jay recently wrote about the move, and he and Jason go over what kind of impact Pujols could make for the defending champions. Can he still hit lefties well enough to make a difference? And how will this potentially affect his legacy? Jason and Jay ponder the possibilities of Pujols’ future and reflect on the influence he has had on the game and its players. [28:17]

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 48 minutes play time.)

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