Ryan Klimek - One of the men behind the O's pitching improvement

[wildcard]

Great article in the Sun  by Nathan Ruiz about how the O's pitchers have improved this season.  Here is a part of the article:

Before each series, Ryan Klimek, in his first year formally as Baltimore’s manager of pitching strategy as an evolution of his role as an advance scout, will go over an attack plan for the opposing team with the pitchers, using data from the team’s analytics department to detail hitters’ weaknesses and how the strength of various Orioles might match up with those. He “runs the show,” Bradish said, for pregame meetings with the starting pitcher, catcher, Holt and assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes on the plan for that night’s lineup. Pitchers go into each outing with an idea of what type of pitch and which location will give them the best chance of success in a given count against a particular batter.

Elias said Klimek’s new role is a byproduct of wanting to ensure Holt and Holmes can devote their focus to the pitchers’ development, with Holt an expert in pitch design and mechanics while Holmes’ time as a major league gives players a relatable resource on top of his background in biomechanics. Klimek has also been in the dugout during games, with Lyles and Chirinos among those suggesting he be there to go over plans for the upcoming inning with the catcher and starting pitcher while the Orioles are at bat. It becomes especially beneficial as a starter works through the lineup a second or third time, with Klimek providing a refresher on what a batter saw in his previous plate appearance and suggesting a sequence for the upcoming matchup. The Orioles declined to make Klimek available for an interview.

“It takes a little bit more thinking out of it for the rest of us,” said Akin, who has found a home as a long reliever. “You go out there and just kind of execute and not have to think, ‘OK, well, I threw him a fastball two innings ago with the first pitch.’”

The Orioles’ pitchers have more information than they ever have. The team has managed to avoid overwhelming them with it.

“The most important thing that they’ve done is have every guy that goes out there with a clear mind,” Kremer said. “There’s no mixed messages. There’s no unnecessary clutter in your head that will allow you to not focus on the task at hand when you’re out there.”

There is more in the article.  Its worth the read.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-pitching-staff-improvement-20220916-6fame74ojfcs5phfnwhiccviau-story.html

 

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by wildcard

[Moose Milligan]

....so Klimek is a wizard?

This is good stuff though.  The more information, the better.  

But can he work with hitters and swing decisions?  Now that they have Klimek, they need a guy who can work with the hitters in a similar capacity.

[Can_of_corn]

Nice to see they are doing this.

 

So I'm guessing that having a veteran catcher, you know one that knows the hitters, isn't that important after-all?

Shocked, I'm shocked.

[wildcard]

We have had some pitching coaches in the past that only wanted the pitchers to listen to them.   This seems like a collaborative  approach that has been developed under Holt.

[Just Regular]

Big Data in the house to make sure every catcher knows every batter like Dottie Hinson knew her sister.

Adley doesn't even have to keep it in his head, there's an app and an administrative assistant for that.    Does he still have to push the buttons on the pitch signaler himself, or does Ryan Klimek get to NFL coordinator style wire them into his helmet?

The 2021 Giants were a standout marvel and it didn't stick, but I think some this decade the Clubs with the better Ryan Klimeks, it'll be more important than who your back of staff pitchers are.     The public could use Cot's for those guys, though I think the Friedmans, Neanders and Eliases of the world want to keep that on the down low as much as they can.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Just Regular

[Just Regular]

18 minutes ago, wildcard said:

We have had some pitching coaches in the past that only wanted the pitchers to listen to them.   This seems like a collaborative  approach that has been developed under Holt.

Or GM's.   

https://baltimoresportsreport.com/dan-duquette-dylan-bundy-30682.html

 

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Or GM's.   

https://baltimoresportsreport.com/dan-duquette-dylan-bundy-30682.html

 

Once again, this time from what you posted.

Quote

Duquette believes that working on the development of that pitch will hinder Bundy’s growth on other pitches.

“First of all, the cut fastball, we don’t like it as a pitch, OK?,” Duquette told MASNSports.com’s Steve Melewski.  “And we don’t like it for young pitchers because it takes away from the development of their curveball, which is a better pitch long-term and also, the velocity of their fastball. So we encourage development of an overhand breaking ball that has depth along with command of their fastball and, of course, velocity and movement will get the hitter out.”

He's talking about Bundy developing other pitches in the minors.

 

From his ML pitching debut (9/23, so after the article you posted)

Quote

Added Valencia: "[The slider] was pretty sharp. It was tough to see out there, obviously, with the shadows. Not to take away anything from him at all. He's got good stuff, and that's why he is here."

Guess what pitch that was?

His Brooks page doesn't mention a cutter.

https://www.brooksbaseball.net/velo.php?player=605164&time=&startDate=03/30/2007&endDate=09/16/2022&s_type=2

[Frobby]

I thought there were limits on who could be in the dugout during games.   I’m surprised Klimek is allowed to be there.  

[wildcard]

57 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I thought there were limits on who could be in the dugout during games.   I’m surprised Klimek is allowed to be there.  

Maybe the O's have to designate one of the coaches not being in the dugout or the pen.  Maybe Jose Hernandez.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Maybe the O's have to designate one of the coaches not being in the dugout or the pen.  Maybe Jose Hernandez.

Can't we just give one of them Odor's spot on the roster?

[LA2]

11 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Nice to see they are doing this.

 

So I'm guessing that having a veteran catcher, you know one that knows the hitters, isn't that important after-all?

Shocked, I'm shocked.

Or it all adds up. I would think that, regardless of degree of veteranosity, some catchers can absorb and implement the information and strategy better than others.

[Jim'sKid26]

18 hours ago, Just Regular said:

Big Data in the house to make sure every catcher knows every batter like Dottie Hinson knew her sister.

Her real name was Dottie Green, FYI.