In the world of baseball, spring training often brings intriguing storylines, and this year, Seattle Mariners' right-hander George Kirby is at the center of one. Kirby's experiment with a PitchCom device during a Cactus League game against the Milwaukee Brewers has caught the attention of fans and analysts alike.
The question on everyone's mind: Why is Kirby calling his own pitches, and how will this affect his dynamic with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, especially when Raleigh returns from the World Baseball Classic?
Rest assured, the Mariners have been planning this for some time, and Raleigh is in the loop. Kirby isn't looking to take over the game-calling entirely.
Instead, he sees PitchCom as a tool to enhance his conviction in certain pitches. "It’s just a way for me to have more conviction in some of my pitches," Kirby explained.
"Instead of shaking 20 times to get to a pitch, you press it and go from there."
Kirby, at 28, is a versatile pitcher with six different pitches in his arsenal. While he can throw in the mid-to-high 90s, his strength lies in precise location and smart sequencing. In this context, having a say in pitch selection could be beneficial.
However, calling pitches traditionally falls to the catcher, and Raleigh is known for his dedication to this aspect of the game. He's not one to shy away from re-calling a pitch if he believes in it, even if the pitcher shakes him off.
Interestingly, Kirby isn't alone in this experiment. Fellow Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert is also trying out a PitchCom device, though his goal is to speed up the game with runners on base rather than influence pitch selection.
Last season, Kirby posted a career-high 4.21 ERA, but this wasn't necessarily due to poor pitch selection. His strike efficiency dipped, and he abandoned a previously effective splitter, possibly linked to a lower arm slot after an early-season shoulder injury. If health is on his side, he could return to his ace form of 2023 and 2024.
Kirby's OPS in two-strike counts was actually lower than in previous years, indicating he wasn't consistently outmatched when he should have had the upper hand. Confidence is key, and if PitchCom boosts Kirby's, Raleigh might need to adapt. After all, teamwork is crucial, and these two were seen enjoying the Super Bowl together not long ago.
Ultimately, results will tell the story. If Kirby's use of PitchCom doesn't yield the desired outcomes, he might find himself returning to the Mariners' trusted mantra: "In Cal we trust."