Laurila: Q&A with Gerrit Cole, future Pirates ace
From SABR member David Laurila at FanGraphs on February 5, 2013:
Don’t believe Gerrit Cole when he says velocity isn’t important. The 22-year-old right-hander has a fastball that reaches triple digits and his slider is as hard as many heaters. His ability to overpower hitters is what makes him one of the top pitching prospects in the game.
The 6-foot-4 flamethrower is on the fast track to Pittsburgh. Drafted first overall in 2011, out of UCLA, he pitched at three levels last season and struck out more than a batter per inning while logging an impressive 2.80 ERA. His next stop is the Pirates starting rotation, where he projects to be the ace of the staff for years to come.
Cole talked about his game when the Double-A Altoona Curve visited Portland late in the 2012 season.
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David Laurila: How would describe your approach?
Gerrit Cole: I try to get early contact and keep it on the ground. I like to keep the ball down as much as I can. Strikeouts are something that just happen. You don’t go for strikeouts, because your pitch count gets too high. When you do get that opportunity, you have to put them away with whatever is working that day.
That’s the approach I’ve always had to have. I’ve got to keep my pitch count down. If you want to go deep into ballgames, you have to stay under that 100 mark.
Read the full article here: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/qa-gerrit-cole-pirates-future-ace/
Originally published: February 5, 2013. Last Updated: February 5, 2013.