Atlanta Braves “Learning From Leo” Mazzone Series Finale: Scandals
Legendary Atlanta Braves pitching coach laments on the steroid era, recent sign-stealing scandals, and the insignificance of pitch counts in the series finale of “Learning From Leo.”
Famed Atlanta Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone fondly recalls when sign stealing was fun.
In the closing episode of the three-part “Learning From Leo” series, Mazzone finds himself scrutinizing the current state of baseball in a rather relentless fashion, along with the quality deficits the game has encountered over the past two decades.
Along the way, he reveals a secret or two.
He vividly recalls the glory days when players analyzed the sign-giving rhythms of opposing third base coaches, trying to pinpoint an exact break in cadence to determine if a steal or a hit-and-run was in place. He also opines on the periods when a runner at second simply was spying on the catcher’s setup to establish pitch location.
But it’s his assessment of potential malfeasances during the 1991 World Series that might be the most alarming revelation for Braves fans unfamiliar with the story.
“Rumor has it when we were playing the Twins in the Metrodome, when we were hitting, the flags were blowing in from the air conditioner,” Mazzone said. “Then when (the Twins) were hitting, (the flags) were straight down. I saw the replay, and, G*******, it was. But you know what? That’s baseball.”
The illuminating series conclusion, presented by FlatGround Founder and CEO Rob Freidman (@PitchingNinja) and college baseball scout and FlatGround Content Provider Josh Rudd (@JRudd_Scout), is an unblemished follow up to episodes one and two, where Mazzone, joined by mentee Kaleb Davis (former pitching coach of the recently eliminated Furman University baseball program), dives into present issues facing the sport.
Mazzone Mulls Over Deception Eras
Mazzone’s stance on the now infamous Houston Astros cheating scandal is eye-opening, but provides an intimate glimpse into the mind of someone who has first-hand experience in how the game operates.
“Were there rules in place for technology?” Mazzone said. “No. Now there’s rules in place… I think they’ve addressed it, and you’re not going to see it anymore.”
Mazzone was also quite candid about Barry Bonds and baseball’s infamous steroid era. The longtime coach wholeheartedly believes Bonds is the greatest hitter he’s ever seen and is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration, which was further indicated by the Braves strategy in pitching to Bonds.
“(I told the staff) We’re going to get the first two guys out that hit in front of him, so that we don’t have to worry about him,” Mazzone said. “And with nobody on, we pitched to him. Any time after the sixth, if he was the tying or winning runs, we didn’t (pitch to him). That’s how good he was. That’s the only hitter that we ever did that with.”
Much like the Astros sign-stealing scandal, Mazzone is rather blasé about Bonds and Co. His posture is that there were no rules in place at the time to combat the use.
Still, the Atlanta Braves success during that era is all-telling.
“That’s how great our pitching was,” Mazzone said. “When rules are in place, then you don’t break the rules. Were there rules in place for steroids when all that stuff started? No. Now there’s rules.”
Leo Mazzone – It’s Still Just Baseball
Don’t get him wrong, though. Mazzone’s passion for the game remains strong.
When the game doesn’t allow for analytics to get in the way, there are certain facets he still relishes.
“My biggest thrill in today’s game is when I see someone like Freddie Freeman take advantage of the shift and hits a base hit to left,” he said.
He also disclosed that he enjoys watching Mike Soroka on the mound, moving the ball around and changing speeds.
“It looks like he’s hardly working when he’s out there pitching,” Mazzone said.
But despite all the changes to the game, Mazzone still thinks it’s a silly question to be asked how the Braves mid-90s rotation would fair in today’s era: “We’d never give up a run,” Mazzone said.
Still, he believes the more methodical aspects of the new game, like calling pitches from the dugout, is ludicrous.
“That’s when analytics go too far,” Mazzone said. “You have to have a feel for the game. That should have been taken care of in your team meetings prior to the game.”
And don’t get him started on pitch counts.
Leo’s Not Down for the Count
In the age of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, pitch count wasn’t as important as maxing out effort. The number of pitches never dictated how long a pitcher would last in a game.
In a comical tale, Mazzone talks about the time he used to cheat with his pitch counter. If say Glavine would throw a first-pitch changeup resulting in a pop-out, Mazzone would simply not count it toward his overall tally.
“It got to be joke in the dugout with Bobby (Cox),” Mazzone said. “He would say ‘How many (pitches) does he got?’ I would tell him, and he would say ‘Is that the real number or is that yours?’”
Among countless other golden nuggets throughout the finale, Mazzone’s mention in J.C. Bradbury’s 2008 book “The Baseball Economist,” is exceedingly compelling. A section of the work is dedicated to scientific evidence that is plotted out to prove the pitching coach’s methods work across the board.
Mazzone, of course, was known for simplifying the game, controlling effort and keeping his pitchers on the mound, which was a characteristic that those on his staff embraced—and was proven from both a personal and data perspective.
“At some point in time, you’re going to face some adversity,” Mazzone said. “If you resort to super power or you resort to super control, you’re not going to have any damage control. You’re going to get knocked out.”
Creating deceptive quickness is principal as it relates to location rather than high velocity without it, he said. To illustrate this, he used the example of Glavine’s changeup, in which there is hardly any difference in arm speed compared to his fastball.
These lessons were the foundation for Mazzone’s prolonged career in both the minors and big leagues. From pitching in Mexico to coaching at nearly every level of the game to cultivating one of the greatest rotations of all time, Mazzone’s accomplishments are unparalleled.
Next. Which Braves team's the best?. dark
“People ask ‘How could you stand being in the minor leagues for 24 years?’” Mazzone said. “I tell them because I loved it. I loved every minute of it. I coached with as much passion to the kids in A-ball as I did in the Big Leagues.”