Chattanooga Lookouts Facing More Flame Throwers

April 17, 2023

Rick Nyman,

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) With the speed pitchers are throwing the ball these days, they may have to start wearing restrictor plates. We’re seeing more and more guys throw high 90’s and even 100 miles-an-hour. So if you’re a Chattanooga Lookout player, you more than likely have to hit that high heat to make the big leagues.

You don’t need to see the radar gun to know a guy can hum it to the plate.
Said outfielder Jacob Hurtubise:”Yeah it is a little bit of a whistle. Seams have a little bit more air going by. Yeah I think it’s more of like your head seeing how fast your head is moving. Tracking the ball back.”
According to MLB statcast, there were over 33-hundred pitches in the bigs last year at 100 miles-an-hour or faster.
Said manager Jose Moreno:”I think the pitchers right now in general are better athletes. I mean they are strong, bigger. We have the technology to develop.”
Said infielder Quincy McAfee:”The hard part is guys are throwing balls that cut and sink. So you’ve got not only guys that throw hard, but they have movement on it too.”
Lookouts Jacob Hurtubise faced former Vols flame-thrower Ben Joyce with Rocket city.
Said Hurtubise:”He’s a taller guy. So he releases the ball closer to home plate, which gives you even less time to react. He’s throwing 101, plus he’s like seven feet closer by the time he releases the baseball.”
Reporter:”How are the hitters able to adjust to all of that?”
Said Moreno:”That’s going to be a big problem. It was difficult in the past to hit. Imagine right now. 100 with movement.”
Reporter:”So many people are throwing that gas. How do you adjust to that?”
Said McAfee:”Uh. You just” (laughs)
How do you adjust? You laugh.
Said outfielder Rece Hinds:”Practicing off the velo machine. Trying to stay center of the field with the fastball. After that it’s just kind of reaction.”
Reporter:”Was there ever a time where you saw someone throw, and you were like oh, I got this?”
Said McAfee:”Uh (chuckles) Not now a days. Now a days. Every day. You have to bring your A-game.”