Pittsburgh Review

Brent Strom has taken on the role of assistant pitching coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates, joining manager Derek Shelton's team. He will work closely with pitching coach Oscar Marin to develop the team's young pitchers.

Strom, who celebrated his 76th birthday in October, began his career as a pitching coach in 1992 with the Tucson Toros, then affiliated with the Houston Astros' Triple-A team. He has also served as a pitching coach for several Major League teams, including the Astros (1996, 2014-2021), Kansas City Royals (2000-2001), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2022-2024). His experience includes leading teams to four World Series appearances in recent years, notably helping the Astros secure a championship win in 2017.

In an interview, Strom expressed gratitude for his new position: "I’m very grateful to the Pirates for giving me a shot. This is an opportunity to come in and do some teaching and work with their talented young pitching staff. That’s exciting."

The Pirates boast promising talent like National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. When asked about nurturing such talent into Major League players, Strom emphasized two key traits: "One is to have an open mindset to learning and improving their craft. The second is to have a highly competitive nature."

Strom is known for integrating analytics and technology into traditional coaching methods. However, he believes there is no strict divide between old-school techniques and modern data-driven approaches: "There’s a time when you need to throw the analytics out and go with your gut -- go with your best and what feels right at the time."

Regarding current trends focusing on velocity in baseball, Strom offers a nuanced perspective: "The tendency is to think that harder is better when understanding speed differentials and forcing hitters to cover the majority of the strike zone is key." He advocates for balancing power pitching with strategic finesse.

Strom stresses that while analytics are valuable, real-time observations are crucial during games: "You go into the game with information but also with a willingness to adjust if necessary." This approach underscores his commitment to adapting strategies based on live gameplay insights.