In a narrative reminiscent of Forrest Gump, Michael Witte's baseball odyssey seamlessly intertwines his cartoonist roots with the realm of player development. Following his tenure with Scroogie and the acknowledgment that his playing days were behind him, Witte's life took an unforeseen turn.
Settling in Nyack, New York, with his wife Sally, a psychologist, and their three sons, Witte discovered a new calling as a Little League coach. Driven by a simple yet profound motivation—to be a better coach for his sons—he embarked on a meticulous study journey. Armed with VHS videos showcasing the mechanics of great historic pitchers, Witte meticulously froze frames, dissecting the nuances of each pitch. His unconventional study methods unveiled disparities between conventional wisdom and the actual mechanics of legendary pitchers.
As a St. Louis Country Day alumnus on scholarship, Witte found himself uniquely positioned in 1997 when his classmates orchestrated the purchase of the St. Louis Cardinals. The late Andrew Baur, a classmate and banker, extended invitations to Witte, granting him unprecedented access to spring training—an experience that fueled his joy as a lifelong Cardinals fan.
Witte's courage manifested over the years as he playfully nudged his friend Andrew about million-dollar pitchers, accurately predicting their fates. One such incident occurred during Rick Ankeil's early bullpen sessions, offering a glimpse into the challenges the touted prospect would face.
"I was standing with Drew at one point when Rick Ankeil came on the scene. And in one of Ankeil's first bullpen sessions in spring training, Drew said, 'Is that beautiful or what?' And, you know, I had to say it, so I answered, 'or what?'" Witte recalled.
Rick Ankeil's story, characterized by throwing issues, became a poignant chapter in Witte's unconventional narrative. His predictions about Cardinals pitchers' destinies garnered attention, leading to a pivotal moment—a video presentation to the entire ownership group.
Armed with a "big satchel of VHS videos," Witte began his presentation to the Cardinals' ownership group, and to his surprise, this presentation featured a guest appearance by none other than the legendary Bob Gibson, who had been invited by Andrew Baur, Gibson agreed to attend with one caveat,he told Baur"If this guys full of shit, I'm leaving."Gibson's presence added gravity to Witte's theories. Initially intimidated, Witte had strategically included Gibson as the third pitcher in his presentation, allowing him to demonstrate how Gibson's mechanics seamlessly aligned with those of other great historic pitchers.
"So, you know, when I saw him open the door and walk in, I was very intimidated. But on the other hand, I've been intelligent enough to include Gibson as my third pitcher in the presentation. I was able to demonstrate how his mechanics fit in comfortably with the mechanics of all great historic pitchers," Witte explained.
Gibson stayed for the entire presentation.
Michael Witte's unexpected journey into the world of baseball began with an unlikely partnership alongside Jeff Luhnow, the now-notorious former general manager of the Astros. Both lacking formal baseball backgrounds, Witte, a cartoonist, and Luhnow,a former McKinsey consultant, found themselves thrust into the realm of drafting and training future Cardinal pitchers under the progressive ownership of Bill DeWitt.
Recalling their unconventional start, Witte shared, "Neither of us had any formal baseball background. But I found myself with Luhnow being put in charge of drafting and training future Cardinal pitchers in the draft, which was totally ludicrous, to say the least." Despite the skepticism from seasoned figures like Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan, who displayed visible disgust at their unconventional methods, Witte and Luhnow's theories proved successful.
Their impact extended to the drafting of pitchers like Adam Ottavino, chosen as the 30th pick in 2006, despite the scarcity of candidates fitting their mechanical model. The persistence paid off, although Ottavino later faced resistance to their unconventional approach. Witte noted, "But it turned out that we held our ground and Bill DeWitt held his ground."
Michael Witte's baseball journey into the world of baseball became even more remarkable through his interaction with Brent Strom, the pitching coach whose journey intertwined with Witte's unconventional approach. Witte's encounter with Strom occurred during a visit to the Kansas City Royals' spring training site in 2000, for a piece Witte was illustrating for Sports Illustrated .That unexpected meeting that would alter the course of both their careers.
Witte, having observed Strom's coaching methods, felt compelled to address what he perceived as potentially harmful practices. Recounting the encounter, Witte explained, "I went out on the spring training field and watched their major league pitching coach deal with their pitchers during the morning session. The guy's name was Brent Strom, and I watched for an hour or so."
The moment of truth arrived when Witte approached HerK Robinson, the Royals' general manager and a familiar acquaintance as he was also a former student at St. Louis Country Day. Expressing concern about Strom's coaching methods, Witte made sketches to illustrate his points. The incident led to a meeting between Witte and Strom, a towering figure with aviator sunglasses, reflecting an initial skepticism.
Describing their interaction, Witte recalled, "He's about six feet three, and he's got aviator sunglasses. I'm 55 years old, and he's looking at me like I'm a turd on the grass. And he said, 'What you got for me, buddy?'" Despite the challenging start, Witte persisted, choosing to discuss matters out on the mound.
In an almost cinematic twist, Witte found himself, at 55 years old, challenging Brent Strom's established baseball knowledge. "So there I am at 55 years old telling Brent Strom that he doesn't know how to throw a baseball. And don't get me wrong, Strom is an absolute genius, we became really good buddies. And he basically decided to adopt my theories," reflected Witte.
Strom's eventual acceptance of Witte's theories marked a turning point in both their lives. The unlikely duo, a cartoonist and a seasoned pitching coach, developed a strong bond, their collaboration took an unexpected turn as Strom went for an interview facilitated by Witte, ultimately joining Jeff Luhnow's team as the minor league director and pitching coordinator for the Cardinals.
Recalling another one of his pivotal moments, Witte shared, "And then a great story was in 2009, Jeff Luhnow sent me images of film of 10 Cardinal minor leaguers for potential promotion to the majors." Witte meticulously examined each frame, identifying two non-pitchers, David Freese and Alan Craig, whose mechanics aligned with his ideal model for hitting a baseball. The insight led to their promotion, a decision that would prove crucial in the Cardinals' future success.
Witte reflected on the impact of their unconventional approach to hitting, stating, "I basically think that historically, nobody has ever really quite understood what actually happens hitting a baseball. Just naturally." The success story unfolded during the 2011 World Series when, down to their last swing, David Freese emerged as the hero. Freese's triple, followed by a game-tying home run and subsequent contributions from Alan Craig, propelled the Cardinals to victory, solidifying Witte's sense of a direct connection to their triumph.
Despite the magnitude of their contribution, the collaboration between Witte and Luhnow remained largely undisclosed. Witte explained, "So I've always felt like I had a direct connection to that, although it's not especially widely known at all, actually, because Luhnow and I kept everything under our hats." Their discretion added a layer of intrigue to the story, preserving the unconventional nature of their journey.
The aftermath of the Cardinals' victory in 2011 saw Luhnow's ascent to the role of GM for the Astros, marking a significant milestone. The following year, Luhnow brought Brent Strom along as the major league pitching coach for the Astros, solidifying the trio's impact on the baseball landscape. As Witte succinctly put it, "And I mean, the rest was history." The unconventional team's influence continued to resonate, leaving an indelible mark on the trajectory of both the Cardinals and the Astros.
In Part Three we will conclude Michael Witte's extraordinary baseball journey, as we will shine a spotlight on his collaborative venture with his son, Spencer. Together, they embarked on a remarkable chapter in their lives by establishing Classic Baseball LLC, a consulting company that continues leaving the Witte mark on the baseball landscape.