Play Ball Kid
The ABCs of an MLB Bullpen Coach with Chris Young, Chicago Cubs
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Episode notes
Chris "CY" Young serves as bullpen coach for the Chicago Cubs. He formerly served as pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Young attended Mississippi State University, and played college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He earned Freshman All-America honors.[2] In 2001 he was 5–1 with a 2.81 ERA. In 2002, he had a 5–2 win–loss record with a 3.67 earned run average (ERA), and was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 20.[3] Young earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Mississippi State University.
The Colorado Rockies selected Young in the 18th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft,[4] and he played in Minor League Baseball for six seasons, pitching in as high as Class AAA.[5] He was 24–23 with a 3.54 ERA in 409 1⁄3 innings pitched over 266 games played.
Chris worked as a scout for the San Diego Padres from 2010 through 2014, and as a scout and scouting supervisor for the Houston Astros from 2015 through 2017. After the 2017 season, the Phillies hired Young as an assistant pitching coach for their major league roster. He was promoted to pitching coach for the 2019 season. He was fired after the 2019 season. On November 7, 2019, the Chicago Cubs hired Young to be the bullpen coach. He was the first new addition to the Cubs' coaching staff under David Ross.
Sammy and Chris discuss:
- The time he spoke at 180 Performance Center where Sammy trains about the need to be prepared for the game you are playing today. What is it you do as a bullpen coach for the Cubs and formerly the Phillies that he prepares?
- What kind of routines do you see some of the pitchers go through as they prepare for their game?
- One of the videos we have seen with Chris, is him playing the air guitar and dancing in the bullpen with everyone else in there. How do you keep a good attitude in the bullpen even if you are having a rough game? Who came up with the idea of dancing every time a homer is hit?
- When a player is getting up to throw to be ready to go into the game, what is he watching for him to do and what are you telling him?
- What do some of the pitchers do when they are done throwing in the game? Can you tell us a little about their post pitching routine?
- He has a young son who plays baseball, if he wants to be a pitcher what advice will Chris be telling him? How do you train him to be his best?
- The best advice you have heard from another coach you have played for or worked with?
You can follow Chris Young on Twitter.