After selecting sluggers for years with little to show other than Dale Murphy and Bob Horner, Snyder and new Atlanta GM Bobby Cox decided to target high school pitchers every June. Cox and Snyder were beginning to see the rewards of their efforts in June 1990, when Cox decided to return to the dugout. That philosophy dovetailed to perfection when Schuerholz arrived a few months later. There was a core of pitching here that fit perfectly with the way I felt comfortable constructing teams. We have continued to build on that and maintained our success with solid pitching.
Many teams have philosophies, yet few succeed in execution.
The Braves are the exception thanks to a dedication to pitching that makes Jane Goodall's work with the chimps appear to be little more than a hobby. Executing Schuerholz' philosophy is Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone. He conducted massive amounts of research and developed a program that includes requiring starters to throw on the side twice between outings. You stay sharper in a four and healthier in a five, so you try to combine the two. That's why we believe in our pitchers throwing a lot, including more often with less exertion.