SOURCES: Twins Hope New 'Stop Pitching Bad' Program Helps Richardson Get Back on Track

[RandBalls Stu]

Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Simeon Woods Richardson's struggles have been well documented here and elsewhere. His ineffectiveness has only been magnified by the tidal wave of injuries impacting the rest of the starting rotation. While his move to the bullpen last week was the first step in rebuilding him into the effective pitcher he was in 2024 and 2025, there are other plans in motion as well.

"Simeon used to pitch good," said a member of the coaching staff who asked to remain anonymous. "In April and May, he pitched bad. That's why we're implementing the 'Stop Pitching Bad' program for him."

While specifics on the program are nebulous, sources were able to give Twins Daily the general framework.

"What this program does is say, 'Simeon, stop pitching bad. Pitch good instead,'" said the staff member. "'The pitches you've been throwing have been bad. The next time you're on the mound, make good ones. Not bad ones. They hit the bad ones really hard and far.'"

Other sources confirmed these points of emphasis.

"What this program aims to accomplish is making bad things good," said a front office source. "Stop doing bad things. Start doing good things. The good things make you happy. The bad things make you sad and are also very loud and startling."

"The Stop Pitching Bad protocol is designed to make the bad pitches stop," said a source in the team's analytics department. "We dig into what's causing (Woods Richardson)'s problems. Through rigorous statistical analysis and hours of film study, we've determined that bad pitches are the primary driver for his rough start. If we replace those bad pitches with good pitches, it flips the whole thing for him and the rotation."

Woods Richardson's most recent appearance was one inning of relief during Monday's 6-3 victory over Houston. Sources say they were happy with the early returns.

"He allowed a hit and a walk, but there were less bad pitches than there had been," said the front office source. "One of the best ways to Stop Bad Pitches is to throw fewer of them. One inning instead of five is a remarkably effective way of getting immediate results, and you saw the impact on Monday."

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[chinmusic]

Cutting edge analytics🙂

[ashbury]

This "new" philosophy is remarkably similar to the time-tested internet Search Engine Optimization strategy of Get More Clicks.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I look forward to the sequel article.

SWR lodges a union complaint about the coaching staff's use of a rolled up newspaper during mound visits.

[Cris E]

It's a carry-over from their AI research where "...and make no mistakes" really seems to have helped a lot. 

[gil4]

If the Stop Pitching Bad program fails, maybe we can sell him on the Start Pitching for the White Sox program.  

[digging the dirt life]

I think the Twins might be on to something here.  This could be big!  Right up there with Nike's "Just Do It" campaign that got everyone off their couches and Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No To Drugs".  Well, we don't even need to talk about how effective that was.  Just imagine the revenue streams the Twins could create if they sell this thing to every little league team in America!!!

[Mrs. Woods]

The disappointing part isn't that the article is critical—criticism comes with professional sports and is part of the job. The problem is that the humor relies almost entirely on reducing a player to a caricature. Repeating "pitch good, not bad" for several paragraphs isn't satire; it's essentially the same joke recycled over and over. What are we 5 years old on a playground? Effective satire offers insight beneath the humor. This piece largely substitutes mockery for analysis.

What's particularly disappointing is the implication that a player can simply be reduced to a punchline during a difficult stretch. Every major leaguer experiences adversity, and those moments deserve thoughtful evaluation, not ridicule. If an organization—or anyone claiming to have insight into an organization—chooses to characterize one of its own players in this manner, it reflects poorly on the culture being projected. Players invest countless hours in preparation, make themselves accountable every day, and compete under intense public scrutiny. Treating those adversities as the basis for a juvenile joke is neither constructive nor professional.

More importantly, I mean, come on—think about it... pitchers do not spend their entire lives mastering their craft, reach the highest level of baseball in the world, and then suddenly wake up one morning unable to pitch. When a talented pitcher's performance changes dramatically, there are almost always underlying factors worth examining—mechanical adjustments, confidence (Sim has never lacked confidence in his ability to compete), communication, role changes, preparation, coaching philosophy, pitch usage, or organizational decision-making. To dismiss all of that with "stop pitching bad" ignores the complexity of player development and raises more questions than it answers.

In fact, the oversimplification itself is what I find most concerning. Instead of exploring the root causes of the decline, the article appears content to mock the symptoms. That leaves the impression there may be a larger story beneath the surface—one that deserves honest examination rather than ridicule. With the extensive analytics, coaching expertise, and player development resources available to the organization, I am confident the underlying issue will be identified. Sim has too much talent, work ethic, and track record for anyone to believe the answer is as simple as the article suggests. I trust the organization will work diligently with him to pinpoint the cause and help him get back to being the pitcher everyone knows he is. A player's performance is fair to critique. His dignity should not be the punchline. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

2 hours ago, Mrs. Woods said:

The disappointing part isn't that the article is critical—criticism comes with professional sports and is part of the job. The problem is that the humor relies almost entirely on reducing a player to a caricature. Repeating "pitch good, not bad" for several paragraphs isn't satire; it's essentially the same joke recycled over and over. What are we 5 years old on a playground? Effective satire offers insight beneath the humor. This piece largely substitutes mockery for analysis.

What's particularly disappointing is the implication that a player can simply be reduced to a punchline during a difficult stretch. Every major leaguer experiences adversity, and those moments deserve thoughtful evaluation, not ridicule. If an organization—or anyone claiming to have insight into an organization—chooses to characterize one of its own players in this manner, it reflects poorly on the culture being projected. Players invest countless hours in preparation, make themselves accountable every day, and compete under intense public scrutiny. Treating those adversities as the basis for a juvenile joke is neither constructive nor professional.

More importantly, I mean, come on—think about it... pitchers do not spend their entire lives mastering their craft, reach the highest level of baseball in the world, and then suddenly wake up one morning unable to pitch. When a talented pitcher's performance changes dramatically, there are almost always underlying factors worth examining—mechanical adjustments, confidence (Sim has never lacked confidence in his ability to compete), communication, role changes, preparation, coaching philosophy, pitch usage, or organizational decision-making. To dismiss all of that with "stop pitching bad" ignores the complexity of player development and raises more questions than it answers.

In fact, the oversimplification itself is what I find most concerning. Instead of exploring the root causes of the decline, the article appears content to mock the symptoms. That leaves the impression there may be a larger story beneath the surface—one that deserves honest examination rather than ridicule. With the extensive analytics, coaching expertise, and player development resources available to the organization, I am confident the underlying issue will be identified. Sim has too much talent, work ethic, and track record for anyone to believe the answer is as simple as the article suggests. I trust the organization will work diligently with him to pinpoint the cause and help him get back to being the pitcher everyone knows he is. A player's performance is fair to critique. His dignity should not be the punchline. 

I read it as a coaching staff caricature, that hasn’t had an answer for Sim or most of the bullpen.