Paul Skenes calls himself ‘too stupid’ to learn one important skill in pitching

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Paul Skenes gave a funny answer when asked how much control he takes over pitch-calling during starts.

The Pittsburgh Pirates ace did not try to make himself sound like a one-man pitching lab on the mound.

Instead, Skenes joked that he leaves the important decisions to his catcher because he trusts the person behind the plate more than himself in that area.

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Paul Skenes jokes catcher has his career in his hands

On The Pat McAfee Show, Paul Skenes said he does not usually shake off his catcher’s signs because he prefers letting them handle the game plan.

“Yeah, catcher. I don’t shake a ton, you know, I’m too stupid to call my own pitches, so I just let him do it. He’s got my career in his hands every fifth day,” Skenes said.

The answer was clearly self-deprecating, but it also showed how much trust Skenes has in his battery mates.

Pitchers can shake off signs when they disagree, but Skenes made it sound like he rarely feels the need to take over.

That matters because a pitcher with his stuff could easily want full control. Instead, he seems comfortable letting the catcher manage sequences while he focuses on execution.