TAMPA, Fla. — Gerrit Cole exhibits a rare skill in his ability to break down his approach to pitching into its components.



Pitching becomes muscle memory. Intent becomes second nature. Mechanics are often the simplest element for a player to discuss. A player can tell you when he’s working on changing his arm slot, when an issue with his oblique kept him from entering his full delivery, and how he works to repeat his delivery 100 times on a high-pressure night. The rest of it is often a little tough to explain.



Cole seems to have an instinctual knack for explaining his approach to pitching. In his first media comments of spring training, he seemed to go to a new room mentally to share what he is hoping to convey to his new coaches as he adjusts to life as a New York Yankee. The right-hander threw his first side session in front of the Yankees coaching, analytics and front office staff on Wednesday, the morning pitchers and catchers...