GLENDALE, Ariz. — If getting his mind right helps Lucas Giolito throw strikes, White Sox manager Rick Renteria would be all for it.
Giolito, who led the American League in walks and earned runs in his first full season in 2018, went through 20 sessions of neurofeedback this offseason to improve his breathing, stay relaxed and in a good mental state.
There were times over his 32 starts last season when Giolito, 24, had it together, like in August when he allowed three earned runs or less in five of six starts. There were others, like a winless September when he pitched to 9.27 ERA over five starts where he appeared lost. The first two innings, with 9.00 and 9.60 ERAs respectively, were a problem almost throughout the year.
“He self-destructed early too much,” pitching coach Don Cooper said. “He walked way too many guys.”
“That’s what plagued me, those outings in the first two innings I’m already giving up four, five runs, letting it snowball and get away from me,” Giolito said Thursday. “Getting rid of those, building some consistency as a starting pitcher — I know I have the stuff to do it.”
Enter neurofeedback, a type of biofeedback that uses displays of brain activity to teach self-regulation of brain function — something Renteria didn’t have in his playing days.
“Any neurofeedback we had was a kick in the butt or a slap on the back of the head or something like that,” Renteria said.
But Giolito heard of other athletes trying it and bought in.
“For me it was about focusing on breathing, being confident at all times, just things like that where I kind of put it all together on the mental side,” Giolito said.
The goal is take the mound with confidence, maintain it and “always feel good on the mound.”
“Competing and kind of let everything else take over.”
Dylan Cease is using it off his recommendation, Giolito said, so who knows, maybe it will catch in if Giolito has a bounce-back season. All Renteria knows is Giolito was filling the strike zone during his first bullpen session of the spring Thursday morning.
“I saw a shorter arm swing, a little more compact. A lot of strikes,” Renteria said. “A lot of strikes with both the fastball and the breaking ball. I was very happy to see what he did today.”
“For me it was a pretty easy decision,” Giolito said. “Think of what LeBron said a few years ago, how he invests into himself before seasons. You’re in control of what you’re bringing to the table as an athlete, so why not do everything you can to better yourself?”
NOTES: NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports Chicago+ will televise 106 Sox games in 2019, including Opening Day on March 28 at Kansas City and the home opener at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 4 vs. Seattle. WGN-TV will air 55 games in its last year before the NBC Sports Chicago becomes the exclusive regional home for the Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks.
The Sox-Cubs game on July 6 at Guaranteed Rate Field will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
*Workouts for pitchers and catchers started earlier than usual to beat the rain, which shortened the day. Catchers and position players here early hit under cover in the outdoor cages. The first full squad workout is Monday.
*Jose Abreu and Yoan Moncada are expected to arrive this weekend.
