Cubs legend and Hall of Famer Greg Maddux didn’t blow hitters away on the mound. The right-hander used a combination of location and changing speeds to keep hitters off balance rather than blow them away with high velocity.

Maddux relied on a sinker, circle changeup, cutter, and two- and four-seam fastball during his 23-year career. Although his fastball often sat in the upper 80s, he enjoyed plenty of success.

“It’s not a speed contest, it’s a pitching contest,” Maddux told WSCR’s Matt Spiegel. “And I believe that. I bought in to that. I always relied on locating fastball and changing speeds when (I) had to. That was my way. When you’re facing Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens or somebody like that, that definitely throws better, you can go out and try and outpitch (them).”

Maddux also threw a slider and curveball, but told Spiegel he preferred doing so largely to induce swings and misses out of the zone. His goal, he said, was to rely on his own strengths rather than attack a hitter’s weaknesses, although he said there’s a fine line between the two.

Almost inexplicably, the proposed contraction of 42 minor league teams has largely become second-page news. Baseball’s biggest story just a few short months ago, a potentially cataclysmic alteration of the game’s landscape has found itself overshadowed by cheating scandals, managerial mayhem, and the controversial trade of a superstar by a deep-pocketed team. In arguably one of the most-tumultuous off-seasons ever, a hugely-important issue lies almost dormant within the news cycle.

Here at FanGraphs, we’re doing our best not to let that happen. My colleague Craig Edwards is taking an in-depth look at the situation — expect those articles in the coming days — and what you’re seeing here serves as a lead-in to his efforts. My own opinions aren’t included. What follows are the thoughts of a handful of high-ranking MLB executives, the bulk of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In the opinion of one GM, lawsuits are likely, if not inevitable. Speaking on the record would thus be an invitation to trouble. Another pointed out that the ongoing discussions are at the league level, and independent of individual teams. For that reason, offering a public opinion wouldn’t be in his best interest.

With no exception, each executive expressed that his organization’s bottom line is to optimize player development, regardless of the structure of the minor leagues. An American League GM put it this way:

“I don’t think [contraction] would change our operations that much in terms of what we’re focused on internally. We want to put the best resources in front of our players, and whether we have 10 minor league teams, five minor league teams, or somewhere in between, we’re going to do the same thing.”