Out With The Old, In With The Helpful
by Jeff Sullivan on Nov 25, 2008 10:22 AM PST
in Seattle Mariners News, Good
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PrintLarry Stone shares some welcome news:
Mel Stottlemyre and Lee Elia will not be part of the coaching staff of new Mariners' manager Don Wakamatsu, The Seattle Times has learned.
Stottlemyre, 67, served the 2008 season as Mariners' pitching coach after a 10-year stint with the Yankees. He said he heard over the weekend from Wakamatsu, who told him he had decided to bring in a new pitching coach.
Under Stottlemyre, Felix went from throwing 56% fastballs in 2007 to 65% fastballs in 2008, with corresponding increased fastball percentages in every single count but 1-2 (where he remained the same). Felix's performance took a step back at a time at which he should've been making progress.
If that's not reason enough to send Stottlemyre packing, there's also this:
"It was a really rough year, but I still enjoyed it."
This is a man who has lost his mind.
What it comes down to is this: what did Stottlemyre do right? If Wakamatsu were to call Stottlemyre and ask him flat-out "why do you think I should keep you around," what could he say? That Bedard getting hurt threw everything out of whack? That Roy Corcoran got a lot of grounders? Honestly, aside from its length, is there anything about Stottlemyre's resume that really makes it stand out? Because at no point this past season was I ever impressed.
As far as I can tell, Mel Stottlemyre is considered a good pitching coach because he was a member of the Yankees when the Yankees were awesome. And that just isn't enough. Here's to new blood.
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With all of the old regime gone
perhaps the opposition will now not know what’s coming on every pitch in the first inning.
Furcal
Yet another piece of good news.
Like many here I feel the pitching coach has the largest impact of any Major League level coach.
I really look forward to seeing our staff getting better tutelage in 2009.
Really?
“It was a really rough year, but I still enjoyed it.”
This is a man who has lost his mind.
—Interesting comment…what is he going to say about himself in a newspaper? – “I had a terrible time and did a piss poor job at being pitching coach” – I kind of doubt it…However, I do see Jeff’s point – it would be nice though for him to own up a bit to his mistakes, more along the lines of: “I didn’t do as good a job as I would have liked, or I wish we had done better.”
Huzzah!! though, out w/old and in w/hopefully better!
by MissoulaMarinerFan on Nov 25, 2008 11:03 AM PST reply actions
Saying it wasn't a fun year wouldn't be a bad thing for him to say.
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on Nov 25, 2008 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
If we had gone .500 I would have been ok with his "still enjoyed it" comment
But we were historically bad, and to say that it was enjoyable is obviously just posturing. In this situation, it is ok to say it sucked, and that nobody did their job correctly
HA HA HA, your Grandpa's an ASS!- Tourette's Guy (R.I.P)
by tootthekazoo on Nov 25, 2008 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
Not sure why it's a big deal either way, really
nobody will remember he said anything in a week anyway.
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.
Irony from Todd's wikipedia page:
His weaknesses as a pitcher, although subject to debate, was his predictableness of confronting opposing hitters; pitches over the ‘heart’ of home plate; making fastballs hittable, and flat curveballs hittable.
The real question is this:
Is he fucking pissed yet?
Every day I hear about Seattle sports' failures. Every night I fall asleep to the sound of my own tears.
I love the optimism curve in this place as the year progresses.
I recall last year people were pretty happy about Stottlemyre being hired. I’m not celebrating anything as good news until I hear that we’re getting a pitching coach who worked for a) the Braves or b) the Twins. Especially the latter.
by Bearskin Rugburn on Nov 25, 2008 1:29 PM PST reply actions
We could also opt to save a lot of money
by Jeff Sullivan on Nov 25, 2008 1:35 PM PST up reply actions
this is the most genius idea EVAR
I expect to see the entire Mariner pitching staff watching this for the first week of Spring Training.
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.
? save money by not hiring a Braves pitching coach?
Is there something I’m missing or was that an intentional non-sequitur to illustrate my comment’s non-seqiutousness (which escapes me)?
by Bearskin Rugburn on Nov 25, 2008 3:41 PM PST up reply actions
Go look it up and post links
because I really don’t remember that, but that could just be the effect of my own deep unhappiness at his hiring.
by The Ancient Mariner on Nov 25, 2008 1:37 PM PST up reply actions
Rick Peterson to the rescue!
Tools Whore
Sign Bonds!
Sounds unlikely
It is not immediately known who will be the new pitching coach. However, it is not expected to be former A’s and Mets coach Rick Peterson, who had been a rumored candidate.
Well that's unfortunate.
Tools Whore
Sign Bonds!
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