O's talking to Rick Peterson abot MiL pitching coordinator position (update: Peterson hired)

[Capn Vivi]

I realize the importance this could have on the entire organization but I wonder specifically what significance this hiring could have on Brian Matusz' career as an Oriole.

[hoosiers]

Nice to hear some quality instructors are interested in Bmore.

Maybe the BoSox mess this one up.

[Palmoripken]

I realize the importance this could have on the entire organization but I wonder specifically what significance this hiring could have on Brian Matusz' career as an Oriole.

that's a great question. I really had high hopes that at this point we'd be looking at Brian as our ace or at least a strong 2. But he had a terrible year last year. I gotta think though that Peterson would be working with the younger pitchers even if they've already made the Majors though.

[scOtt]

Does Bobby V have any ties to Peterson?

[PA Bird Fan]

I've heard him speak several times. I actually stole a drill from him. I don't know if he still does this or not but' date=' when he was with the A's he would have his pitchers throw their last five bull pen throws blind folded. He did that to get them to trust their mechanics. The thinking is that if you can throw strikes blind folded then you are clearly repeating your mechanics. I know several college coaches who have used this drill the kids love it.[/quote']

This is interesting because one of the repeated criticisms of guys coming up through the system is that they have trouble commanding the fastball. I realize that command is different than simply throwing strikes, but perhaps things like this will help guys do a better job of consistently throwing it where they want to/need to.

[Peace21]

Roch reported he met w Os for four hours yesterday. Sounds pretty lengthy.

[Frobby]

Btw, this is how DD setup the Red Sox org while I was there. I thought this was how every team was structured until I got out of baseball and found out that wasn't true.

He also has a MiL batting instructor that roved from team to team making sure all the hitting concepts remained the same across the board.

Is this [pitching coordinator] position even currently open on the Orioles? Doesn't Scotty McGreggor currently hold that title?

The Orioles have had a minor league pitching coordinator for as long as I can remember. For several years up through 2010, it was Dave Schmidt. Former amateur scouting director Joe Jordan held Schmidt in extremely high regard. From March 2010, discussing the young pitchers he drafted in '09:

It gets back to Dave Schmidt for me, I just have so much faith in the guy. I'll take these guys every year and I believe he can help them. Our pitching coaches in the system are good.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2010/03/one-more-time-joe-jordan-talks-os-draft-picks.html

For some reason, in 2011 Schmidt was reassigned to be the coordinator of the Orioles' operations in Sarasota. Alan Dunn, formerly the bullpen coach, was reassigned to be the minor league pitching coordinator. Then in June, Dunn decided to leave the Orioles to become pitching coach at LSU. So far as I know, nobody served in the role of minor league pitching coordinator for the rest of 2011.

The Orioles also have usually had one or more roving batting instuctors. Right now, Denny Walling is listed as minor league hitting coordinator. I believe Mike Bordick holds the title of minor league offensive coordinator, though I think he works more on bunting, baserunning etc. than hitting, and he clearly works with players on the defensive side, too.

Scott McGregor is the pitching coach at Aberdeen.

[ScottP]

This is interesting because one of the repeated criticisms of guys coming up through the system is that they have trouble commanding the fastball. I realize that command is different than simply throwing strikes, but perhaps things like this will help guys do a better job of consistently throwing it where they want to/need to.

Pretty good indicator that the instructional system is seriously flawed if the teachers can't teach/students can't learn the most fundamental aspect of their profession. If the catchers drops 1 finger and puts his glove in a spot, that's where it should go; it seemed like every time Jim Palmer was broadcasting a game, he'd come back to that.

[JayThomas]

The Orioles have had a minor league pitching coordinator for as long as I can remember. For several years up through 2010, it was Dave Schmidt. Former amateur scouting director Joe Jordan held Schmidt in extremely high regard. From March 2010, discussing the young pitchers he drafted in '09:

http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2010/03/one-more-time-joe-jordan-talks-os-draft-picks.html

For some reason, in 2011 Schmidt was reassigned to be the coordinator of the Orioles' operations in Sarasota. Alan Dunn, formerly the bullpen coach, was reassigned to be the minor league pitching coordinator. Then in June, Dunn decided to leave the Orioles to become pitching coach at LSU. So far as I know, nobody served in the role of minor league pitching coordinator for the rest of 2011.

The Orioles also have usually had one or more roving batting instuctors. Right now, Denny Walling is listed as minor league hitting coordinator. I believe Mike Bordick holds the title of minor league offensive coordinator, though I think he works more on bunting, baserunning etc. than hitting, and he clearly works with players on the defensive side, too.

Scott McGregor is the pitching coach at Aberdeen.

Thanks FRobby. Well it sure doesn't seem like Dave Schmidt was all that, or he was unable to get the pitching coaches throughout the org to toe the line on a consistent message. It's sort of got to be one or the other given what we've seen come out of our MiL in terms of ML-ready pitchers.

Like everyone else, I think Peterson could have a huge influence for us at this time. It think Duke and Buck both believe in the idea of an organization that functions like a well-oiled machine from top to bottom, and they will get MiL coaches and managers to toe the line consistently from top to bottom in the New Oriole Way. If we can plug in Peterson as the mastermind of the pitching coaching throughout our MiL organization, that can be huge.

[33rdst]

I'm almost afraid to think that we might get Rick Peterson to be our minor league pitching coordinator and how great that would be for our system, because somehow I know the Red Sox are going to sign him away from us. Sad.

[LookinUp]

Does Bobby V have any ties to Peterson?

Not with the Mets. Peterson came in 2003. Valentine was fired in 2002. He does have links to Jim Duquette, with the Mets.

Interesting stuff from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Peterson

Peterson joined the New York Mets in November 2003 as their pitching coach, replacing Rick Waits. In July 2004, Peterson allegedly said he could "fix" Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher Victor Zambrano in "10 minutes" and that Mets’ top prospect and former first-round draft pick Scott Kazmir was at least 3 years away from being a Major League pitcher. The Mets shortly traded Kazmir for Zambrano, which was poorly received by many Mets fans, and the negative response grew when Zambrano had dismal results with the Mets after the trade, while Kazmir was immediately promoted to the majors by the Devil Rays and had strong early success. Many believed that Peterson's statements indicated that he was a prime mover in making the trade. Others claim that Peterson was merely giving his opinion as pitching coach, and that any responsibility for the trade should fall on GM Jim Duquette, owner Fred Wilpon, COO Jeff Wilpon, or scouting directors Al Goldis and Bill Livesey. Early in the 2006 season, Zambrano suffered a season-ending injury to his elbow, and he was not resigned after the season; he is no longer in baseball. Kazmir, in contrast, became a two-time All-Star (2006, 2008) for the Devil Rays, and led the American League in strikeouts in 2007.

Some Mets fans have also pointed out that Heath Bell floundered during Peterson's tenure as the Mets pitching coach yet thrived immediately after leaving the Mets, even becoming an All-Star with the San Diego Padres in 2009. "Everything in New York was so serious," Bell said. "I should keep my mouth shut, but I never do. In 2005, I didn't pitch for 28 straight days. I don't know if I did something to Willie [Randolph, then the manager of the Mets]. I didn't always get along with [then pitching coach] Rick Peterson.".[2] Baseball Prospectus listed Bell as one of its "Five players to watch in 2005" - along with Justin Morneau, D'angelo Jimenez, Dan Haren, and Josh Beckett.[3] After a poor 2005 season, however, Bell's game appearances declined from 42 in 2005 to 22 in 2006 before he was traded.

On February 2, 2007, Peterson's contract with the Mets was extended through the 2009 season.[4]

On June 17, 2008, Rick Peterson, along with Manager Willie Randolph and first base coach Tom Nieto, was fired from his position with the New York Mets.

[incubus]

Right...In some ways, I would think the MiL pitching coordinator would be the bigger role...that is if you are allowed to implement YOUR ideas and have everyone do what you want.

You get to build the entire organization.

Yeah, if it makes him feel better, just call the position "organizational pitching coordinator."

[Frobby]

Thanks FRobby. Well it sure doesn't seem like Dave Schmidt was all that, or he was unable to get the pitching coaches throughout the org to toe the line on a consistent message. It's sort of got to be one or the other given what we've seen come out of our MiL in terms of ML-ready pitchers.

Well, that has some logic to it, but I'm not so sure. Whatever has happened to Matusz and Bergesen happened after they already were in the majors -- they did just fine when they initially came up (and Matusz, of course, spent only a couple of months in the minors before being called up). Arrieta, to me, was progressing fine until his elbow problem came up last year. Britton had a decent rookie year and actually did better over his first 8-10 starts than he did subequently. So, while it is extremely fashionable to blame our young pitchers' woes on how they were developed in the minors, I think the picture is a lot more complex than that. You had two changes of pitching coach at the major league level last year, you had a couple of injuries (Arrieta's elbow and Matusz's intracostal), and beyond that, sometimes pitching prospects don't pan out for reasons that have nothing to do with coaching.

In any event, I'd love to get Peterson, I think he'd be a great addition to the staff.

[jamalshw]

I would like to get Peterson and offer him the pitching coach job on the major league team, but we all know that ain't happening. Regardless, he'd be a good add.

[Frobby]

Rick Peterson reportedly is no longer a candidate to become Boston's pitching coach. I mention it because Peterson interviewed last week for the Orioles' minor league pitching coordinator job.

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2011/12/hearing-more-from-duquette.html

Make it happen, Duq!