Could Roger McDowell be our next pitching coach?

[Obando]

With the announcement yesterday that Dave Wallace is retiring as a major league pitching coach, we now have an important role to fill on the staff. Buck mentioned that they would first look internally, and the obvious internal choice to replace Wallace is Dom Chiti, who was essentially a co-pitching coach rather than just a typical bullpen coach. Wallace and Chiti worked hand in hand, so all of the pitchers were getting the same message from both of them. For that reason, I would be on board with Chiti becoming the pitching coach.

However, I have a feeling that in the end, we will hire someone from outside the organization, especially after Buck made the comment that you don't want to possibly "rob Peter to pay Paul." With Roger McDowell recently being let go by the Braves, after having been their pitching coach since 2006, I think he would be the perfect replacement for Dave Wallace, and here's why: He considers Dave Wallace to be his mentor, and the primary reason he is a pitching coach in the first place. When Wallace was the Dodgers assistant GM in 2002, he convinced McDowell to take a job as a minor league pitching coach in the Dodgers system. They had a relationship dating back to when McDowell was a pitcher for the Dodgers and Wallace was the Dodgers minor league pitching coordinator. McDowell worked his way up in the Dodgers system and then was hired by the Braves to replace Leo Mazzone as pitching coach in 2006.

Fast-forward to 2009, when Dom Chiti joined the Braves organization as a special assistant to the GM. Chiti and McDowell worked together for 5 years with the Braves, and during that same time, Dave Wallace joined the organization as a minor league pitching coordinator. So the 3 of them worked together for 4 or 5 years (Wallace joined the organization in 2010), and you'd have to believe that they all have a good relationship. I would have to imagine that Wallace, knowing that he was planning to retire, has recommended either Chiti or McDowell to replace him, especially once he found out that McDowell was let go by the Braves. I'm sure Buck trusts Wallace's opinion and values his input regarding who his replacement should be. And if Wallace decides to remain in the organization in some other capacity, I would think that further enhances the chances that McDowell ends up as the O's pitching coach. Chiti has actually never been a major league pitching coach, at least not in title, and he may prefer remaining as the bullpen coach, especially if someone he is familiar and comfortable with, like McDowell, is interested in Wallace's former job.

Bob Nightengale has already mentioned on Twitter that McDowell is likely on the Orioles short list to replace Wallace, so it would not surprise me at all if he ends up being the guy. And to be honest, I think he would be a great fit. Everything that I have read about him as a pitching coach with the Braves has been very positive, and he has done a great job developing a lot of young pitchers for the Braves over the years. He didn't have Maddux, Glavine & Smoltz like Mazzone had. He had to really develop a lot of young guys, and even some who weren't highly thought of in the minors that turned into solid major league pitchers, like Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen, to name a couple. Hell, he made Shelby Miller look like an ace in his one year with the Braves, and then look what happened to Miller with the D'Backs this year! He completely fell apart without ol' Roger around. Coincidence, I think not!

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[Aristotelian]

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen so much thought given to pitching coach. Sounds good to me.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Hire whoever fixed Ubaldo as major league pitching coach.

[Es4M11]

As often as the importance/significance of a hitting coach is downplayed on this board, it leads me to wonder what the general impression on the importance of a pitching coach is?

My perception is that pitching coaches are much more valuable than hitting coaches, generally speaking. What's the board think?

To answer the OP, McDowell seems a natural fit and I would be happy with him as pitching coach.

[SteveA]

He was the second spitter!

[Rick_Schu]

Someone from the Cubs please

[sevastras]

Jim Palmer sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

[Aristotelian]

As often as the importance/significance of a hitting coach is downplayed on this board, it leads me to wonder what the general impression on the importance of a pitching coach is?

My perception is that pitching coaches are much more valuable than hitting coaches, generally speaking. What's the board think?

To answer the OP, McDowell seems a natural fit and I would be happy with him as pitching coach.

I agree. With hitting, it's pretty much see the ball, hit the ball. You are reacting to the pitcher. With pitching, the pitcher is in control. Pitch selection, mechanics, holding runners. There are teams that seem to have a knack for developing pitching (TB, STL) more so than hitting, and that has to do with scouting and coaching.

[bobmc]

Well except for this:

[video=youtube;NJyLYuDp0E0]

Being the second spitter is still paying off for Roger McDowell.

The former Mets reliever and current Braves pitching coach appeared on Atlanta's 680 The Fan Wednesday and told host John Kincade (off the air) that he still gets $13.52 every time the "Seinfeld" episode, "The Boyfried," airs on television.

Not bad for a guy who appears on camera for less than 10 seconds.

http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/seinfeld-roger-mcdowell-royalty-check-022515

[Can_of_corn]

Jim Palmer sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

Palmer doesn't want the job.

[Frobby]

Hire whoever fixed Ubaldo as major league pitching coach.

Ubaldo will be fixed and unfixed five more times in his career. He's a guy who need to feel his mechanics and it comes and goes, almost annually. I don't think there's any pitching coach with a magic formula that will allow him to perform consistently.

[Obando]

If McDowell is the guy that gets hired, it would set a record for most coaches on one team to appear on Seinfeld. I would think that Buck and Roger would hit it off based on that fact alone!

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[scOtt]

Palmer doesn't want the job.

I know his wife had the bad hamstring thing this year, but I don't think he even does half the broadcasts anymore.

[bobmc]

If McDowell is the guy that gets hired, it would set a record for most coaches on one team to appear on Seinfeld. I would think that Buck and Roger would hit it off based on that fact alone!

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Isn't Tartabull the new hitting coach with the Marlins? :slytf:

[MDtransplant757]

Jim Palmer sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

I'd hire him or Scott McGreggor