I meant to write about this the day it happened, but I was having a bit of a pain flareup, and was not in the mood to creatively write. Now I’m laying in my bed with my leg raised up on a pillow, and leaning to my site to write on my laptop after about seven hours of watching election returns. A quick note about that. I really enjoyed the returns on my HDTV with NBC’s coverage. The space on the side that you wouldn’t see on an old style TV was filled up with other info (recent state wins, electoral tally, etc) which was really cool to have while the main talking was going on. I enjoyed that.
Anyway, the other day the Rangers hired Mike Maddux to be their pitching coach. By all accounts, this is a great hire. There are a lot of numbers you can point at during his tenure in Milwaukee. Their ERA was great, several pitchers who left there tanked elsewhere. As a fan of the team, all the local fan website writers are all behind the move – and I am, too. This move should really help our team with one if its biggest problems – pitching. If you’re reading this site, you are no stranger to the numbers that comprise the Rangers pitching staff stats. 5.97 ERA last season, and while I don’t have them in front of me, they weren’t much better in any of the other recent years. Maddux’ pedigree says he should help improve our staff. You know it, I know it, Jamey Newberg knows it, and team management expects it.
Thats’ where my excitement about a pitching coach hire ends – because I think this is not the kind of hire that will excite the fanbase, really. Why? If you are reading this site, or any of the other Ranger fan sites (Baseball Time in Arlington, Lone Star Ball, Jamey’s site, etc, etc, etc..) then you know the value. But your average Joe Six Pack (yeah, had to work in another presidential thing) doesn’t really care about that. I’m talking about the doofuses who call in to post game shows and go “When are we going to get some pitching in here?” These are the guys who will look at the 2009 rotation of Millwood, Padilla, Feldman, Harrison, & ? and go “These are the same guys – they’re not doing aything!” Your average fan who is interested only in things like the all you can eat seats won’t give a rats spit about the coaches. They want wins. Obviously, we all want that, but unless you’re a fan who reads a site like mine, you probably don’t care whether the pitching coach is Dick Bosman, Orel Hershisher, Oscar Ocosta, Mark Connor, or Mike Maddux.
Having said that, I think the move is a good one, it should help us. I’d be surprised if it helps us in 2009, though. I’m sure we’ll see an improvement, but probably not an immediate dramatic one. It’s probably a good idea that we kept on Andy Hawkins on the staff. His familiarity will certainly help, I’m sure.
I still think we should have John Wetteland as a bullpen coach, however. Would LOVE to see that.