This weekend, we had a post on Homer Bailey. He credits the return of his outstanding velocity to a workout with the pitching coach at the University of Texas (Bailey visited him on the advice of his agent, not the Reds). Within three pitches, Bailey’s velocity was back.
The problem was one-hundred percent mechanics, Bailey says.
Many of you had the same reaction: why are the Reds paying pitching coaches if they couldn’t detect this flaw? Isn’t this Dick Pole’s job? Then why isn’t he doing his job?
Also, remember earlier this summer when Bailey started pitching awesome at Louisville, and everyone (Bailey included) credited the improvement to a splitter taught to him by fellow pitcher Justin Lehr. Not only didn’t the Reds pitching coaches teach Bailey the splitter, the Reds expressly forbid Bailey to throw it.
Then, of course, we have the continuing saga of Mario Soto, who is brought in regularly to teach Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto.
You tell me: should every pitching coach who has worked with Bailey over the last two years be fired immediately? Wouldn’t the Reds be better off with this college coach, or Soto, as pitching coach in 2010?