Mariners Fix Problems For 2020 With Firings...

[PolarVortex]

Mariners fire two coaches from MLB coaching staff and reassign pitching coach Paul Davis
Sep. 30, 2019 at 3:26 pm Updated Sep. 30, 2019 at 5:05 pm
By
Ryan Divish
Seattle Times staff reporter


With the season now over, the Mariners, according to multiple Major League Baseball sources, will make some changes to their big-league coaching staff after finishing 68-94 in 2019.

Third-base/outfield coach Chris Prieto and bullpen coach Jim Brower will not be retained for next season, while pitching coach Paul Davis will be reassigned to a new role in the organization. The Mariners also let go video coordinator Jimmy Hartley and assistant video coordinator Craig Manning.

The Mariners hired Davis last offseason from the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was serving as the Cardinals’ manager of pitching analytics in 2018 and worked as pitching coordinator in the years prior. The Mariners believed his knowledge of analytics and pitching mechanics and his usage of new technologies made him a unique fit. But all of that couldn’t overcome the talent deficiencies and revolving door of pitchers being shuffled on and off the roster.

Seattle’s pitching staff finished with a 4.99 ERA, which was the eighth highest in all of MLB and sixth highest in the American League. Mariners pitchers allowed 260 homers, which was the fourth most in MLB. The staff’s 1,239 strikeouts were the second lowest in all of MLB.

Given Davis’ background, he’ll likely assume a role similar to what he was doing in St. Louis.

Brower joined the Mariners for the 2018 season, serving as an assistant coach who focused on pitching. He was promoted to bullpen coach this season when Brian De Lunas was transitioned to the director of pitching development and strategies.

Prieto had been with the Mariners organization since 2013. He managed the now defunct Pulaski Mariners to an Appalachian League title. He was promoted to the big-league staff in 2014 as the team’s quality assurance coach. In 2017, he served as the team’s special projects coach and was promoted to first-base coach in 2018. He moved over to third-base coach this season with Manny Acta serving as bench coach.

The Mariners have candidates within the organization to fill some of these roles. Pete Woodworth, who was Class AA Arkansas’ pitching coach this season, spent the last three weeks of the MLB season with the Mariners and figures to be a top candidate for pitching coach. Lance Painter, the longtime pitching coach at Class AAA Tacoma, had been a candidate in previous years, but he was let go after Tacoma’s season. As for the third-base coaching job, the Mariners could promote major-league field coordinator Jared Sandberg. Tony Arnerich, the Mariners’ catching coordinator, and Carson Vitale, the minor-league field coordinator, also are popular with the front office.

Huge, impactful moves. Sheffield better get used to holding the Cy Young trophy and Crawford has the MVP locked up.

99-63.

 

[seahawksfan234]

The condescending part I totally agree with, but another issue I think psychologically is Jerry’s big problem, as well as most analytic people in sports is they are too smart for their own good. It’s not their fault that their numbers or philosophy isn’t working. It’s on the same spectrum for athletes who were at the top of their profession such as Ted Williams. Williams was the greatest hitter in history but everything we are discussing with higher IQ individuals is how everyone said he was managing.

Exactly. I think that being intelligent can breed a level of hubris and a refusal to admit when you're wrong or re-evaluate your thinking. When you spend your entire life always being right and having people tell you how smart you are, for some it's hard to accept that you can be wrong.

Thing that sticks out to me about Jerry was after the Marco trade - which has turned out well for us so far - he seemed stunned that anyone would have any criticism of the trade.

 

[wazzu31]

Exactly. I think that being intelligent can breed a level of hubris and a refusal to admit when you're wrong or re-evaluate your thinking. When you spend your entire life always being right and having people tell you how smart you are, for some it's hard to accept that you can be wrong.

Thing that sticks out to me about Jerry was after the Marco trade - which has turned out well for us so far - he seemed stunned that anyone would have any criticism of the trade.

Yeah, we talked about that. I hadn’t ever heard a GM in a professional sort essentially say fake news at a press conference. Everyone makes mistakes, but even more important is if you take a high profiled job you are going to be criticized over moves and are going to have answer questions.