Dave Righetti

[Rog]

Dave Righetti is given short shrift here, but look at what he has built one of the major leagues' top bullpens from:

Sergio Romo -- low draft choice who pitched very well in the minors and has continued it at the major league level.

Santiago Casilla -- signed to a minor league contract.  ERA when joining the Giants:  5.11.  ERA as a Giant:  2.10.

Jeremy Affeldt -- Mid-priced free agent signing.  ERA when joining the Giants:  4.76.  ERA with the Giants:  2.76

Javier Lopez -- Career ERA of 4.41 when joining the Giants.  2.43 ERA since.

Jean Machi -- Came from the Mexican League.  Career ERA in the minors:  3.76.  Career ERA with the Giants:  2.71.

Yusmeiro Petit -- Careeer ERA of 5.57 when joining the Giants.  Career ERA with Giants:  3.66.


Notice any kind of trend?

[klaiggeb]

No question, many of us, ME, to start with, were wrong about Righetti.

And, might I add, thankfully wrong.

boly

[Rog]

I don't recall that Bruce Bochy got a ton of respect here when he became the Giants' manager.

As for Dave, the Giants had allowed 831 runs in 1999. After he became the Giants' pitching coach in 2000 the Giants have allowed 747, 748, 616, 638, 770, 745, 790, 720, 759, 611, 583, 578, 649, 691 and 614 runs. Especially the past six seasons, Dave's impact appears to have been felt.

Doing just an eyeball look, Dave took over a team with a team that had given up 831 runs and over the next 15 years his staff gave up an average of about 690-695 runs per season.

To be fair, his accomplishment has come during a period of mostly falling ERA's, but it is still quite significant. His best two seasons in terms of results would be 2002 and 2003, when the Giants allowed only 616 and 638 runs in what was still a high-scoring era. Not coincidentally, the Giants won 195 games between those two seasons.

For his staff to average about 620 runs over the past six seasons is quite an accomplishment as well.

It's tough to evaluate a pitching coach. But Dave has gotten results, and he's often developed them from pitchers who previously had been junk (not junk ballers, but junk).

[rxmeister]

I think everyone in baseball has said that Dave Righetti is one of the best pitching coaches in the game, and his results certainly prove that. We're lucky to have him and fortunate that another team hasn't snatched him up to be their manager.

[klaiggeb]

I wasn't one of those who DIDN'T want Bochy here, Rog.

In fact, I was lobbying on this board to GET him, because I thought he did more with less than any other manager.

I BLASTED him frequently when he got here,and at times still do because his moves are often EXHASPERATING!

But even I have to back off because what he has done with LESS TALENT than other teams is TRULY amazing!


Yes, he's still going to drive me up the frickin' walls with some of the things he does and will do... but over the course of the year, he IS darned good!

boly

[Rog]

Bruce's forte is motivating his players and providing an environment in which they can succeed. We agonize over them, but unless a manager is wrecking his pitchers' arms, I think in-game management isn't nearly as important as we make it out to be.

Part of the reason is that even the worst move has a chance of working, while the best move isn't nearly always successful, especially when it comes to pinch hitting.

[klaiggeb]

Rog Bruce's forte is motivating his players and providing an environment in which they can succeed. We agonize over them, but unless a manager is wrecking his pitchers' arms, I think in-game management isn't nearly as important as we make it out to be.

***boly says***

You summed it up perfectly!

Especially the AGONIZING part!



My problem, and it is MY PROBLEM, is that I've always had a problem with those in charge when I believed in my heart that I could and would do it better.

As I said; MY problem. It's a huge character flaw that I have, and having played at a high level, and coached for sooooooooooooooooooooo long... I don't do it on purpose, (I really don't!), but as a manager makes a move, I'm already considering if "I" would have done it that way.

Often, I agree.

But sometimes, I vehemently disagree.

As I said, huge character flaw.

boly

[Rog]

I think we all look at the manager's moves, and we all think we would have done better. It's human nature.

[sfgdood]

Fans tend to expect good pitching coaches to be able to "fix" pitchers. Problem is you can make diagnoses as a coach but it's up to the player to fix himself. Usually as much of the problem is between the ears as in the arm or legs. What I like best about Rags is he really knows how to calm and focus his pitcher on the mound. And Buster has been a quick study in Rags' Jedi methods.