Braves name Roger McDowell pitching coach
The Braves didn’t waste any time naming a replacement for the recently departed Leo Mazzone. Last Saturday they announced Roger McDowell as the club’s new pitching coach. McDowell was a relief pitcher from 1985 to 1996 for the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, Rangers and Orioles. He served as the pitching coach for the Las Vegas 51’s, the Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers, the past 2 seasons. Though many experts thought McDowell was not a likely candidate for the Braves’ coaching vacancy his hiring does make sense. He had a reputation during his playing days for being a clubhouse clown (and is infamous for being the “Second spitter” in the Seinfeld episode “The Boyfriend"). Despite his unparalleled track record, a number of Braves pitchers in recent seasons were rumored to have qualms about Mazzone’s coaching style and rigid pitching philosophy in recent years. McDowell’s different approach combined with the fact that he is only 44 years old could enable him to communicate better with the inexperienced youngsters that comprise the bulk of the Braves’ bullpen currently.
