When the Atlanta Braves named Roger McDowell as the new pitching coach set to replace Leo Mazzone, it brought two images to my mind: 1) the former major league pitcher Jack McDowell–who was known as much for his antics as he was his pitching ability, and 2) the mock hamburger restaurant in “Coming to America” that boasted of having the “golden arcs” as opposed to the “golden arches”.
Unfortunately, I received no image of an Atlanta Braves team celebrating their 15th straight division title anytime in 2006.
And that’s not to say anything against Roger McDowell because I’m sure he will do a fine job. Nor is it anything against 2005 NL manager of the year, Bobby Cox.
It does speak volumes of the seemingly miraculous ability of former Atlanta–and now Baltimore– pitching coach Leo Mazzone to take journeyman pitchers and transform them into serviceable starters for two to three years.
Just ask guys like Steve Avery, Jaret Wright, Denny Neagle, John Burkett, maybe even an unfamiliar name like, oh, Greg Maddux about what they think about Mazzone. I’m positive that nothing but good will come out of any of their mouths.
Two recent cases come to mind. Current Atlanta starters Mike Hampton and John Thomson are perfect examples.
Hampton, after signing a lucrative deal with the Colorado Rockies, proceeded to lose his change-up in the Rocky Mountains. Having his hitting stats benefit more from the move to Colorado (10 HRs in two years) than his pitching (21-28, over-5.00 ERA), Hampton looked nothing like the All-Star he was in 1999 when he went 22-4 with the Astros.
To begin the 2005 season, after nearly two years with Mazzone’s tutelage, Hampton was 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in April, and certainly would have had a solid season had he not went down with injuries to his forearm and his knee.
Thomson never had a winning season in his career, until his first season with Mazzone and the Braves. Coming to the Braves with a career 42-63 record pitching in hitters’ parks like Colorado and Texas, Thomson was able to turn out a 14-8 season in his debut as a Brave.
Thomson started the 2005 season 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA before suffering a severe finger injury in May. Despite his return later in the season, Thomson was a shell of his former self as it seemed he had not fully recovered from his injury.
It’s also no coincidence that the Braves streak of division titles began when Mazzone was head of the pitching staff in 1990. Pitching has always been said to be the key to winning championships, and while multiple World Series victories seem to have eluded Atlanta (one championship in 1995), the Braves always have been a lock for the playoffs.
At this point, despite what Roger McDowell does, it seems that as the streak began with Mazzone, it will most likely end as well.