Atlanta Braves need a proven successful pitching coach
By Fred Owens
Rags to rings
In the 17 years prior to the start of this season, the Giants knew only one pitching coach, Dave (Rags) Righetti. During that time the Giants went to the World Series four times four times and won three times. They also went to the NLDS unsuccessfully twice.
The best and only pitching prospects the Giants grew internally began started to arrive in 2006 with 21-year old Matt Cain came up to stay. Tim Lincecum joined him in 2007 and Madison Bumgarner is 2011. The success of those pitchers overshadowed some of his best work.
He resurrected the career of Jeremy Affeldt, guided Ryan Vogelsong and others too numerous to mention. When Righetti earned a promotion (?) to an office job, Bruce Bochy credited him with much of the team’s success.
"“I can’t imagine having a better pitching coach than Dave Righetti. … We don’t get to three World Series in five years without Rags.”"
In that linked post, Daniel brown talks extensively about Rags’ success and clearly felt the Giants undervalued his contribution:
"Righetti’s great gift was (and is) his understanding of the psychological side of pitching, his ability create a game plan and alter it on the fly. . . .he heeded the available data while also trusting what he saw . . . Over the course of 142.0 innings during those three World Series, the Giants had a 2.85 ERA."
"“He brings everything to the table,” Peavy told MLB.com after the 2014 season. “There’s not a situation that you’re going to be faced with that Dave Righetti hasn’t been faced with at some point in his career. … He’s a special, special pitching coach as he’s proven time and time again with what he gets out of every one of his guys.”"