AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > May > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMcDowell a quiet counselor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
At first glance, the pitching situation of the Braves was in a garbled state. Early on this season, no starter had a victory. One relief pitcher had four. To fill one void on the staff, one pitcher who a year ago was working for a midwestern team named North Shore, was rescued from oblivion. To fill another, they brought in a former pharmaceutical salesman from Australia who delivers the ball sidearm. They were running a constant rehab shuttle between Turner Field and the farm club at Rome.
Last season, when the Braves had a gap to fill, John Schuerholz only had to pick up the phone and call Richmond or Pearl, Miss. Mike Hampton was down for the season. Horacio Ramirez would soon follow. John Thomson missed several starts. Dan Kolb, the $4-million closer they had acquired in a trade with Milwaukee, was having a $4 season. But those Schuerholz phone calls were making hay, with Kyle Davies, Blaine Boyer and Macay McBride in particular. A couple of longshots came through, Jorge Sosa and John Foster, who between them won 17 games.
All the while, though, nobody pointed a finger at the pitching coach. Leo Mazzone rocked on in the Braves dugout. He had been with Bobby Cox through all those 14 halcyon seasons after learning at the feet of the professorial Johnny Sain. He had a radio show. He did commercials. He had his own little empire. Leo was untouchable.
So, when he jumped ship to go to Baltimore, there was no little hand-wringing. Ye gods, what would the Braves do without the Mazzone magic? What would Bobby Cox do without his trusted Tonto at his side?
This was the scene that Roger McDowell walked into. Roger Alan McDowell, to be exact, 45 years old, out of Cincinnati, but now paying his taxes in Palm Springs, Calif. How could he ever replace the irreplaceable Mazzone, and Camp Leo, and all those trademarks Leo left behind?
Camp McDowell came off quietly, no furor. The new pitching coach maintained an even keel. Still does, though he came here with the reputation of a clubhouse jokester as a player. He has patiently subdued that side of his nature. He has gone about whatever he does quietly, apparently determined to detract attention. On this particular afternoon, he had secluded himself for about two hours, setting up his program for the day.
Frankly, I don’t know what it takes to make a good pitching coach. “Smoltz and Maddux and Glavine, good pitchers,” Mazzone would say.
Of that crew, only Smoltz remained, and an unsettled bullpen, without — perish the thought — a real hotshot closer. When the Braves got off to a staggering start, sort of a tradition here, nobody brought charges against McDowell. There was only one hinting story that, well, maybe they were missing Mazzone. Only time it happened. McDowell has gone about his duty like a trooper, and this was no fellow who had trained for such work.
“I’d been out of the game for two years, enjoying life with the family in Palm Springs,” he said. Then one day a friend from the Dodgers put him to work in the publicity department, a part-time job. That led to an offer to get back on the field, as a pitching coach, though he’d never really had that in mind.
“I was started off at Ogden, then in mid-season they needed a coach at Jacksonville,” he said. “From a low-A minor league to triple-A in the same season. I was really making progress, and I had to learn fast.”
He began a study of other pitching coaches, Dave Duncan, Mel Stottlemyre, and yes, Leo Mazzone. “I watched them all. In spring training, I’d dress after workouts and go out and watch how they did it. I’ve made the same mistakes I’ve seen them make, so I know how it is. I wasn’t sure I was going to be good at it, but I’m enjoying it now.”
This is his first coaching run in the big leagues after 12 years as a player, the highlight of which was winning a game in relief when the Mets beat the Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. Twelve years, mainly coming out of the bullpen with 159 saves, starting only twice. No more tomfoolery, the funny man stuff is for somebody else now. He is the quiet counselor, as seen in the background of a news picture the other day, in deep conversation with McBride as they walked off the field following the game in which the pitcher had been slow to cover first. A different kind of life from the man who once appeared in the television show, “America’s Funniest People.” Now among America’s most serious.
Permalink | Comments (15) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Furman Bisher
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By Frank Cothran
May 20, 2006 01:14 AM | Link to this
Everything I read about Chris Reitsma is that he’s a great guy and longs to do the closer’s job well. Not sure he’s got the makeup for it. Looks like time to pull some strings, make the trade and get a real deal bulldog.
By darrin
May 20, 2006 01:52 AM | Link to this
wanna spell relief TRADE REITSMA AND HIS TIRED CHANGE UP ACT NOW!!!!! look bobby you should know by know hes gonna blow it so just stop putting him in the damn game
By darrin
May 20, 2006 01:52 AM | Link to this
wanna spell relief TRADE REITSMA AND HIS TIRED CHANGE UP ACT NOW!!!!! look bobby you should know by know hes gonna blow it so just stop putting him in the damn game
By br
May 20, 2006 02:22 AM | Link to this
Yeah, some good he is for Reitsma!
By Sam
May 20, 2006 05:01 AM | Link to this
You can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd, you can’t polish a turd…
And Braves ownership is perfectly happy with turds these days.
By ronald
May 20, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this
How much longer is this going to go on? Reitsma needs to be traded. I do not care who we get in return or if we get anything. If we can’t trade him just release him. Tell him to stay home.
one more thing: WILL SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE BRAVES PLEALSE BUY THEM. DELIVER US FROM TIMEWARMERAOL.
By rammer
May 20, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this
Like the old saying goes, garbage in, garbage out. That describes the Braves bullpen to a T. They expect Neiman Marcus on a K-Mart budget. It’s time to stop the penny-pinching. We need real owners who give a s* about the team. Hell, I’d even take George Steinbrenner at this point.
By ronald
May 20, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this
What’s the big deal about McDowell? I belive that the bull pen answers all the questions that can be asked. Why in the world did we leave Thomson in for the sixth inning last night? There is no reason for that except that there is no bull pen. Get rid of McDowell. Get rid of Reitsma. Do it today. In my ideal world I would turn on the game tonight and see that neither of them is anywhere to be found in a Braves uniform.
By ronald
May 20, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this
What’s the big deal about McDowell? I belive that the bull pen answers all the questions that can be asked. Why in the world did we leave Thomson in for the sixth inning last night? There is no reason for that except that there is no bull pen. Get rid of McDowell. Get rid of Reitsma. Do it today. In my ideal world I would turn on the game tonight and see that neither of them is anywhere to be found in a Braves uniform.
By Bigdawg
May 20, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this
Hey Ronald, I do agree that Reitsma is not the answer in the closers role however you are dead wrong about McDowell. McDowell is doing a good job with what he has to work with, think about it Smoltz and Hudson are the only top of the rotation guys that we have with Thompson being kinda a reclamation project and Sosa being a one year wonder. Hampton is hurt and Horacio may never be a front line starter with his inconsistency and injury prone nature. Then you have Davies who will be good but is still young and learning, it takes time for young pitchers in the bigs. McDowell is working with this cast of starters and just plain leftovers in the bullpen and you say it is his fault, how did you come to that conclusion? Bobby and Leo didn’t do any better last year we must have had at least 20 blown saves last year with the great LEO as our pitching coach so ease up on McDowell. We need to try something different with the closer’s job but that would be Bobby’s decision. GO BRAVES.
By BirdDawg
May 20, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this
Here’s the only thing about Roger McDowell anyone needs to know.
He was the second spitter. His loogie, intentioned for Keith Hernandez, wound up hitting Kramer and Newman instead, but they thought it was Hernandez (who also spit on them) who spit on them only, leading to their intense hatred of Keith Hernandez.
Thus, of course, disproving the “magic loogie” theory.
By HawaiiBrave
May 20, 2006 07:08 PM | Link to this
Good Coaches make Players better. In any sport, at any level. Leo proved he could do that over many years. Too early to tell about Roger. Give him some time. I hope he is great. Go Braves
By john
May 20, 2006 07:55 PM | Link to this
It is time that john S and Bobby C stop farting around with Reitsma,take the ball away from him and either trade for a closer or sign a former closer who was just released,why not sign Danny Graves who was just designated for assignment,it couldn’t hurt,or trade for Scott Sullivan,he could be had pretty reasonable,remember he saved 21 games a few yrs ago,it is a gamble but anything is better than Reitsma,also try Ken Ray as the closer,It is a fact that Reitsma is no closer so stop using him in games as a closer,maybe he should go back to being a starter or maybe he should just be given his unconditional release,i can’t see any team wanting Reitsma,Remember John S he who hesitates is lost and thats whats gonna happen to the Braves if you and Bobby C keep farting around with Reitsma,it is time for change,Remember John S farts stink and so does Reitsma so stop the farting and get rid of him and bring in a new closer before it is too late,do it now,we can’t wait to the trade deadline,we got to have a closer now.
By Tilly
May 21, 2006 12:59 AM | Link to this
Yes, we need some trades. I doubt seriously that we will be able to put together a package that is going to be attractive to anyone at this point and time. Who’s gonna want Reitsma? Who’s gonna want Adam LaRoche? The list goes on. But I’m sure that John S will work his magic as he always does. And as sure as I’m sitting here, the Braves will find a way to win; the Mets and Phillies will find a way to self-destruct. Relax, it’s still early.
By Drummerdad
May 21, 2006 01:12 AM | Link to this
Okay. It’s Sunday morning at about 12:30 and the last time I checked, thhe score was 13-0 in Arizona. Now, painful as it may be, we must get used to some things. Looks like the chances for a division title this year are slim. The run would be over at 14. In light of that, I also think the playoffs look like a long shot too. Also, with the team about to be sold, neither party wants to see any money invested to bolster a hurting roster. And, get used to it, Liberty Media is only interested in the $$$$$$$$$$$ bottom line. Then, after a few years of owning a “well managed business enterprise”, they begin the dismantling process so they can sell it off without star salary baggage. Perhaps in 5 to 8 years we could see TV ads such as “Time-Life Books brings you “How we really stuck it to the Braves fans!!” Then they’ll run the ad endlessly on TBS to boot. Bud Selig needs to get a grip on the fact that corporate ownership is not good for the future of the sport. It’s faceless, heartless, cold, calculating and cares very little for the communities they affect with these types of moves. They take stadiums named after benefactors and rename them afer your brand of dental floss or the return address name on the envelope that your mortgage payment comes in. The San Diego Chargers play in a lovely stadium that used to be named for a great local sportswriter by the name of Jack Murphy, now it’s called QUALLCOM. Just hearing it makes you wat to go to a ballgame don’t it? It’s got no soul. CORPORATIONS SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED IN OWNERSHIP. Reitsma needs time to retreat, Schuerholz’s hands are tied and poor Bobby Cox or Roger McDowell get the blame. I’ve been a fan of this team for 40 years, how about you? Buckle your seatbelts and keep your nausea bags nearby, this could get ugly before it gets really good again.