“He throws 94-95 m.p.h. and his slider has depth. He’s never been able to put it all together. In all likelihood he might not be a guy in our bullpen, but our coaches have had success with reclamation projects,” Alex Anthopoulos said, referencing Scott Downs, Shawn Camp and Jesse Carlson, useful arms who’ve were pulled off the scrap heap.
This quote is in reference to Sean Henn, a LHP that the new Jays GM has acquired in his first ever transaction in charge of the team. The coaching staff has had success with reclamation projects? He must be talking about this guy:
So, if you are drafting a reclamation project it would make sense to keep that coaching staff who has had success with said reclamation projects, no?
However, today Anthopoulos announced that coaches Gene Tenace and Brad Arnsberg are leaving the team. Tenace is retiring and Arnsberg has accepted a job as pitching coach with the Houston Astros.
Hmmm. That is bizarre. You might want to make sure the pitching coach in charge of reclamation projects would stick around to reclaim your acquired reclamation projects. But this is not so.
It was very clear that these changes – this setup and this staff going forward – is absolutely the right staff for the 2010 season.”
So TBA is very clearly the right man, woman or child – absolutely the right pitching coach for the 2010 season? Better than Arnsberg who works so well with franchise player Halladay and turned Ricky Romero into a Rookie of the Year candidate?
It sounds to me that the JP influence is still alive and well on this team. The Ricciardi bullshit factor must have permeated AA’s being during his tutelage. There is no other explanation for this chain of events UNLESS Mel Queen decides to wear two hats and become pitching coach as well as advisor to AA. It is not even Halloween yet and already the horrors have begun.
Update/Edit: I see that Bruce Walton was made pitching coach. That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Though, he is responsible for teaching Jason Frasor his new “out pitch” change up. That has to count for something right? RIGHT?
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Tags: Alex Anthopoulos, Brad Arnsberg, cito gaston, Mel Queen, Pitching, ricky romero, roy halladay, Sean Henn, toronto blue jays
Posted by Callum
2010 season, Callum, Commentary, Toronto Blue Jays, Transactions
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November 1st, 2009 at 9:12 am
From Dick Griffin:
While Anthopoulos claimed Friday he did not tell Arnsberg to look for a job, that the Astros called him asking for permission to talk, Houston’s GM Ed Wade had a different view on how the Arnsberg deal came about.
“We were really excited when we found out he was available,” Wade said. “There were some unresolved issues, and they gave him a chance to go out and look around, and he very quickly moved up to the top of our list.”
That sounds far different than the scenario described by the Jays. The fact is, when Gaston was asked Saturday about his personal relationship with Arnsberg, he skated around it as gracefully as Tie Domi on Battle of the Blades.
“He was always sitting talking with Halladay,” Gaston said. “Arnie was a hard worker, but I didn’t have as much (of a relationship) with Brad as the other (Jays) pitching coaches (I’ve worked with).”