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IM SURE BY NOW YOU ALL ALREADY HEARD THIS
BUT FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T
11/09/2006 12:30 AM ET
Pitching coach leaves for managerial opportunity
By Mike Scarr / MLB.com
Bud Black served as the Angels' pitching coach for the past seven seasons. (Robert Leiter/MLB Photos)
The Angels saw one of their staffers defect Wednesday when pitching coach Bud Black accepted the managerial post with the San Diego Padres.
It will be the first managing job at any level for Black and marks the second straight year the Angels have lost one of their coaches to the skipper ranks. Last winter, longtime bench coach Joe Maddon left the club to take over the reins of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He went 61-101 this past season.
"He deserves it," general manager Bill Stoneman said of Black. "I think he will do well as a manager. He is a very bright guy. He has shown the attributes to be a manager. I really feel happy for him."
Black also interviewed with the Giants and A's. One reason Black did not get the Giants job was Bruce Bochy was hired to take over that post after leaving the Padres following a 12-year run. Black now steps in to fill the hole in San Diego left by Bochy.
The 49-year-old Black enjoyed 15 years at the Major League level, mostly as a starting pitcher, and amassed a 121-116 career mark with a 3.84 ERA. Drafted by Seattle in 1979 out of San Diego State, where he was a teammate of Tony Gwynn, the left-handed Black made his big-league debut with the Mariners in 1981 before spending parts of the next seven seasons in Kansas City.
Black earned a World Series ring with the Royals in 1985, when he was 10-15 in the regular season and 0-1 in five postseason appearances. He also pitched for the Indians, Blue Jays and Giants, but it has been his second career as the Angels' pitching coach that has allowed him to take the next step.
For the last seven years, Black has counseled, mentored and coached the staff with success, including a second World Series ring in 2002. The Angels pitching staff was third in the American League in 2006 with a 4.04 ERA, while his starters were second behind the Tigers with a 4.16 ERA. The Halos relievers were fourth-best in the league with a 3.78 ERA. The staff has finished fourth or higher in ERA in four seasons under Black.
Black had talent to work with in Anaheim with pitchers like Bartolo Colon, John Lackey, Jarrod Washburn and Francisco Rodriguez, and he will take over a staff that includes Jake Peavy and Trevor Hoffman. But Stoneman believes Black deserves his share of the credit.
"The job of the coach in each of the respective areas is to get the most of the talent, and Buddy has done a great job with that," Stoneman said. "He's worked well with young guys and veterans and been able to get the most out the people he's worked with. We are pitching strong now, but we haven't always been, and a lot of that goes to Buddy."
Black, who last season turned down an opportunity to speak with the Dodgers, also has been sought by the Indians and Red Sox in past seasons.
Black, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, just north of San Diego, inherits a team that has won the last two National League West crowns and whose staff led the National League and was second in baseball behind Detroit with a 3.87 ERA.
Stoneman now must turn his attention to finding a replacement, and he said he will look both inside and outside the organization for candidates. Orel Hershiser's name has surfaced recently, and Charles Nagy, the Angels' Triple-A pitching coach at Salt Lake, likely will be included on a list of candidates.
"We're really going to keep an open mind," Stoneman said, adding that he already has received calls for recommendations. "I don't want a long list. I want a short one."
BUT FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T
11/09/2006 12:30 AM ET
Pitching coach leaves for managerial opportunity
By Mike Scarr / MLB.com
Bud Black served as the Angels' pitching coach for the past seven seasons. (Robert Leiter/MLB Photos)
The Angels saw one of their staffers defect Wednesday when pitching coach Bud Black accepted the managerial post with the San Diego Padres.
It will be the first managing job at any level for Black and marks the second straight year the Angels have lost one of their coaches to the skipper ranks. Last winter, longtime bench coach Joe Maddon left the club to take over the reins of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He went 61-101 this past season.
"He deserves it," general manager Bill Stoneman said of Black. "I think he will do well as a manager. He is a very bright guy. He has shown the attributes to be a manager. I really feel happy for him."
Black also interviewed with the Giants and A's. One reason Black did not get the Giants job was Bruce Bochy was hired to take over that post after leaving the Padres following a 12-year run. Black now steps in to fill the hole in San Diego left by Bochy.
The 49-year-old Black enjoyed 15 years at the Major League level, mostly as a starting pitcher, and amassed a 121-116 career mark with a 3.84 ERA. Drafted by Seattle in 1979 out of San Diego State, where he was a teammate of Tony Gwynn, the left-handed Black made his big-league debut with the Mariners in 1981 before spending parts of the next seven seasons in Kansas City.
Black earned a World Series ring with the Royals in 1985, when he was 10-15 in the regular season and 0-1 in five postseason appearances. He also pitched for the Indians, Blue Jays and Giants, but it has been his second career as the Angels' pitching coach that has allowed him to take the next step.
For the last seven years, Black has counseled, mentored and coached the staff with success, including a second World Series ring in 2002. The Angels pitching staff was third in the American League in 2006 with a 4.04 ERA, while his starters were second behind the Tigers with a 4.16 ERA. The Halos relievers were fourth-best in the league with a 3.78 ERA. The staff has finished fourth or higher in ERA in four seasons under Black.
Black had talent to work with in Anaheim with pitchers like Bartolo Colon, John Lackey, Jarrod Washburn and Francisco Rodriguez, and he will take over a staff that includes Jake Peavy and Trevor Hoffman. But Stoneman believes Black deserves his share of the credit.
"The job of the coach in each of the respective areas is to get the most of the talent, and Buddy has done a great job with that," Stoneman said. "He's worked well with young guys and veterans and been able to get the most out the people he's worked with. We are pitching strong now, but we haven't always been, and a lot of that goes to Buddy."
Black, who last season turned down an opportunity to speak with the Dodgers, also has been sought by the Indians and Red Sox in past seasons.
Black, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, just north of San Diego, inherits a team that has won the last two National League West crowns and whose staff led the National League and was second in baseball behind Detroit with a 3.87 ERA.
Stoneman now must turn his attention to finding a replacement, and he said he will look both inside and outside the organization for candidates. Orel Hershiser's name has surfaced recently, and Charles Nagy, the Angels' Triple-A pitching coach at Salt Lake, likely will be included on a list of candidates.
"We're really going to keep an open mind," Stoneman said, adding that he already has received calls for recommendations. "I don't want a long list. I want a short one."