Dave Bush hired as pitching coach

[jacksonianmarch]

They stay within the org

[Swiharts Ghost]

Really never heard of the guy so can't say yay or nay .

[Larry Cook]

Why? Who made the call in this?

[illinoisredsox]

Why? Who made the call in this?

 

So what is your specific objection?

[moonslav59]

So what is your specific objection?

 

I think he wanted a Clinton.

[notin]

I think he wanted a Clinton.

 

 

Well....

 

That George Clinton can bring da funk...

[Bellhorn04]

So what is your specific objection?

 

Good luck getting an answer from Larry.

[moonslav59]

Well....

 

That George Clinton can bring da funk...

 

You got that right!

[Elktonnick]

I would have preferred that they went outside the organization.

[Bellhorn04]

I would have preferred that they went outside the organization.

 

Why?

[notin]

I would have preferred that they went outside the organization.

 

So you don't think the Sox had anyone capable within the organization? Just because Levangie was an internal hire who did not work out doesn't mean no one else will...

[oldtimer]

I'm hopeful he will direct the staff to get away from issuing the most BoBs in the league. Lets try to throw more strikes and show the door to those who cannot. I hate it when a Boston reliever comes in late with a multi-run lead and proceeds to walk several batters. Kimbrel got that way and did Lelly, Barnes and others. Had to be at least partly coaching at play. Hope the new guy, having been a pitcher can help us improve in that regard.

[moonslav59]

So you don't think the Sox had anyone capable within the organization? Just because Levangie was an internal hire who did not work out doesn't mean no one else will...

 

He probably knows more about incoming pitchers from our farm more than any outsider. That may be the plus that makes him better than someone else.

[harmony]

A decade or so ago Dave Bush's sister was a teammate of mine on a Hood to Coast Relay team:

 

https://hoodtocoastrelay.com/htc/relay-info/

 

I can't remember her name; we worked in different offices of the same firm.

Edited October 31, 2019 by harmony

[Elktonnick]

The red sox themselves admitted that they needed to revamp their entire approach toward pitching. The fact that Boston's last home grown successful starter was John Lester speaks for itself. One would have thought that their hiring of Bloom was a sign that they wanted a fresh outside approach. Bush's signing appears to run contrary to their previous statements and the Bloom hire.

[Bellhorn04]

The red sox themselves admitted that they needed to revamp their entire approach toward pitching. The fact that Boston's last home grown successful starter was John Lester speaks for itself. One would have thought that their hiring of Bloom was a sign that they wanted a fresh outside approach. Bush's signing appears to run contrary to their previous statements and the Bloom hire.

 

I assume they evaluated Bush as a good fit with the fresh approach.

[Elktonnick]

I assume they evaluated Bush as a good fit with the fresh approach.

 

You know what happens when one assumes?

[Bellhorn04]

Per Alex Speier:

 

Bush joined the Red Sox in 2016 as an analyst working with minor leaguers before moving into a coordinator role following the 2018 season. He has worked with numerous Red Sox prospects on pitch design and pitch mixes, trying to maximize the effectiveness of their arsenals. In 2019, he also joined the big league team for multiple stretches, assisting former pitching coach Dana LeVangie.

 

Bush emerged as the clear front-runner from a pool of five candidates interviewed by the Red Sox this offseason prior to the hiring of Chaim Bloom as the team chief baseball officer.

 

Rather than reopening the search, in a sign of the much-discussed collaboration that Bloom and others in the Red Sox organization discussed at his introduction on Monday, the new Red Sox baseball operations leader was comfortable with the comprehensive process that led the team to promote Bush.

[Elktonnick]

So in another words Bloom isn't his own man but rather one more voice in the choir

[Elktonnick]

That is not a jump but the obvious inference. Let's just say I think we will have GM by committee. I don't say that would necessarily be a bad thing but rather the way Henry wants it to be. I am prepared to see how it works out. It could prove very successful.

[Kimmi]

The red sox themselves admitted that they needed to revamp their entire approach toward pitching. The fact that Boston's last home grown successful starter was John Lester speaks for itself. One would have thought that their hiring of Bloom was a sign that they wanted a fresh outside approach. Bush's signing appears to run contrary to their previous statements and the Bloom hire.

 

They are going with a more analytic approach. Bush is that guy. LeVangie was not.

[Elktonnick]

They are going with a more analytic approach. Bush is that guy. LeVangie was not.

 

Analytics is fine but it is mechanics not statistics that actually propels the baseball.

[moonslav59]

Analytics is fine but it is mechanics not statistics that actually propels the baseball.

 

Excellent point, but I think successful teams need a good combination of both.

 

I'm hopeful someone in the organization will focus on mechanics and be able to spot when a pitcher is moving away from his normal or most effective mechanics.

[Elktonnick]

Excellent point, but I think successful teams need a good combination of both.

 

I'm hopeful someone in the organization will focus on mechanics and be able to spot when a pitcher is moving away from his normal or most effective mechanics.

 

What has bothered me for a number of years has been the sox tendency to tout their young pitching prospects who have had terrible mechanics. The most egregious example several years ago was Michael Bowden who was highly touted but who got clobbered once he got to the bigs. How that kid ever got out of double A ball was a complete mystery to me.

[moonslav59]

What has bothered me for a number of years has been the sox tendency to tout their young pitching prospects who have had terrible mechanics. The most egregious example several years ago was Michael Bowden who was highly touted but who got clobbered once he got to the bigs. How that kid ever got out of double A ball was a complete mystery to me.

 

I was thinking more about all the TJ surgeries and injuries and guys like Casey Kelly, Ranaudo, Owens, Kopech, Espinoza and now Groome.

[Elktonnick]

I was thinking more about all the TJ surgeries and injuries and guys like Casey Kelly, Ranaudo, Owens, Kopech, Espinoza and now Groome.

Excellent point as well.

[harmony]

Analytics is fine but it is mechanics not statistics that actually propels the baseball.

A coach who pitched 1,144 innings over parts of nine MLB seasons isn't exclusively an analytics nerd.

[Elktonnick]

A coach who pitched 1,144 innings over parts of nine MLB seasons isn't exclusively an analytics nerd.

 

This may be true but Bush served as Sox Minor League Pitching Coordinator. It is thought that his familiarity with Sox minor league pitchers gave him a leg up to snare the job. My issue is that the Sox track record on pitcher development in the minors hasn't been their strong suit. I thought they could benefit from an outsiders perspective as to approach and mechanics.

[moonslav59]

This may be true but Bush served as Sox Minor League Pitching Coordinator. It is thought that his familiarity with Sox minor league pitchers gave him a leg up to snare the job. My issue is that the Sox track record on pitcher development in the minors hasn't been their strong suit. I thought they could benefit from an outsiders perspective as to approach and mechanics.

 

We can't blame the whole cruddy history of Sox pitcher development on Bush.

 

Just because he was in the system doesn't mean he was the negative influence on it.

 

I'm not saying you are wrong. Getting a fresh perspective makes some sense, but change just for the sake of change doesn't always work out.

 

Sometimes rewarding loyalty and longevity has benefits.

 

[harmony]

This may be true but Bush served as Sox Minor League Pitching Coordinator. It is thought that his familiarity with Sox minor league pitchers gave him a leg up to snare the job. My issue is that the Sox track record on pitcher development in the minors hasn't been their strong suit. I thought they could benefit from an outsiders perspective as to approach and mechanics.

Dave Bush had been the Red Sox minor league pitching coordinator for less than 10 months after serving about two years as a pitching development analyst.