Mark Wiley: Colorado Rockies New Director of Pitching Operations - MLB News
Mark Wiley has been named as the new director of pitching operations by the Colorado Rockies. The position has just recently been created by the team.
The Rockies who have struggled with their pitching all season, hope that Mark can help them get out in the current scenario with his vast coaching experience.
The 64-year-old said he will be looking after the overall pitching operations of the Rockies at all levels. "I will work with everyone at all different levels," Wiley said. "I will act as a sounding board and I will make recommendations. I will be looking
for things that need to be touched up and will also present some new ideas. I was hired to help improve our developmental process and to provide some continuity throughout the organisation."
Wiley has had previous experience of working with the Rockies as a special assistant of baseball operations in 2006-07. Before joining the Rockies, he was with Seattle Marlins for five seasons as a pitching coach and later in the capacity of special assistant
to general manager. During his coaching career, he has had seven stints as pitching coach with four different Major League teams.
Rockies had a dismal season in general, particularly in pitching. Their 5.22 ERA was the worst in the Major League. The 98 defeats during the regular season were their worst of all time. The team ended up with the bottom spot on National League West.
They are now brining new personnel on board in hope to revive the dwindling fortunes of the team. They will soon be hiring a pitching coach as well as a new team manager. Tom Runnells and Jason Giambi have already been interviewed as internal candidates
for the team manager post.
Although the final decision on the pitching coach will be that of Rockies’ director of operations Bill Geivett, Mark expects to have a say in it. "I'm sure I will have some input in that, but I won't be the one who dictates the choice,” he said.
His input and his level of comfort with the new pitching coach will be crucial for the Rockies success as a good combination will allow similar practices to be applied across the organisation. Such harmony will help the team improve its current pitching
situation which played a big role in the disastrous 2012 season. Wiley hopes that his input will be useful for the team at different levels as he said, “I think I can provide some input and advice for all the pitching coaches in the organization."
The impact of Mark Wiley’s appointment will only be truly known around the same time next year or perhaps even beyond that. But the Colorado Rockies have certainly taken a positive step towards bringing their pitching on the right track.
Tags: