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Chuck Hernandez, 48, is expected to develop inexperienced pitchers
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Nov 20, 2008
Indians officials might never provide a complete explanation of why Luis Isaac was fired as bullpen coach after more than four decades of service with the club.
But there might be a clue in examining the career of former Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chuck Hernandez, who was chosen this week to replace Isaac.
Indians manager Eric Wedge pointed out that one of Hernandez's assets was the time he spent as the Tampa Bay Rays' minor-league pitching coordinator.
''I love that he was the pitching coordinator at Tampa Bay,'' Wedge said Wednesday. ''I'm very respectful of the development aspects of the job that went with that.''
Many Tribe starters and relievers are still relatively inexperienced, so was Hernandez, 48, chosen by Wedge and General Manager Mark Shapiro at least in part because of his work with young pitchers?
''That does factor in a little bit,'' Wedge said. ''Many of our starters and relievers are still young, and we have a lot of kids coming up. You look at the free-agent market and middle market teams, like ourselves, and that's not a good combination.''
In other words, the Indians
believe they can go a lot farther by developing their own pitchers rather than depending on free agents.
As he mentioned when Isaac was cut loose, Wedge used the word dynamic to explain this latest coaching move.
''We felt it was time to have a different dynamic, a different skill-set,'' Wedge said. ''You look at what [pitching coach] Carl Willis and Chuck can do together. I think it's the best of both worlds.''
Hernandez spent the past three seasons as the Tigers' pitching coach. In his first year in that role, their staff compiled the lowest ERA in the American League.
In 2004 and '05, Hernandez was the pitching coach for the Rays after prepping as the club's minor-league pitching coordinator for seven seasons.
From 1979-83, Hernandez was a minor-league pitcher in the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox organizations. In 1985, he got his first job as a minor- league coach with the Sox, and in 1992, at the age of 32, he was hired as pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels, a position he kept until 1996.
Construction begins
Ground was broken this week for the Cincinnati Reds' new spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz.
The Cincinnati Reds will remain in Sarasota, Fla., in 2009 before moving to Goodyear in 2010, when they will share a spring training stadium with the Indians, who move into their new training camp practice facilities in February.
White Sox nearby
Now that the White Sox will be moving into a new spring training complex in February, both the Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will share a stadium in Glendale, Ariz., will be about 15 minutes from the Tribe's recently completed facility in Goodyear.
Wahoo party
The Wahoo Club, which serves as the Indians' booster organization, will hold a holiday party from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6 at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven.
Special guests will include Tribe coach Joel Skinner, former starter Len Barker, former Cavaliers center Jim Chones and former Browns receiver Reggie Langhorne.
For reservations, call Bob Rosen at 216-999-1781.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.
Indians officials might never provide a complete explanation of why Luis Isaac was fired as bullpen coach after more than four decades of service with the club.
Get the full article here.
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