The five apparent candidates to be the next pitching coach for our Cincinnati Reds:
The club has interviewed three outside and two internal candidates. They are:Dave Wallace, the outgoing Boston Red Sox pitching coach. Wallace had held the Boston job since 2003 but was fired after the season. He missed half of this season after developing an infection in his hip that required surgery. Wallace, 59, was on the staff when Narron was the Sox's bench coach.
Dick Pole, who was Dusty Baker's bench coach this season for the Chicago Cubs. Pole is a former big-league pitcher and coached for five different teams in the majors, mostly as pitching coach. Pole, 56, pitched for six years in the majors.
Jim Hickey, the outgoing Houston Astros pitching coach. Hickey took over on an interim basis July 14, 2004, and served as the club pitching coach in 2005 and 2006. He was fired after this season, despite the fact that the Astros finished second in the National League in ERA at 4.05. Earlier, he was pitching coach for Triple-A New Orleans, which won the International League ERA title his final two seasons.
Ted Power, the former Red who served last year as the pitching coach at Triple-A Louisville. Power, 51, was hired as the minor-league rehab coordinator but was moved to Louisville after Lee Tunnell went from Louisville's pitching coach to interim bullpen coach for the Reds.
Mike LaCoss, another former Red, is currently a roving instructor in the organization's minor leagues. LaCoss, 50, also served as a scout for the Reds.
I mean seriously. Dick Pole. I just can't understand what people were thinking when they named their children back in the 50's.
Honestly, I really have no dog in this race. The only guy up there that sounds even mildly intriguing is Jim Hickey, but it's hard to tell how much he had to do with Houston's pitching success. Things get a little easier when you've got talent like Oswalt, Clemens, and Pettite to work with.
I have to wonder though, why no Mario Soto? I know he's said to have other commitments, but I'm sure if the Reds threw enough money at him he'd consider it.