Good luck in Toronto! Photo courtesy of Kelly O'Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com and used with permission.
John Farrell is gone. (Not too far away, though, at least he’s in the AL East.) My feelings are torn about this. I have no quarrel with the man and had become quite fond of him. So it was a little sad to learn he was leaving. On the other hand, it’s a fabulous opportunity for him and if you’re fond of someone you can’t begrudge him the opportunity to shine. So good for John Farrell.
I also wonder how pitching coaches impact a team…especially once you’re at the Major League level. Will having Curt Young as the pitching coach make a difference for the pitchers who have been struggling? Will he negatively impact those pitchers who thrived under Farrell? Are pitching coaches all that effective at all? I ask all these questions sincerely as I really have no idea. I think a good coach can help a young pitcher, see Mike Cather and Clay Buchholz, but once you’re at this level is there anything a pitching coach can do to strongly impact their pitchers?
I guess we’ll find out. Because if Josh Beckett and John Lackey become 20 game winners in 2011, all the credit will most likely go to Young. Good luck, Curt. Welcome to Boston and pay no attention to that microscope you see looming over you.
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