Atlanta Braves: Roger McDowell Out as Pitching Coach, Good Move?

Atlanta Braves pitching coach, Roger McDowell, has officially been relieved of his duties after 11 years in the position. Is it a good or bad move?

Amid a search for a full-time skipper, Atlanta Braves General Manager John Coppolella informed the media that he would not be exercising Roger McDowell‘s 2017 team option after he served as the team’s pitching coach for past 11 seasons. This is not a very shocking move considering the circumstances, but let’s dive into why the decision was made and if it was actually the correct move.

Coming into 2016, we knew that the Braves were not going to be real competitive and the early season results supported that. However, after going 9-28 under Fredi Gonzalez, the club posted a respectable 59-65 record with interim manager Brian Snitker at the helm. This is especially impressive considering the talent that the first time manager had at his disposal. Snitker had some encouraging performances in the hitting department including the successful debut of Dansby Swanson and the good numbers that the likes of Ender Inciarte, Matt Kemp, Tyler Flowers and Adonis Garcia put up in 2016. But it should be noted that McDowell had some underrated pitchers that put up some solid stats, especially towards the end of the season.

Perhaps the most surprising pitcher came out of the Braves bullpen. Jim Johnson, the former all star closer with the Baltimore Orioles, took up that mantle again and didn’t disappoint. In 65 appearances, he pitched to an ERA of just over 3.00 and had a strikeout rate of 9.5/9 IP. In particular, the 33 year-old relief pitcher was impressive during the final parts of the season as he didn’t blow a save in the month of September.

Other young pitchers also saw some progression under McDowell’s guidance. Julio Teheran had an outstanding season after what was a frustrating 2015 for the 25 year-old. Mike Foltynewicz also had some good moments even though he was a bit more up and down. McDowell was also able to take recent castaways such as Bud Norris and Alexi Ogando, and rebuild their value. Specifically in the case of Norris, the Braves were able to trade the right hander to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a few assets. Yes, it’s unfair to give McDowell full credit for these reclamation projects, but it’s still worth noting that McDowell did do well with the pieces he was given.

So why did the Braves management decide to move on from their longtime pitching coach? Well, a lot of it probably has something to do with their managerial search. It is already widely known that while interim manager Brian Snitker is in the running, along with managers with more of a track record like Bud Black and Ron Washington who have also interviewed.

This could be a signal that the Braves are going outside the organization to fill their managerial slot despite the Braves inspired play to end the season. A new manager usually wants a clean slate and that’s completely understandable.

What’s also understandable is that McDowell has a pedigree of producing frontline pitchers out of guys that weren’t seen as having the tools to be anything more than back of the rotation arms. Mark Bowman of MLB.com recently outlined some of the successes that McDowell has had throughout his career and gives a bit of perspective on what the veteran pitching coach has meant to the organization. Former unheralded hurlers like Mike Minor, Kris Medlen and Jair Jurrjens all produced excellent numbers under McDowell’s tutelage.

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Now looking on the opposite side of the coin, recent results matter too. Top pitching prospects Aaron Blair and Matt Wisler did both struggle this season despite high expectations that they could contribute. But just as McDowell shouldn’t get complete credit for any pitcher’s success, he shouldn’t fully be blamed for their failures as well. However, it is something to keep in mind when coaching decisions like this are made.

In the end, if the Braves are deciding to move on from Snitker, getting a completely new coaching staff is probably the right decision. I’m not going to get into whether that would be the right choice because that’s a discussion for another time. However, a lot of managing is about working with people you’re comfortable with and this move emphasizes that sentiment.

The lights may have gone out for McDowell with the Braves, but with his track record, the veteran pitching coach should be scooped up by some major league team looking for a steady and proven hand to work with their pitching staff.

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What do you think of the Braves decision to let go of their pitching coach? Let us know in the comments below.

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