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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > October > 02 > Entry
Pitching coach Dick Pole won’t return
Pitching coach Dick Pole was told today that his contract would not be renewed for 2010 and he chose to leave the team immediately.
The rest of the coaching staff will return next season, all in their same capacities: bench coach Chris Speier, batting instructor Brook Jacoby, first base coach Billy Hatcher, third base coach Mark Berry and bullpen coach Juan Lopez.
General Manager Walt jocketty said the team has not put together a list of potential replacements, “But we have some people in mind, including people in our own organization (Louisville pitching coach Ted Power and roving pitching instructor Mack Jenkins would be on that list).
Neither Jocketty nor manager Dusty Baker would cite reasons for Pole’s dismissal.
“As an organization, we felt Dick has done a good job to this point, but we felt that going forward we needed to make a change,” said Jocketty. “We’ll leave it at that and there are no real specific reasons.”
Statistically, Reds pitchers are seventh in the National League with a 4.21 earned run average. They’ve given up the third most home runs in the league (186) and have the fifth fewest strikeouts.
“We don’t have clear candidate and we are going to formulate a list,” said Jocketty. “We’ll try to find a guy who can be with his organization a long time because we have some good young pitchers who have come along and we want to make sure we find the right guy to help develop them.”
It was a difficult decision for Baker because Pole was his pitching coach in San Francisco and Chicago, although Pole already was in place when Baker came to the Reds last year.
“I told Dick when I got here today and he left,” said Baker. “Naturally, he was hurt. It was difficult for me to tell him because everybody knows how close we are. My relationship with Dick and the respect I have for him made a tough decision. It was an organizational decision and we don’t want to get into specifics because it will serve no point. I thought deeply about this and it is just a move forward and it is not fair to air anything publicly.”
INSIDE THE clubhouse, many pitchers had lost faith in Pole and were turning elsewhere for helpful tips and information, never a good sign for a coach. And for those who might immediately drop the name Jeff Brantley into the prospective replacement list, that isn’t going to happen.
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Comments
By Wiz
October 4, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this
“The only thing that bothers me about Phillips are his mental lapses at times and his lack of all-out exertion. He should watch Drew Stubbs run to first base.” Hal is correct. But, I say everyone, in the major leagues, should watch Drew Stubbs run to first base…and Chris Dickerson, as well!By Steve F
October 3, 2009 1:52 PM | Link to this
Bob Castellini + Walt Jocketty = Dave DuncanBy John
October 3, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
Guess Dick Pole will need that Gelusil supply after all.By BrarHopper
October 3, 2009 3:34 AM | Link to this
2 words Walt: Leo Mazzone Oh yeah,2 more: Dump DustyBy Laura B
October 3, 2009 2:58 AM | Link to this
What about Soto? Think he’s a possibility? I know he’s worked a lot with Cueto and Volquez, and I know the organization has been plugging former players into their system (Benzinger here at Dayton, Davis roving, etc.).By cya
October 2, 2009 10:26 PM | Link to this
FINALLY! He’s fine with veterans because they’ve already learned. He’s horrible, and I mean horrible, with young pitchers. None of the Reds young guns improved with him. They are all the same pitchers they were when they started with the Reds. There’s no real coaching from him.By JAYE
October 2, 2009 10:21 PM | Link to this
DICK POOLE DID A GOOD JOB THE PICTCHING STAFF HAD A BAD AUG WHICH COST THE REDS THE SEASON PLUS NO VOLQEZ ALL YEAR;HOPE THEY HIRE A WELL KNOW RETIRED PITCHER WHO KNOWS PITCHINGBy Stone
October 2, 2009 10:15 PM | Link to this
I don’t get it… but I’m sure it was a result of the baseball rubdown scandal. But what I really don’t get is why they keep Jacoby. The Reds hitting was total crap and Jay Bruce went way downhill with on adjustments! Heck, just look at Dunn and how much better he did under other coaching. Jacoby is a crappy hitting coach! His guys can’t even bunt!By Joe
October 2, 2009 9:57 PM | Link to this
As usual, another error by Hal ….. Dick Pole was not the pitching coach for Dusty Baker in Chicago. That was Larry Rothschild’s position. Pole was a bench coach.By old man
October 2, 2009 8:56 PM | Link to this
That OLD word could give one a complex….Could care less who the new coach will be as long as he has the pitchers throw INSIDE!!!!But heaven forbid you hit a cardinal player…Could cost you a spot on the allstar team..By Beavis
October 2, 2009 8:56 PM | Link to this
huh-huh-huuh-huh-huh, his name is dick pole, huh-huh-huuh-huh-huhBy NoBrantleyFan
October 2, 2009 7:48 PM | Link to this
Hal, its a shame you said Brantley isn’t being considered. He sounds like he knows all. I’d vote for him just to get him out of the radio booth!By RC
October 2, 2009 6:50 PM | Link to this
But rest easy, citizens - Brook Jacoby will still be around. Comforting news, indeed.By m
October 2, 2009 6:30 PM | Link to this
Well duh! With a name like that surprised he lasted this long. Heard they work thinking about hiring Round Eye next for next year.By ShockMonkey
October 2, 2009 6:26 PM | Link to this
The writing was on the wall when Homer Bailey sought advice outside the organization then subsequently, turned it around! Hello?By A Red
October 2, 2009 6:26 PM | Link to this
Pole is gone because he “SU*CKED AT HIS JOB”!!!!By Jim
October 2, 2009 5:36 PM | Link to this
Has anyone noticed that Baker always gets blamed for his handling of pitchers. Pole has been Bakers pitching coach everywhere he has managed, but he never gets blamed for the injuries. Seems to me that a pitching coach would have input as to how long a pitcher should go in a game.By Scott Pietz
October 2, 2009 5:19 PM | Link to this
HalMCCoy, I will miss hearing you talk to Marty druring the Reds games in the sec. inning of the reds games. Good lock in your retirement and on writeing your new book write me back a e-mail when your book will be for sale ok.By Joe
October 2, 2009 4:34 PM | Link to this
Wonder if that means Mr. Duncan will be with the team next year? Bronson will need to order pine tar by the 55-gallon drum if Duncan shows up.By Dave in the Bleachers in Sarasota
October 2, 2009 4:34 PM | Link to this
Hal, Did Mr. Pole have anything to do with rubbing up baseballs? Seems strange a day after the cheating accusations he’s gone immediately. DaveBy Old coach
October 2, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this
Hal, any truth to the rumor that since you’re available you will be come the next pitching coach? You’re a perfect candidate. Your health care is (presumably) taken care of by DDN, you look better than Pole in a uniform, you know as much about pitching as a lot of baseball people (except Brantley who know all) and you looked better than a lot of Reds’ pitchers throwing out the first pitch on McCoy Night.