The Orioles wasted little time in finding a replacement for departed pitching coach Leo Mazzone, as they hired former Marlins pitching coach Rick Kranitz on Wednesday to take the helm of a pitching staff that recorded a 5.17 ERA this past season.
“I know Andy [McPhail], I know Dave [Trembley] and I know the job they can do and I know what Andy has done in the past,” Kranitz said. “I felt very comfortable and know we are going to be able to improve in Baltimore with this pitching staff and I wanted a nice working relationships and this seemed to be the perfect fit.”
Kranitz, 49, was named Baseball America?s Major League Coach of the Year following the 2006 season, in which the Marlins staff had a 4.37 ERA. Five Florida pitchers, including four rookies, won at least 10 games.
He?ll be charged with molding the Orioles? young staff, which is led by ace Erik Bedard and standout Jeremy Guthrie, into a formidable rotation.
“Young pitchers are extremely valuable and a lot of time they have to learn at the big league level. I?m looking forward to getting in and teaching them to pitch at the big league level,” Kranitz said. “You look at the starting rotation and it?s really exciting with Cabrera, Bedard and Guthrie. Three exciting guys with very good arms.”
Kranitz joins a staff headed by manager Dave Trembley, who took over June 18 when Sam Perlozzo was fired. Trembley managed in the Cubs farm system from 1994-2002, when Kranitz was also in the organization. Orioles president Andy MacPhail was the Cubs president from 1994-2006.
“Rick and I knew each other from our affiliation in the minor league with the Cubs for an extended period of time,” Trembley said. “What he brings to us is a level of experience in mechanics, the ability to adapt to a lot of different styles of pitching and a real good communicator, which is something that I think will be very important.”
Mazzone was hired before the 2006 season, expected to turn around the team?s struggling staff. Instead, the team responded with 5.17 and 5.35 ERAs in his two seasons in Baltimore. He was fired Friday ? three weeks after the Orioles concluded their 10th consecutive losing season with a record of 69-93.
“When Andy called me [with the offer] I was so flattered because I really believe he is going to make this organization one of the best in baseball,” Kranitz said. “I want to be a part of it.”
