I have been privileged: (39) years in baseball, (27) as a (LH) pitching coach. My background translates into my teaching ability and it canvasses (13) countries.I will attempt to show herein just a brief umbrella of my various baseball related undertakings:
• Player-Pitcher for 12 years, in 13 MLB Organizations, including 8 Winter League seasons in Latin America.
•Baseball Chapel Leader (1979- 1983), for Salt Lake City Gulls, and Omaha Royals. (In 1982, the team had an 80 % conversion to Christianity).
•Coaching
Having spent eight years at all levels with the New York Yankees, stressing implemented emphasis on fundamental detail. (This development of completeness was evident in (i.e): defensive fielding, making for error-free ALCS and World Series; with the intricacies of fielding, and the (LHP) pick move ( of Andy Pettitte); a pitcher's ability to hold runners, etc.
Those Minor League coaching years contributed to the fueling of the Yankee dominance in the 1990's and continuity of the Yankee minor league system; a continual ability to feed and replace players of the parent club.
Other pitching-traditional organizations of the Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles, are (2) of (12) organizations in my coaching background, replanting my retention of concepts, under over (70) pitching coaches in my career. This knowledge of techniques to improve performance is evident daily in practice in my current position as AAA pitching coach for the Colorado Rockies.
I’ve accumulated assistance in the development of over forty impact pitchers’ to the major league level, including Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Eric Bedard, Russell Ortiz, Keith Folkes, Sterling Hitchcock, Ramiro Mendoza, John Parrish, Russ Springer, Josh Outman, Tyler Chatwood, Juan Nicasio, Drew Pomeranz, Kyle Davies,
John Maine, etc.
Many pitchers I had the pleasure to work with over the years are still pitching injury-free and effectively in their second decade at the Major League level... career-longevity largely due to properly formed mechanics.
My Taiwanese Major League development programs( 1997-1999), required analysis prior to strategic implementation, and bridging language barriers finding the proper devices for developmental action. Since the many English-based "baseball clichés"were indiscernible overseas, and with my immersions into Asian, European, and Hispanic cultures, I have embraced the the need be creative developing fitting listening and non-verbal communication skills and breaking down translational barriers with metaphorical adaptation. Within my God-given teaching gifts, the many experiences have shown me the importance of good timing and to cultivate relationships.
Motto:"People don't care what you know, until they know you care!"
I have also been Lord blessed with a keen eye related to visual mechanics, aided by years of high-speed film analysis.
In (2005), serving as both the AA Atlanta Braves pitching coach + the rehabilitation pitching coordinator, my position organized, planned, directed and executed the rehabilitation of : (17) Atlanta Braves minor league drafted pitchers. I benefited greatly from hours of individually assessed video, studying the specific limb and joint paths within the throwing/ pitching motion. Also, working in conjunction with Jeff Blum,( the current Kansas City Royals physical therapist). We joined creative forces well together.
My Hispanic group of rehabilitation pitchers grasped the visual language, inviting (metaphorical) teaching of balanced positioning, and possibly their ideal pitching deliveries, and arm-action. I believe this eventually lessened instructional time, quality practice time, and healing time.
I also physically joined them, with my rehabilitation of complicated Type- Two Rotator Cuff surgery performed by legendary orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, (2005). Also, the late Dr. Frank Jobe repaired my elbow back in 1978, (Tommy John surgery) when pitching for the California Angels; both are orthopedic household names. These self- experiences are invaluable in my understanding and transference in prevention of injury to fellow athletes.
{Post- surgery, I believe that "cloning" the perfect delivery, early-on in the rehab process, should begin with link to video, and to flat- ground throwing programs with incremental increase. Supplying video aid, with repeated proper paths, exhibited a stronger healing process. It's specifics, all the way up to the final stage of the pitcher's 90% effort off the mound, expedites the healing process after surgery. He will then be physically stable enough to revisit more of his past delivery, paying more refined attention to results of past effort related to current feel.}
As a constant supervisor of the proper technique of the rehab exercises will lessen possible re-injury or relapse, and becomes instrumental in keeping inflammation levels at a minimum for future endeavors.
Overall, our creativity at Orlando's Disney World Milk House, prepared our pitchers for less stressful recovery and advancing throwing velocities, cost effectively saved the Atlanta Braves hundreds- of-thousands of dollars, and exceeded the monitored expectations of Dr. James Andrews.
•Recruited by the Horsey Family Youth Foundation( 2006-2009), with fund raising through complete assemblage of annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, and accompanied auction items; and also Rocktoberfest Fishing Tournaments and final drawing (of the thousands of hopeful raffle ticket holders of the winning ticket for the customized Ford Mustang.
Motto: " To keep our youth, in sports, and off drugs."
We funded local youth sports programs in Delaware, (Pop Warner, Little League, Thunderstars Cheerleading, etc.)
Motto: "Giving a " hand up", not a " hand out", as the youth sports participants were rewarded were rewarded for the specific number of tickets they were able to sell themselves.
•2010- Present: EBCA (European Baseball Coaches Association) : Pitching Instruction Clinics and formal presentations to both coach and player, in ten-day visits to Germany, Amsterdam, and
recently France, the last three Winters.
•Mohegan World Baseball Convention speaker, 2013, in Connecticut.
Personal Awards:
• Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, 1975.
• Pitched in both the American and National Leagues.
•(10) Winter Baseball seasons as a player and a coach in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
• Participated in (7) combined Professional and Collegiate championships:
-American League West -Pacific Coast League -International League
...Amateur accomplishments:
-Fairbanks Goldpanners( 3 ) National Championships
-USA Team, the first U.S. baseball team (undefeated) to win a Gold Medal, World Games, (Central America), Gold Medal, (1973); (we defeated MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Martinez, 1-0, in Nicaragua.
• Coaching
University of Nebraska( O), (1987).
All-Star Pitching Coach: Taiwan Major Leagues (1999), South Atlantic League( 2000), Dominican Winter League(2005),Texas League, (2012).
Other: University of New Haven, Hall of Fame inductee, (1994)
Related Interests:
• Specifically related exercises to strength training, avoiding inflammation, and studies improving white muscle, (quick twitch), into the throwing motion. ( We have begun the Sparta Program now, with the Rockies organization, involving Load, Explosion, and Drive often testing specific function of the related player's needs).
• Only the truth involving proper throwing motion and pitching mechanics, which is all I know.
• Sports Psychology, case-by-case studies, with Dr.Bruce Ogilvie, 1996, Los Gatos, CA.
From the editor:
David Schuler will bring a short message at River City Church in Georgetown DE
