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First, go watch this video on MLB.com, which will have context in a second. Pay attention only to the mechanics of the pitcher as he throws across his body, falls down and ends up facing third base.
That would be now-MLB Network analyst Mitch Williams, showing all the kids precisely how not to pitch. But it worked for him. So apparently he's an expert on pitching coaches. And he thinks the Phillies might need to fire pitching coach Rich Dubee -- who Williams ripped on 94.1 FM in Philly Friday morning after saying Dubee had asked Williams not to speak with his pitchers.
Struggling Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay had some pretty strong words for Williams in a rebuttal, via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
“Coming from the mechanical wonder,” Halladay said. “Yeah, I strongly disagree. To come from a guy who’s not around, who’s not involved. He’s not involved in the conversations … honestly has no idea what’s going on. He really doesn’t. He has no idea what’s going on in the clubhouse, on the field between coaches and players. To make comments like that, it’s completely out of line. It really is. Rich Dubee, when I first came over, he taught me a change-up. If I hadn’t had that coming over here I wouldn’t have had the success I’ve had over here. Especially dealing with the injuries I’ve dealt with, if I didn’t have that pitch, if I didn’t have him working with me, I really would have been in a lot of trouble. In my opinion, it’s a statement that I feel like he needs to make amends for. I really do. There’s very few pitching coaches that I respect more than Rich Dubee. Watching Kyle Kendrick, the stuff that he’s learned, the way he’s grown, is because of Rich Dubee and it’s because of his work ethic and the way he goes about things. It really does upset me. It upsets me that guys outside of our group of guys that don’t understand what’s going on here make comments like that. Hopefully, it’s something he’ll learn from. I’m not sure if that’s the case, but he couldn’t be further from the truth. And I don’t think it’s the first time he’s been a little off base.”
Halladay also went on to say that Williams is "a little bit arrogant," "wrong" and "off the mark."
It's interesting that Halladay mentions Kendrick. The 28-year-old entered this season with a career 4.30 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. So far this season, Kendrick is 3-1 with a 2.43 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Much of the success has been attributed to a new change-up grip, but we have to remember Dubee is coaching Kendrick as well. So if we're going to go after Dubee for Halladay's woes and Cole Hamels' poor start, for example, we have to credit him for Kendrick, too. Of course, Williams apparently took credit for that new change-up grip, but Kendrick, per MLB.com, disputed the notion.
As for Dubee, he had the following to say, again via via Zolecki:
“That’s good. Maybe I hurt his feelings with the dustup, but I don’t know. Mitch has got a chance. He can apply to 30 teams [to be a pitching coach]. You know? I’ve got no comment to that. Maybe he got upset because I spoke to him about getting involved in our pitching, where I don’t think he belongs. Maybe he’s upset at that. But I don’t think other people belong in our pitching. Again, like I said, he’s got a chance to submit a resume.”
Score a point for Dubee here.
Also, there was no word on whether or not Jack Morris thinks Kyle Kendrick is cheating.
Hat-tip: Baseball Think Factory
