11/23/24
October 21, 2005
Leo Mazzone is heading to the Baltimore Orioles.: Looks like starting in 2006 we may finally get to see whether Mazzone's greatness as a coach transcends a particular team and system and whether the Braves can keep their ridiculous streak of division titles alive with the Cox-Mazzone-Schuerholz triumvirate being reduced to a duo.
This is horrible news for Braves fans. No more reclamation projects like Jaret Wright or John Burkett.
posted by trox at 02:04 PM on October 21, 2005
Excellent move from the Orioles. They have some lively young arms that will certainly be helped by Leo. He is the best in the business and has proven it year in and year out. This is horrible news for Braves fans. No more reclamation projects like Jaret Wright or John Burkett. This is bad news for Braves fans for sure. Once their amazing playoff streak ends next year, maybe their fans will start to appreciate and show up for playoff games in Atlanta.
posted by bigrobbieb at 02:14 PM on October 21, 2005
"Mazzone, who earned $250,000 with the Braves, is expected to make nearly twice that amount with the Orioles." The Braves must think they'll be OK without him, as they were paying him no better than several other pitching coaches. Good for Leo and the O's.
posted by cl at 02:59 PM on October 21, 2005
Boy, I would've thought a difference maker like Mazzone would get more than that. I guess this is when we find out if all the glowing terms used to laud Mazzone by so many are real or hyperbole. Baltimore has the young arms that should benefit from his supposed genius. Looks like a good move in theory. But in theory Communism works.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:12 PM on October 21, 2005
Mazzone has some work ahead of him, and that's what he likes. He also has his good friend Perlozzo's backing. Stack up Cabrera, Rodriguez, Bedard, DuBois etc. and talk Ryan into staying, along with a side order of Ray, and they don't look bad. Going to have to sack Sammy, Rafael, Surhoff and some of the old guard, and hope Roberts comes back healthy. Not much more an O's fan can say after suffering since '83.....
posted by OldSchoolBall at 03:19 PM on October 21, 2005
The Braves are done, unless Mazzone left behind a pitching coach who learned his Jedi tricks. What a coup for the O's.
posted by rcade at 04:00 PM on October 21, 2005
The O's will still third best in the division. I do admire their commitment to trying to get better but it'll tough. The O's finished in 4th this year. They've finished 3rd or better only once in the past 8 years (2004). I agree that it will take more than Mazzone to make a difference, unless he really does have super-magical powers.
posted by grum@work at 04:02 PM on October 21, 2005
I think it's been posted here, but the ESPN feature on him, Rock of Atlanta, is really great.
posted by dusted at 04:59 PM on October 21, 2005
The Braves are done Why? Mazzone's record suggests he's an amazing pitching coach (and was terribly underpaid), but even the best coach needs raw material. Is Atlanta out of young arms? The best thing Mazzone could do is murder the Angelos and set fire to the GM's office. Have they reinforced the bench in the Balmer home dugout yet?
posted by yerfatma at 05:45 PM on October 21, 2005
The Braves are a good team- and will be for a long time. They have young talent in all aspects of the game. Thats what seperates them from a team like the Yankees.
posted by redsoxrgay at 08:52 PM on October 21, 2005
Love it , big ol george couldnt use his wallet to get Mazzone,gotta respect a man like mazzone for his talent at making pitchers great,and not selling his soul to the devil for a bigger paycheck..
I agree with some of the above that the Braves are not done. Lets not forget that their offense was very very young and will only get better as the players mature. Last I checked, Mazzone didn't have a heck up a lot to do with them. Plus, they still have Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, Thompson, etc who, IF they stay healthy, can pitch.
posted by jmd82 at 09:20 PM on October 21, 2005
Mazzone's record suggests he's an amazing pitching coach (and was terribly underpaid), but even the best coach needs raw material. Is Atlanta out of young arms? I think that Mazzone is the reason so many of their young arms become good arms they can rely on. I don't expect them to be able to reload the way they've done in recent years whenever they lose a top pitcher.
posted by rcade at 11:35 PM on October 21, 2005
The Braves will miss Mazzone. He took young pitchers who looked like they had a little talent and made them look like pitchers who had a lot of talent. Mazzone took veterans who had looked like they had seen better days and made them pitchers who could be useful to the Braves. Schuerholz got the players he could with the budget cuts he faced and depended on the Cox-Mazzone duo to make something of them. Now half of that duo is gone. Its relatively easy to replace a pitching coach. You can't replace a Mazzone.
posted by roberts at 08:08 AM on October 22, 2005
Just keep the cameras off of him in the dougout. I get sea-sick watching him bounce around like a tin can in the north atlantic.
posted by drevl at 09:44 AM on October 22, 2005
Mazzone also kept Smoltz rock solid throughout his entire career. Even when he came out of the pen. This guy had to have left some magic behind. Don't know how long it will last though.
posted by playball9 at 11:51 AM on October 22, 2005
I wonder if mazzone has a rocking chair at home?
posted by playball9 at 11:52 AM on October 22, 2005
Lookslikeits warwith Steinbrener and the Orioles. He got outbid for Mazzone- and you hardly ever see Steinbrener get outbid. WOW next year should be interesting.
posted by redsoxrgay at 12:08 PM on October 23, 2005
Sorry for the first part of my post- my spacebar is sticking.
posted by redsoxrgay at 12:09 PM on October 23, 2005
The O's will still third best in the division. I do admire their commitment to trying to get better but it'll tough.