Marcel Lachemann returns to the Angels
Marcel Lachemann, who recently resigned from the Colorado Rockies, has returned to the Los Angeles Angels as a special assistant to new general manager Jerry Dipoto. Lachemann spent the 12 years in the Rockies organization, the past 10 as a special assistant to general manager Dan O’Dowd as well as two years as the Rockies pitching coach under former manager Buddy Bell.
Dipoto had not been hired and the Angels were without a GM last month when Lachemann resigned from the Rockies because he disagreed with how they developed pitchers. Dipoto was a relief pitcher for the Rockies from 1997-2001 before a bulging disc in his neck forced him to retire in spring training 2002. Lachemann, 70, was the Rockies pitching coach in Dipoto’s final two seasons.
Lachemann has been in baseball 44 years, including 17 seasons in the Angels organization where he served as minor league pitching coordinator, major league pitching coach and major league manager.
Not sure how to take that statement that there was disagreement on how to develop pitchers. Does this have to do with mechanics or the speed in which a pitcher moves through the system?
Among other things has more to do with teaching them how to pitch, letting them stay in games longer to experience situations for better and for worse in the long run. Which is not to suggest a total disregard for pitch counts by any means but being less limiting with young pitchers in short-season leagues who already have built arm strength in spring training and extended spring.
Thanks for the explanation, Jack.
I had hope that Dipoto would be the next Rockies GM after the Rockies cleaned house this fall after such a disappointing 2011 season. Silly me. Forgot that DoD has a lifetime contract, or at least it seems so
Another good one Gievet ran off.