The Cubs managerial search dominated the discussion of the offseason for fans on the North Side. Some favored bringing in a big name manager with experience while others wanted the team to hire Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. While the Cubs elected remove the interim tag and hire Mike Quade, the decision to bring in a new pitching coach may have been the more impactful decision.
Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild was a frequent target of animosity from Cubs fans. When a Cubs pitcher went down for an injury or failed to come back as quickly from the DL as predicted, fans hurled their frustrations at the long time pitching coach. He survived the constant barrage of criticism outlasting Don Baylor, Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella. Finally, Rothschild had enough and packed his bags for the Big Apple.
Mark Riggins, the rookie pitching coach for the Cubs, has had his hands full this year and the results have been awful. The Cubs currently rank dead last in the National League with an atrocious 4.69 team ERA and a paltry 30 quality starts. While the Cubs have dealt with injuries, there is no excuse for that level of performance.
Meanwhile, Larry Rotchshild seems to be getting the most out of his injury plagued rotation. Former flamethrower Bartolo Colon boasts a solid 3.10 ERA with an impressive 1.07 WHIP. Veteran Freddy Garcia has posted a surprising 3.28 ERA.
While Brian Cashman certainly deserves credit for picking up Colon and Garcia, Kudos must be given to Larry Rothschild. While Mark Riggins seems to be overmatched at the big league level, Larry Rothschild seemingly has found a home.
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