Ron Roenicke and Erik Bennett on Pitching Coordinators

Pitching coordinators play an important role. They oversee development throughout their respective club’s minor-league system, roving between affiliates to ensure that organizational philosophies — many of which they’ve had a hand in designing — are being followed. Their responsibilities extend to the individual arms, as well. Each pitcher has a player plan, and the coordinators are expected to optimize his chances of making it to the big leagues.

Ron Roenicke isn’t a pitching coordinator. Nor is Erik Bennett. But both have up-close familiarity with what the position entails. Roenicke — currently on Mike Scioscia’s staff in Anaheim — has coached and managed in both the major and minor leagues since 1992. Bennett has been a pitching coach in the Angels system since 2003, most recently at the Triple-A level. He spent the bulk of the 2016 season in the big leagues, filling in for bullpen coach Scott Radinsky, who was recovering from a medical procedure.

Roenicke and Bennett shared their insight on the roles and responsibilities of pitching coordinators this past summer.

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Ron Roenicke: “The coordinators are obviously important. The pitching coach at the level a player is at is probably even more important. He’s going to be building a relationship with the guy. He’s going to know his head — what he’s thinking about — and what his positives are, on a daily basis. The coordinators — at least the good ones — will go in and take what the coach gives them, and they’ll watch to see the difference between spring training and that specific time.

“A lot of it is the information they’re gathering, and how they implement it with the pitching coach at that level. When Dave Wallace was the roving coordinator with the Dodgers, we all thought — and all the pitchers thought — he was the best guy around. When you get someone who is that good, it makes a huge difference in the development of players.

“[The pitching coordinator] is basically the leader. He’s coordinating things, but he’s also… it’s kind of like here. When I talk to a player — or any of our coaches talk to a player — it’s different from when Mike Scioscia talks to them. When Mike talks, it’s a different voice. It’s coming from the leader. They know that’s the final word; it’s what’s going to happen. The relationships are a little different.”

Erik Bennett: “The coordinator is the one who has to get everyone on the same page. He coaches the coaches. When he comes around, they’re going to get the same terminology, the same message, the same plan of action. As a result, if a player goes from one level to the next, his [new pitching coach] already knows what works for him, what he’s been working on, and how to continue that up through the chain. Everybody is essentially teaching the same thing throughout the system.

“Different guys teach different ways, so you do have some freedom to teach in your own style. There are different ways to get to the same point. That’s what’s most important — the kid is getting the same message at each level.”

Ron Roenicke: “[Organizational philosophy] usually comes from the coordinator. If it’s not from him, it’s from the big-league club and filtering down to him. Certain philosophies come from the GM and the manager, and down through the minor leagues.”

Erik Bennett: “Last year, we got something on one of our pitchers where he wasn’t throwing enough changeups. He had a good one, and numbers-wise he wasn’t using it enough to complement his fastball and his slider. He was getting away from his strength.”

Ron Roenicke: “The coordinator has to figure out what to do with these guys — how best to get their mechanics right, their thinking right, what pitches they have and which ones they should go to. Maybe they add a pitch, maybe they subtract a pitch. Adding or subtracting is a decision made by the coordinator. The pitching coach at that level will make a suggestion to the rover — ‘Hey, what do you think?’ — but it’s the rover who makes the change. He’ll say, ‘Yeah, that sounds good; let’s eliminate this pitch and go with something else.’

“Sometimes, in the minor leagues, you can have success with a certain pitch. Then you get to the big leagues and find out that most of these guys aren’t going to chase your slider in the dirt. Hitters are better up here. You need to look at a pitcher with his future in mind, not just the level he’s at. How would his pitches perform at a major-league level? A coordinator needs to make that decision.”

Erik Bennett: “We’ve had four pitching coordinators in the 14 years I’ve been here. We started with Mike Butcher, then we had Keith Comstock, then Kernan Ronan, now we have Jim Gott. We have Pat Rice, as well, although he’s taking my place in Salt Lake while I’m up here. Jim Gott is a really good motivator and he connects really well with the younger kids. That’s obviously important.”

Ron Roenicke: “The relationship that players have with their coaches and their rovers is huge. They need to know that those guys are looking out for their best interests. Once that trust forms, the coaches and rovers can do their jobs a lot easier, because they know the player is going to be receptive to what he’s passing along. We’re all working together to get the most out of those guys.”

Erik Bennett: “[Credit or blame] is shared by everybody who has worked with a pitcher on his way up. From the Arizona rookie league all the way through Triple-A, he’s going to be touched by each coach, at each level. They’re all going to play a part in his development. It’s more of a team effort than any one person, but the coordinator is definitely a big part of it. It’s an important role.”