Red Sox
“He’s one of my favorite people in baseball.”
On Tuesday, the Red Sox announced that they have hired Andrew Bailey to be their next pitching coach. And according to those who have worked with Bailey, that hire is one that the Red Sox won’t regret.
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Chicago White Sox senior pitching advisor and former San Francisco Giants director of pitching Brian Bannister appeared on the ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring Podcast’ to discuss Bailey’s fit with the Red Sox. Bannister, who worked with Bailey during their days in San Francisco, had glowing words for his former coworker.
“He’s one of my favorite people in baseball,” Bannister said, per WEEI’s Rob Bradford. “Just a genuine human. Very playful and extroverted.”
Bannister is not new to the Red Sox’ pitching department. He served as vice president of pitching development and assistant pitching coach of the Red Sox before becoming the Giants’ director of pitching.
Bailey will now follow in Bannister’s footsteps and join the Red Sox’ pitching department. And Bannister believes that Bailey’s leadership and emotional intelligence will make him an excellent pitching coach.
“But the thing that impressed me the most is the way he leverages the strength of other people,” Bannister said. “Whether it’s the medical departments. The strength and conditioning departments. The analysts. The roster management. The game management. He knows how to go to people every single day and he’s a machine at it and get the most out of them and really make them feel empowered and part of the process.”
The Red Sox hired Bailey to fill the same position that he served in San Francisco, a position he earned under the recommendation of none other than new Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow. Bannister now understands why Breslow recommended the then-Angels’ bullpen coach to him and can personally speak to the qualities he’ll give Boston.
“What I think he will bring to the Red Sox is the ability to not be too technical or too analytical but have a great feel. I think he will be able to unite all the departments because I know the size of the departments scaled greatly under Chaim Bloom. I think he will be able to leverage all those skill-sets along with his great personalities and great delegation.”
Bannister believes that Bailey is destined for a role greater than pitching coach, and that he brings the qualities of a manager to that position in Boston.
“Just like his Yankees interview, Bailey could be a bench coach,” Bannister said. “He could perform very, very well in another role that is a little more classic if he got away from the pure pitching stuff. But I think he brings the qualities of a manager and a bench coach to the pitching coach role and everybody who works alongside him and underneath him is going to feel special and valued.”
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