Houston lets go pitching coach...

[texasdave]

The Houston Astros let go of pitching coach Jim Hickey today despite the fact that the Astros were second in the league in ERA. The staff ERA rose about one half a run higher in 2006 than in 2005 (3.51 to 4.08). However, this was mainly due to the fact that Roger Clemens took the first half of 2006 off. As mentioned, in 2005 the team ERA was 3.51. From the All-Star Break on in 2006 (or basically during the time Roger Clemens pitched) the team ERA was 3.56. Not a huge difference.

[flyer85]

Pettitte's ERA ballooned quite a bit in 2006.

[texasdave]

Pettitte's ERA ballooned quite a bit in 2006.

Andy Pettitte had a horrible first half of the season. No denying that. Maybe he felt he had to pull too much of the load with Roger Clemens not in the rotation. But that is merely speculation on my part. Post ASB, (or once again basically since Clemens entered the rotation) Pettitte's era dipped to 2.80.

[Chip R]

Was it 2005 when the Astros were in the toilet and they fired the pitching and hitting coaches and replaced them with Gary Gaetti and Hickey and they turned it around soon after that?

[Redsfan08]

Lets try to get him I am not real sold on Hume

[Unassisted]

Lets try to get him I am not real sold on HumeVern Ruhle has indicated he wants his job back. I believe Vern could have been a difference-maker this season if his health had not kept him from the ballpark. Hume will be just fine back in the BP.

[edabbs44]

In 2005 I took a long weekend to Cincy with my wife to see the Reds/Astros series. I met a scout from the Nats who hung out with us at 5th and Vine. Very cool night. The following night, I was at 5th and Vine again when I ran into the scout. He was with a bunch of guys and introduced me to them. One of them was Krivsky when he was with Minny. It was during July and the trade deadline was heating up. The scout actually told me that he would be Cincy's next GM.

So 5th and Vine closed really early and the scout asked us to join him and another guy at O'Malley's. Talked baseball all night and woke up with a wicked hangover.

A few weeks later we were watching an Astros game and all of a sudden we see Jim Hickey walk out to the mound. That's the guy we were boozing with. Wasn't very nice that night, the scout was amazing to talk to and Hickey couldn't be bothered. Was complaining under his breath why we were there. The scout was in Cincy to see Milton pitch...I was telling him how great he would be in RFK. Half believed it myself and half just wanted him out of town. He was then telling me they were making a HUGE play for Vernon Wells. They ended up with Preston Wilson.

Moral of the story: I kind of laughed when I saw Hickey get canned today. I know it wasn't nice, but when I emailed the press release to my wife she wrote back that he deserved it.

[jmcclain19]

Most of the Astros vaunted young pitchers either didn't pan out or took a step back this year. That's the reason Purpura gave for the firing.

With Clemens & Pettitte leaving, developing all their young arms will be priority No.1. Maybe Hickey just wasn't cut out for developing young pitching.

[gm]

Lets try to get him I am not real sold on Hume


Vern Ruhle has indicated he wants his job back. I believe Vern could have been a difference-maker this season

Red's starting rotation ERA went from bottom-feeding in 2000-2005 to top 10 in '06 -- I'd say Hume made a difference. (OTOH, the '06 bullpen struggles could be traced to the absense of Tom) If the Red's want to go back to Ruhle/Hume in '07 that's fine with me, but I'd also like to see successful pitching coaches like Hickey added to the Red's farm system, if he can't get another ML gig.

[LINEDRIVER]

The Astros fired hitting coach Gary Gaetti this season during the All-Star break.