Major League Baseball

Marlins counting on help from new pitching coach

Published Mar. 4, 2010 9:15 p.m. ET

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One of the Florida Marlins' young, unproven starting pitchers has just emerged from the shower, towel in hand, when he encounters coach Randy St. Claire, who commences a tutorial on how to tweak an inconsistent delivery.

Hair-drying and getting dressed can wait. For St. Claire, the Marlins' new pitching coach, spring training is a series of teachable moments with his young staff.

``This is nice,'' he says. ``We have a lot of power arms - big, strong, tall kids who can really get the ball up there. They've got some talent. We'll see if I can help them improve on their consistency.''

Since last season, the Marlins haven't added a single player assured of making the team. Their most significant acquisition over the winter might have been St. Claire, who brings fresh ideas to an unsettled staff.

Six pitchers, none older than 26, are contending for three open spots in the rotation.

``They've all showed flashes that they can do the job,'' St. Claire says. ``If a couple more of them can come around with consistency, there's something there, boy.''

Owner Jeffrey Loria last week said he expects the Marlins to make the playoffs. When asked where the team had improved after winning 87 games in 2009, the first name Loria mentioned was St. Claire.

But manager Fredi Gonzalez says a pitching coach can do only so much.

``Randy's not a magician,'' Gonzalez says. ``Sometimes we give too much credit to coaches, and we make it the coaches' fault when it's not. It's about the players.''

St. Claire's last job is a case in point. He was fired last June in his seventh season as pitching coach for the Expos-Nationals franchise. While he was popular with his players, the Nationals had the highest ERA in the majors when he left.

St. Claire will be working with a more talented staff in Florida, a franchise that has long emphasized depth in young pitching. The Marlins hired him in November to replace Mark Wiley, who remains with the organization as a special assistant.

``Randy has a big job,'' president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest says. ``But I feel like we've given him some stuff to work with.''

All-Star Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco are set at the top of the rotation. The half-dozen candidates for the other jobs went a combined 28-34 in 2009.

The bullpen is also muddled. Leo Nunez is slotted as the closer despite spotty results last year, and newcomers Derrick Turnbow, Mike MacDougal and Seth McClung are among the veterans battling to make the team.

St. Claire will count on video to help sort out the situation. He became better acquainted with his new staff during the offseason by watching a lot of video at his home in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York - when he wasn't deer hunting, ice fishing, snowmobiling or playing hockey.

``I'm never inside, except to watch video,'' he says. ``I probably won't go a day without watching video. I use it all the time.''

St. Claire spent parts of nine seasons in the majors as a reliever. He learned how to pitch from his father without the benefit of a DVD, or even VHS.

``I had to feel what he was talking about,'' St. Claire says. ``Nowadays these kids are in front of the TV, they're on computers and Game Boys constantly, so when you show them visually, they see it.''

Spring training has barely begun, but St. Claire's staff is off to a good start, allowing eight hits to help the Marlins win their opener Thursday against a Washington split squad, 10-4. Early reviews of the new pitching coach are favorable.

``I don't know how fiery he's going to be, and how he's going to react if he has to come out to the mound in the first or second inning,'' left-hander Andrew Miller says. ``But so far he seems like he's a real good guy who's very approachable, and obviously he does a lot of homework.''

Miller is one of St. Claire's projects - a hard-throwing 24-year-old who struggles with his control. Chris Volstad, Rick VandenHurk and Sean West are other young starters seeking breakout seasons.

Perhaps a new pitching coach will make a difference.

``There are a million pitching philosophies out there,'' catcher John Baker says. ``Maybe some new ideas for these pitchers is what they need. The best coach for Josh Johnson may not be the best coach for Sean West. It will be interesting to see what happens.''

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