The Indians announced on Thursday that they’ve hired Carl Willis as the team’s new pitching coach. Willis will replace the highly regarded Mickey Callaway, who left the Indians organization this week to become the new manager of the Mets. Willis, of course, is a familiar name to Indians fans, having served as the pitching coach in Cleveland from 2003-09.
Following his initial run in Cleveland, Willis became a minor league pitching coordinator with the Mariners and, eventually, the pitching coach in Seattle. He’s spent the majority of the past three seasons as John Farrell’s pitching coach with the Red Sox, but Boston gave its coaching staff freedom to explore other opportunities when Farrell was dismissed from his post. Willis had also reportedly interviewed with for the Twins’ pitching coach vacancy before accepting the job with the Indians. As Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel points out (on Twitter), Willis has coached four pitchers during Cy Young seasons: CC Sabathia (2007), Cliff Lee (2008), Felix Hernandez (2010) and Rick Porcello (2016).
As a player, the 56-year-old Willis spent parts of nine seasons in the Majors, mostly with the Twins, from 1984-95. He made a pair of starts as a rookie for the Tigers in ’84 but worked exclusively as a reliever for the remainder of his career, ultimately tallying a 4.25 ERA in 390 innings at the big league level. Willis, nicknamed “The Big Train,” was one of Minnesota’s top relievers in their ’91 World Series Championship season, tossing 89 innings of 2.63 ERA ball.
Cleveland must be looking to give up more runs in the first inning, that was the Red Sox Rotation Special recently.
Do agree he was the downer on the Sox coaching staff of which they have had a run on fairly poor pitching coaches over the years.. Young, then Farrell was fairly decent being the outlier.
He was also with the Indians from 14-15; as pitching coach for their AAA affiliate in 2015 and in their front office in 2014. And his tenure with the club is even longer as he coached in their system years prior to taking the ML job the first time. Specifically, he was a coach at one level or another for Cleveland from 1997 to 2009. That gives him 15 years total with the club between the two prior stints
So seems it is likely a very logical fit for them. Not only should he know their development philosophy, he may have been around during (and possibly even instrumental in) its creation
Lol. This dud couldn’t find David Price’s mechanical flaw. Dustin Pedroia had to point it out to him.
Not my first choice, but I’m not the one doing the choosing. But he is a known commodity.
Wonder if Bere will remain as bullpen coach?
Willis is a boss y’all
I was hoping for Mike Maddux. If nothing else the Tribe knows what they’re getting in Willis. Callaway is a tough act for anyone to follow.
How many pitchers are/were nicknamed The Big Train? Get some originality.
Despite the Performances by Lee and CC, this guy couldn’t leave Cleveland soon enough for many.
Well what do you know, we agree on something.
Congratulations Cleveland you have picked yourself up a very good pitching coach Very few current or past pitching coaches have his pedigree, he will be missed in Boston
He was in Cleveland before and wasn’t missed when he was gone…