Two-time All-Star reliever Joel Hanrahan, who has spent the past five years coaching in the Pirates organization, announced on Twitter today that he’s decided to step away from the organization. Said Hanrahan:
“After 5 years coaching with the Pirates I have decided to move on and look for other opportunities. Thank you to the Pirates for giving my first shot at coaching. I wish all the players, coaches and organization the best. I’m looking forward to a new challenge and opportunity.”
Hanrahan, 40, was the Pirates’ Triple-A pitching coach in 2021 and was expected to reprise that role for the 2022 season. He spoke with The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel less than two months ago about his ambitions of coaching in the Major Leagues with Pittsburgh. The Pirates clearly valued having Hanrahan in their system, naming him the organization’s coach of the year following the season. Hanrahan tells Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he now has another position lined up, although that specific role isn’t yet clear.
A second-round draft pick by the Dodgers back in 2000, Hanrahan pitched parts of seven seasons in the Major Leagues, working to a combined 3.85 ERA with an even 25% strikeout rate and exactly 100 saves over the course of 404 2/3 innings. He spent the bulk of his big league career with the Buccos, twice leading the team in saves (40 in 2011 and 36 in 2012), though Hanrahan originally debuted as a National and pitched his final game for the Red Sox.
Hanrahan was very much in his prime at the time Pittsburgh traded him to Boston in Dec. 2012, having just racked up those 76 saves and made consecutive All-Star teams with the Pirates. Unfortunately, his Red Sox tenure lasted just 7 1/3 innings, as he was diagnosed with a torn UCL early in the 2013 season and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery. He signed with the Tigers as a free agent following that year but ultimately wound up requiring a second Tommy John surgery that proved to be a career-ender.
This must have something to do with the Pirates finally deciding to change their pitching philosophy. They are no longer trying that ridiculous “universal approach” and are finally realizing one size doesn’t fit all. Pitchers have different talents and need to use them differently. I’m guessing Hanrahan was one of the people in favor of the universal approach since he’s leaving the same day they announced a change in direction. If so, this is a good thing for Pirates fans. The universal approach really hurt Gerrit Cole and Chris Archer while they were there. That’s why Cole actually reached his potential as soon as he left and Archer got worse as soon as he arrived. Progress is a good thing for the Pirates.
2 seamers, man. 2 seamers.
I don’t know about you but I don’t blame him for leaving the Pirates organization. That’s like being the assistant manager at a dollar store when you could be the assistant manager at Costco. Those guys make some good money at Costco, and it’s a good environment. The Pirates are definitely the dollar store of the National League. I feel bad for their fans. They have a really nice ballpark too, and that colorful yellow bridge beyond the outfield. I wish Hanrahan all the best. I’m sure his next job will be a lot more fulfilling.
What with the name.
@ Ron Tingley;
He’s calling out the boards #1 troll…….
The troll makes a nonsensical post and immediately gets a number of upvotes.
LOL
Most of the regulars know what’s going on.
Clemente Bridge, not ‘yellow bridge’.
I heard pirates are one of the organizations who has the highest salaries for coaches ,the problem is,the analytics department never play baseball don’t know how hold a baseball and want to teach to coaches who played 5,10,16 years in the big leagues how do things and some don’t like and that why they are leaving,my guest.
The Pirates had changed that approach when Cherington took over. It might have just been a concidence that the Post Gazzette posted that article and Hanarhan left.
Hanrahan implies in the article he has another job lined up. Only time will tell if that’s true, and if its a better job/more money/etc. He was just named their coach of the year so the Pirates were obviously happy with what he was doing.
There has been some reporting that the Pirates offered Hanny a couple extensions for good money but all at the Minor league level, whereas his desire was to coach in the majors.
From his perspective I understand leaving if you aren’t being offered what you desire. I can understand the Pirates’ side to an extent that you’d like to keep a solid coach in the minors to help develop your young guys, but it’s not like Oscar Marin had great success the past couple years.
He probably didn’t want to ride in a bus for 6+months to Iowa, Minnesota, Memphis, etc.
I’m sure if he was NOT using the philosophies that the team wanted, he would NOT have been named their coach of the year. I think its more probable that other teams noticed how successful his results were and are poaching him.
Hanrahan just turned 40. Maybe he is going to try to make a comeback pitching in the Asia leagues? It’s not impossible after all Rich Hill was 41 this year and starting games in the MLB.
Dudes been out of the league since 2013. I couldn’t wrap my head around that being even 1% possible.
@shaf. Sean Kazmar Jr. Anything is possible.
Looks like the Mets just found their new manager…
Wow, how original…
Translation:
“After what feels like a lifetime of circling the drain inside this toilet of an organization, I have decided to move on and look for a position on a team that doesn’t stink to high heaven. Thank you to the Pirates for fielding a second AAA team that I could coach. I wish all the players, coaches and organization the best though I know you will never achieve it. I’m looking forward to an actual challenge and an opportunity with a real team.”
Boo
@ mlb1225;
When a new POBO takes over a franchise, it’s impossible to clean house immediately and hire a new group of people. A POBO may bring in a person or two, but mostly he’ll try to work with the people under contract. Slowly he/she will get people in place – some from outside, some via promotions.
As with any organization – sports or other – there are instances where people see things differently and can’t fit into the new culture and philosophies. It doesn’t make them wrong.
Mark Shapiro took over the Jays as POBO. He offered to keep Alex Anthopolous on as GM. Anthopolous was uncomfortable with the situation and left. He found a job running the Braves. Both the Braves and Jays have done quite well since (the Braves were coming out of a rebuild as the Jays were going into one). There’s nothing to be read into situations like this. It happens in the adult world all the time. Kids in the chatroom here will take potshots at people that in reality they wouldn’t qualify to get an interview to work for.
You are the illegitimate son of Steve Nebraska
Original
A `bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
BUT…even the theoretical possibility of a future job with a team other than the Pirates is worth more than an actual current job with the Pirates.
he was with the red sox? wow, shows you unimportant he was for us
Steve literally told you how unimportant he was to Boston when he wrote that he only pitched 7 1/3 before going down with an injury.
Red Sox traded a young Mark Melacon for him. Melacon went on to be an elite closer too, but they did receive Brock Holt in that deal as well so it wasn’t a complete loss.
The Sox have had a horrendous history of trading for relievers (Hanrahan, Carson Smith, Andrew Bailey, going back to Mark Clear).
Hanrarhan probably had the job in the bag for 2023. While I’m not saying that Oscar Marin is the greatest pitching coach ever, 2021 was his actual first season as a coach.
no i wasnt implying hes a bad player, i simply forgot and legite had no idea he played here, like i never remember psychically seeing him play for us, and i watch close to, if not every game, yea i knew we also got brock holt in the deal, i miss brock, i met him a few times and have several autographed pictures and baseballs he signed in front of me, hes a great guy and super nice and funny towards fans, my thing was, i dont ever remember joel, but i just read he only played 9 games TOTAL for boston, thats probaly why.
Because he pitched less than 8 innings. Easy to miss.
ya i also remember melancon, not surprised he became as good as he is, boston just wasnt his thing, he was lights out for san diego.
Tigers legend
I wish Joel the best in any future endeavors. I truly wish he was the Pirates main pitching coach. This guy as experience and was successful at one point. He was a flame thrower and it seemed like Adonis Chapman and Joel would duel for the fastest pitch during the Reds and Pirates series. We seen both guys hit 105 MPH and a few 107 mph. It’s sad that his career ended by injury because this guy was elite when healthy. At least he has heart to coach now and I hope a team like Mets, Astros, or even Padres hire him as MLB pitching coach.