Hey, Nineteen: Dave Eiland

[Edgy MD]

https://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/dave-eiland.jpg>



John Donne was wrong. SOME men are Eilands. And I'm one of them.



I'm Dave Eiland, pitching coach of the New York Mets. My pitcher Jacob deGrom just won the Cy Young award and even if he was already awesome when I got here, I consider that a feather in my considerable cap. Did you see Zack Wheeler turn his career around mid-season last year? That's a feather too. I couldn't save Matt Harvey from his douchebag self, but, um ... when David Price won the Cy Young for Tampa Bay back in 2010, do you know who his pitching coach was? Well, it was Jim Hickey. But it was DAVE EILAND who was a special assistant with the team. That's right — feather.



I went to work with the Royals. And in 2013, the Royals had the lowest ERA in the American League. FEATHER! It was their lowest as a team since 1978 — FEATHER!! Every year from 2012 to 2016, my bullpen led all AL bullpens in ERA. My head hurts from supporting all these FEATHERS!!



And you know what happened in 2015? Well, my staff helped beat the Mets in the World Series. Do you remember what the weather was like that fall? It was FEATHER WEATHER!!



Even before I coached in the bigs, I was amassing feathers. The Yankees traditionally import their pitching. Well, back when DAVE EILAND was part of their development staff, they decided to grow their own pitchers. Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy ... who was coaching these peckers in the minor leagues? It was a guy who has pretty much got himself the most feathers since Sitting Bull.



So now I begin my second season with the Mets. "Make pitches, not excuses" is my motto. Which of my prized pupils is going to make me famous this year? Steven Matz? Ryan O'Rourke? Drew Smith? Don't be surprised if you see a Ryder Ryan breakthrough, because I'm Dave Eiland and feathers abound. NO MAN is an Eiland ... 'cept me, of course.



So we know I'm going to do GREAT this year, but how that greatness will manifest itself is a mystery. Unlock that mystery with your predictions below.

[MFS62]

As long as he tells his pitchers to stay off a trampoline, I'll be happy with the rest of his coaching.

Later

[Edgy MD]

To the extent that offseason family recreation injuries can be said to happen on a pitching coach's watch, that wasn't on my watch.



That was on Larry Rothschild's watch. I'm Dave Fuckin' Eiland, ready to answer for my own sins.

[Guest CeetarForgotPassword]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/mets-pitchers-adopted-a-whole-new-identity/https://blogs.fangraphs.com/mets-pitchers-adopted-a-whole-new-identity/

[Edgy MD]

That's a really good read.



If I remember correctly, the second year was a big year for celebrating the pitching coach in the tenures of Eiland's two immediate predecessors. By the second season, patterns emerge, or seem to emerge. Guys who aren't adapting to his philosophy may have been shipped out, and when some organization guy at the end of the 40-man roster becomes a big league contributor, the pitching coach gets credit.



It may be factual or it may be true but overstated or it may be complete bullshit, but maybe the press has written about the new manager through year one, so year two, the pitching coach suddenly becomes more interesting. And whether his newfound file of press clippings is deserved or not, the story makes itself true. The coach speaks with more authority and/or his pitchers give him that authority. He's a brand now.



But as usual, fangraphs is ahead of the game, and they've saw the changes in year one. Harvey is gone and not particularly missed. He's got a pitcher who has won the Cy Young and at least one more capable of winning it. I think he'll get a lot of attention in year two.



And I mostly think it'll be the good kind.

[Ceetar]

Well, the insights are part of what got the writer signed by the Rays, so no more of that from him coming.



The second year stuff makes sense, though I don't know how it jibes with getting a new GM this year too. But the Mets didn't really bring in many pitchers either. I wonder how much of that philosophy was preached to the minor leaguers.

[kcmets]

2019 same for Eiland as 2018.

[Edgy MD]

Well, none of us saw Eiland's head rolling.

[MFS62]

"OK. Who snuck onto that trampoline? I told you not to do it on my watch."

Later

[ashie62]

Good bye former MFY