Leo Mazzone
Encyclopedia
Leo David Mazzone is a former pitcher
in minor league baseball
and coach in Major League Baseball
. He began working with the Atlanta Braves
' organization in 1979.
's north branch in Westernport, Maryland
. Growing up there, one of his friends was Sam Perlozzo
of nearby Cumberland
, under whom Mazzone would eventually coach for the Baltimore Orioles. Mazzone was even the best man at Perlozzo's wedding.
, a class-A farm team of the San Francisco Giants
. In all, he played seven seasons in the Giants organization, reaching as high as the double-A Amarillo Giants, for whom he played four seasons from -. He played the next three seasons in the Oakland Athletics
chain, reaching triple-A with the Tucson Toros
in . In , he was a player-manager for the class-A Corpus Christi Seagulls. He became their full-time manager the following season.
Kinston Eagles in 1978. It was the recommendation and contacts of Eagles owner Ray Kuhlman
that proved instrumental in Atlanta deciding to take a chance on Mazzone in 1979.
Mazzone has earned a reputation as one of the best pitching coaches in the modern era, having developed and coached perennial all-star pitchers such as Tom Glavine
and John Smoltz
. Greg Maddux
also enjoyed his best seasons under Mazzone. Over the years, a number of pitchers joined the Braves and enjoyed some of their finest seasons under Mazzone only to regress after leaving. Denny Neagle
, John Burkett
, Russ Ortiz
and Jaret Wright
are some of the most notable examples.
Mazzone's "accidental trademark" is his rocking back and forth while sitting in the dugout
. On television broadcasts of Braves games, the camera would often show him rocking back and forth during the games, stopping only when his pitchers began to have difficulties. Mazzone's pitching philosophies state that pitchers should throw more between starts (two sessions instead of one), utilize the outside corner of the strike zone and utilize a fastball to set up breaking balls.
After the 2005 season Leo Mazzone took the Baltimore Orioles pitching coach job. On October 12, 2007 the Orioles fired Mazzone with one year left on his contract.
In his book The Baseball Economist, J.C. Bradbury titles a chapter, "How Good is Leo Mazzone?" Using statistical analysis, he analyzes whether Mazzone had a significant impact upon the pitchers that he coached. The sample is all pitchers who have pitched at least one year under Mazzone and one year under a different pitching coach. Bradbury found that Mazzone lowered the ERA of pitchers by an average of 0.64 points, and that after leaving Mazzone, pitchers' ERA increased by an average of 0.78 points. Bradbury believes that such an impact is deserving of Hall of Fame consideration.
ESPN.com
lists him number one on the list of "Top 10 Assistant Coaches of All-Time".
for Fox
and as a co-host on "The Rude Awakening" Morning Show on Atlanta's WCNN-AM.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
and coach in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He began working with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
' organization in 1979.
Early life
Although Mazzone was born in West Virginia, his family lived on the other side of the Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
's north branch in Westernport, Maryland
Westernport, Maryland
Westernport is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,104 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Growing up there, one of his friends was Sam Perlozzo
Sam Perlozzo
Samuel Benedict Perlozzo is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, most recently with the Baltimore Orioles...
of nearby Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, under whom Mazzone would eventually coach for the Baltimore Orioles. Mazzone was even the best man at Perlozzo's wedding.
Playing career
Mazzone made his professional debut in with the Medford GiantsMedford Giants
The Medford Giants were a professional minor league baseball team based in Medford, Oregon, and played in the Northwest League from 1967 to 1968. They won the league championship in 1967. They were a short-season single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants and played their home games at Miles...
, a class-A farm team of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. In all, he played seven seasons in the Giants organization, reaching as high as the double-A Amarillo Giants, for whom he played four seasons from -. He played the next three seasons in the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
chain, reaching triple-A with the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
in . In , he was a player-manager for the class-A Corpus Christi Seagulls. He became their full-time manager the following season.
Coaching career
Mazzone was the hot tempered manager for the Carolina LeagueCarolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Kinston Eagles in 1978. It was the recommendation and contacts of Eagles owner Ray Kuhlman
Ray Kuhlman
Joseph Raymond "Ray" Kuhlman was a pilot, businessman, and minor league baseball owner. Ray joined the military prior to World War II and graduated from a new program as a Flying Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in December 1941...
that proved instrumental in Atlanta deciding to take a chance on Mazzone in 1979.
Mazzone has earned a reputation as one of the best pitching coaches in the modern era, having developed and coached perennial all-star pitchers such as Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
and John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
. Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
also enjoyed his best seasons under Mazzone. Over the years, a number of pitchers joined the Braves and enjoyed some of their finest seasons under Mazzone only to regress after leaving. Denny Neagle
Denny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
, John Burkett
John Burkett
John David Burkett is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He compiled 166 wins, 1,766 strikeouts, and a 4.31 earned run average. He pitched from 1987–2003, with the San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. His best season came in 1993 when he...
, Russ Ortiz
Russ Ortiz
Russell Reid Ortiz is a retired Major League baseball pitcher. Ortiz played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers...
and Jaret Wright
Jaret Wright
Jaret Samuel Wright is an American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher, who played 10 years for five teams. He is the son of former major league pitcher Clyde Wright.-Early life and education:...
are some of the most notable examples.
Mazzone's "accidental trademark" is his rocking back and forth while sitting in the dugout
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
. On television broadcasts of Braves games, the camera would often show him rocking back and forth during the games, stopping only when his pitchers began to have difficulties. Mazzone's pitching philosophies state that pitchers should throw more between starts (two sessions instead of one), utilize the outside corner of the strike zone and utilize a fastball to set up breaking balls.
After the 2005 season Leo Mazzone took the Baltimore Orioles pitching coach job. On October 12, 2007 the Orioles fired Mazzone with one year left on his contract.
Honors
He was inducted in the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.In his book The Baseball Economist, J.C. Bradbury titles a chapter, "How Good is Leo Mazzone?" Using statistical analysis, he analyzes whether Mazzone had a significant impact upon the pitchers that he coached. The sample is all pitchers who have pitched at least one year under Mazzone and one year under a different pitching coach. Bradbury found that Mazzone lowered the ERA of pitchers by an average of 0.64 points, and that after leaving Mazzone, pitchers' ERA increased by an average of 0.78 points. Bradbury believes that such an impact is deserving of Hall of Fame consideration.
ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
lists him number one on the list of "Top 10 Assistant Coaches of All-Time".
Post-coaching career
Currently, Mazzone works as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and as a co-host on "The Rude Awakening" Morning Show on Atlanta's WCNN-AM.