Bob McClure wasn't Bobby Valentine's hand-picked choice to be pitching coach of the Boston Red Sox. That, combined with the official rationale of Boston's team ERA being the fourth-worst in the American League this season, led to his firing on Monday.
One name Valentine might hand-pick should he see a second season in Boston, could be former Colorado Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca, speculates Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.
Apodaca, who earlier this summer resigned as Rockies' pitching coach after leading them to the worst team ERA in baseball, was Valentine's pitching coach with the New York Mets. Apodaca stayed with the Rockies' organization as a special assistant to GM Dan O'Dowd.
Meantime, Randy Niemann takes over for the Boston staff. He, too, served under Valentine as bullpen coach in their Mets days. If Apodaca joins the fray, Niemann could move to the bullpen to coach, where Gary Tuck has been successful but reportedly doesn't speak to Valentine much. All of this is, of course, dependent on whether Valentine even sees a second season in Boston.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more comprehensive coverage, visit Rockies blog Purple Row. Check out Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the league.
p>