New O's pitching coach can learn a few things from the last one

Did the Orioles make a trade of pitching coaches earlier this week? Not really, but while Dave Wallace and Dom Chiti are heading back to the Atlanta organization, the Orioles hired Roger McDowell as their new pitching coach. For the last 11 years he was the pitching coach ... in Atlanta.

McDowell said Wallace is a mentor and Chiti is a friend. He has a strong relationship with both.

"I learned everything I know about being a pitching coach probably from Dave Wallace and I think from that standpoint the pitchers can rest assured that there will be a familiarity with them," McDowell said.

The McDowell-Wallace relationship should soon pay off for both the new coach and the pitchers he will be working with. Not only can McDowell turn to Wallace for scouting reports and inside info on his new pitchers, but he also can likely gain insights on which pitchers to push and which to encourage. He'll have a valuable resource to learn about players' personalities. He'll come to his new position with many more insights than just which pitchers throw which pitches.

No doubt he will learn how Wallace came to Baltimore in October 2013 and immediately let the staff know he had one goal: to make the pitchers better, no matter what it took to make that happen. He came here seeking input from the pitchers themselves rather than dictating any of his philosophies or concepts.

Here is what Wallace said in 2013, not long after he was hired: "You make players understand that not one of us has the answer, but I think collectively we will do the best we can do to get the right answer. Everybody has to put their egos aside and figure out what's best for the player. That's ultimately our job. We need to bring everyone on board for the right reason, which is to make the players better."

No doubt McDowell will emulate Wallace's approach when he was hired as he got to know his new pitchers and worked to gain their confidence and trust. Wallace was an effective pitching coach and McDowell can be too as he takes what his mentor started in Baltimore and carries it forward.

Former O's pitcher Alan Mills joins him as bullpen coach. Mills was an effective pitching coach the last two years at Double-A Bowie for many reasons. He seemed to be able to help pitchers in whatever way was needed. That ranged from work on their mechanics to learning pitch sequencing and the mental aspects of the game to learning how to more effectively pitch inside to hitters and much more. His star was rising fast on the O's farm and now it leads him to Baltimore.

McDowell and Mills could prove to be a very successful pairing for the Orioles. They've got the background and some solid experience for their jobs. And they can learn from the last pitching coach to get off to a good start.