The Red Sox will break camp with 25 players heading north to Boston. We begin a daily look at each position on the club, from the projected starters to their backups, as well as every member of the coaching staff. Our latest installment examines pitching coach Curt Young.
New face, new place: Among the many surprises of the 2010 season was the remarkable efficiency of a young, relatively unheralded rotation in Oakland. Five guys, none of whom was over 26, spearheaded a staff that had an American League-leading 3.47 ERA.
The man in charge of each guy honing his craft was Curt Young, who served as the A's pitching coach for seven seasons and helped develop what may be one of the best rotations in baseball.
Oakland actually had a very good rotation before Young arrived. The Tim Hudson-Mark Mulder-Barry Zito days overlapped with Young by a year. After they departed and the organization worked in some fresh arms, Young helped keep things stable — the A's team ERA ranked second in the AL in Young's first year and then either fourth or sixth the next four seasons.
Later on, now embedded with pitchers he had seen in several camps, Young began to guide the rotation back to the top. Oakland's team ERA was third in the AL in 2009 before its remarkable run last year.
Young, however, is now in charge of another rotation that can make the same boast as being the best in the league. He was brought in to replace John Farrell, who was hired as the Toronto Blue Jays manager. The difference this time, however, is that there will not be any rebuilding of the rotation anytime soon.
Young inherits an established, veteran group under contract for a number of years. It will give him a chance to make his imprint. The change from a youthful, talented bunch to one loaded with honors, achievements and postseason experience shouldn't alter anything in his approach.
"I don't think it will be that big a deal. Pitchers are pitchers," Young said not long after getting the job. "Every year they're looking to improve and if I can help them do that, that's why I'm here. I think everybody's personality comes out as a pitcher and I need to get to know these guys that way and I'm sure we'll jell quick."
It is already apparent that each of the starters has a comfort level in camp with Young. It does not hurt that he had familiarity with Boston's top dog.
Young and Terry Francona shared a year in Oakland's organization in 2003, Young as the pitching coach at Triple-A Sacramento and Francona as the bench coach under A's manager Ken Macha.
The 50-year-old Young won 69 games in an 11-year major league career, including back-to-back 13-win seasons with Oakland in 1986 and 1987.
