NEW YORK -- Mel Stottlemyre will be a spring training instructor for the New York Yankees after spending 10 seasons as their pitching coach.
Stottlemyre quit after last season, saying he was tired of
second-guessing by owner George Steinbrenner and the team's office
in Tampa, Fla. The Yankees replaced him with former New York star
Ron Guidry.
General manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday that he spoke last
month with Stottlemyre and asked him to come to spring training.
"Mel told me that he'd always be interested in staying
around," Cashman said. "I talked to the Boss about it. He thought
it was a good idea. Mel thought it was a good idea. Everybody
basically felt: Let's continue the relationship. Mel did a
tremendous job here for a long time and provides a lot of valuable
insight. So it's nice to have him as part of the support system as
we move forward."
Yankees manager Joe Torre talked with Stottlemyre about spring
training when they went to Italy in December.
"I got from him that he was interested or would be open to it,
and then I just left it to Brian," Torre said.
New York's new coaching staff also includes former Boston
manager and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan, who will help Guidry.
Torre met with the coaches before he went on vacation to Hawaii,
and he trusts Guidry is up to the job.
"Knowing the makeup of the individual, knowing the fact that
somebody's not afraid to make a mistake and the intelligence, that
makes confidence in him easy for me to have," Torre said.
In addition to Stottlemyre, Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Whitey
Ford and Mickey Rivers will be spring training instructors.