Former MLB pitcher Jensen Lewis excited about Andrew Bailey and optimistic about the Red Sox future; ‘The youth movement is alive’
The Red Sox hired Andrew Bailey to be their new pitching coach and former big league pitcher Jensen Lewis is excited for what he will bring to the organization.
“The youth movement is alive,” Lewis told MLB Network Radio on Wednesday. “Alex Cora, not afraid to bring in some young minds, some progressive thinkers. It can’t get much more progressive than being under Gabe Kapler for multiple years. Very, very intrigued to see what Andrew Bailey brings from the West Coast to the East Coast as far as that goes.”
Bailey comes to the Red Sox and is hoping to bring a collaborative approach with the coaching staff.
“I view ourselves as coaches as consultants for the player,” Bailey said to reporters at his introductory conference. “We’re not to hide the ball, hide any information. We give them the facts. We want them to know how the industry values them. We want to maximize their earning potential.
“If we are able to maximize performance and earning potential, we in turn are creating value for the organization and winning ballgames. Each and every player needs to be coached just a little differently. And that’s why I feel strongly that for me, I don’t need to be the vessel all the time that is managing or coaching or delivering the information... We all have unique relationships with every player.”
Jensen is excited for what Bailey is going to bring to the team and how he will help the young arms the club has in Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and more.
“You got some young guys in Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck. Some bullpen arms there in (Josh) Winckowski and, of course, Garrett Whitlock, John Schreiber who was phenomenal for them. (Brennan) Bernardino from the left side. … I’m sure they’ll really be excited to see a familiar face.”
Bello led the entire pitching staff this past season tossing 157 innings. The 24-year-old emerged as a bonafide big league start this past season. Despite Bello leading the team in innings pitched, it wasn’t enough and part of the reason the organization is looking to add veteran starting pitching this winter in free agency.
Lewis, who is a baseball analyst for Bally Sports, covers the Guardians.
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