The Phillies interviewed Rich Dubee for their pitching coach vacancy.
The Philadelphia Phillies are nearing a hire of their next pitching coach to replace Bryan Price, with a “clear frontrunner” identified from the Cincinnati Reds organization. “At least a half-dozen candidates” were reportedly considered for the coaching vacancy, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury, among them including a familiar face — their former pitching coach, Rich Dubee.
The Massachusetts native spent nine seasons as Phillies pitching coach, from 2005 to 2013. As part of being in the position during the 2007-2011 postseason run, Dubee is most remembered for helping the organization to its second-ever World Series championship in 2008, as well as overseeing a successful pitching staff that at its peak featured Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, and Joe Blanton during the franchise-best 102-win season in 2011.
“He helped teach a changeup, and oversaw the remarkable development of pitchers like and Ryan Madson,” Salisbury writes. “Under Dubee’s tutelage, J.A. Happ, Vance Worley and Kyle Kendrick grew into major-league starters and maintained roles at the back ends of rotations.”
Dubee, 63, most recently spent two seasons (2016-17) as the Detroit Tigers pitching coach under then-manager Brad Ausmus. During the two seasons prior (2014-15), he worked as a minor-league pitching coordinator for the Atlanta Braves.
In September 2019, the baseball veteran was named pitching coach of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League’s Saugerties Stallions, managed by Charlie Manuel’s son, Collin Martin; Dubee never got to coach under Martin, however, as the 2020 PGCBL season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ever since Dubee did not have his contract renewed with the Phillies following the 2013 season, they have had anything but stability from their pitching coaches; whomever replaces Price will be the team’s fifth different pitching coach in as many seasons.