The Baltimore Orioles hope to have a new pitching coach in place this week.
“We have some well-qualified candidates, and we should be able to have a top quality coach on our staff before it’s over. … We’d like to get it done before the end of the month," executive vice president Dan Duquette told the Baltimore Sun.
The team has given interviews to four outside candidates: former Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee, Seattle Mariners pitching coach Carl Willis, Texas Rangers bullpen coach Andy Hawkins and Atlanta Braves minor league pitching coordinator Dave Wallace.
“We have some really talented candidates,” Duquette said.
Also under consideration, former bullpen coach Bill Castro, who has been acting pitching coach since Rick Adair took a leave of absence in August.
Whoever replaces Adair will be the fifth pitching coach to work under manager Buck Showalter, who has led the team since August 2010. Showalter inherited Rick Kranitz, who was let go after that season. Mark Connor was hired before the 2011 season and stepped down that June, when Adair stepped in. Castro served in the role since Aug. 15.
Castro will be considered for the full-time gig, but the Orioles are likely to hire from outside the organization, the Sun reports.
The Orioles' pitching has been a weak spot for years. In 2013, the team's 4.20 ERA was 10th worst in the league and it was near the bottom in complete games, shutouts, walks and strikeouts. The Orioles allowed 202 home runs, worst in the majors.