Last week I had the great pleasure of speaking with former Mets pitching coach, Rick Peterson. Since leaving the Mets, Rick has gone on to found and establish 3P Sports, a company that is dedicated to serving the amateur market and enable baseball players to avoid injury and improve their performance.
Rick Peterson is one of the most foremost experts in the country when it comes to peak performance coaching. He has dedicated a lifetime to developing a unique approach to coaching, and the results have been quite dramatic and speak for themselves.
While with Oakland, his staff led the American League in ERA for two years, posting a 3.63 in 2003 and 3.58 in 2002. Under his guidance, the A’s finished in the top three in ERA from 1999-2003. Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder all flourished under his tutelage. Each became a 20-game winner and Zito captured the 2002 American League Cy Young Award. We watched Mike Pelfrey and John Maine emerge as Mets starters under his guidance, and even Oliver Perez delivered his best performance while Rick was the Mets pitching coach.
Rick was kind enough to answer several general questions about baseball, his time with the Mets, Scott Kazmir, the rise in pitching related injuries, his future, pitch counts, and the Peterson Effect which I know you will all get a kick out of.
Before I get to those other questions, I wanted to know more about 3P Sports and asked Rick to tell me how it all came about. I found his story to be quite compelling and it revealed a side about Rick that most Mets fans probably didn’t know.
Besides learning that he was a New Jersey native, had a degree in Psychology, and was an accomplished oil painter, what really stands out the most is how dedicated he is to genuinely wanting to help baseball players prolong their careers by minimizing injuries and enhancing their performance. His panel of experts at 3P Sports includes Al Leiter, Tom Glavine, Jim Duquette and even one of the most respected and well known orthopedic surgeons in the world, Dr. James Andrews. Interestingly enough is the fact that Rick Peterson was the first person to walk through the doors of Dr. Andrew’s American Sports Medicine Institute, so many years ago.
In this audio clip, Rick explains how 3P Sports evolved from just an idea into what it is today. He also explains the principles of the Peak, Performance, Pitching program.
In the next part of my interview, we tackle a host of questions on baseball, the Mets and pitching in general. Here is a sneak preview where I asked Rick about pitch counts.
Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of my interview with former Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson. Listen to us discuss Rick’s favorite Mets moment, Scott Kazmir, innings pitched, and the Verducci Effect.
The Mets blew it when they let Peterson go. Not only was he one of the most highly regarded pitching coaches out there, but none of our young pitchers sustained any injuries while he was with us. I thought the point of replacing people was to upgrade. Does anybody in their right mind consider Warthen an upgrade over Peterson?
Agreed. Pefrey regressed this season at a time that he was expected to have his breakout season as the number two pitcher. He also became an emotional train wreck on the mound when runners were on base and he always lost focus whenever he got a bad call from an ump which seemed to take him off his game.
PETERSON aka SVENGALI HAS A TRACK RECORD BASED UPON MULDER,HUDSON,ZITO WHERE’S THE SUSTAINABILITY? EVER WONDER WHY THE RUMORED DESIRE THAT THESE GUYS WOULD BE DYING TO REUNITE WITH THEIR MASTER NEVER COALESCED, IN FACT A COUPLE OF THEM NOT ONLY THREW HIM UNDER THE BUS IN SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS THEY ACTUALLY DROVE THE BUS. I BELIEVE PELFREY’S BACKSTEP WAS CAUSED BY HIS ATTEMPT TO REVERT BACK TO A POWER TYPE OF HIS COLLEGIATE CAREER. DID EVERYONE MISS HIS FORMER COACH’S COMMENTS REGARDING NOT RECOGNIZING BIG PELF’S STYLE. IN CASE U MISSED IT WARTHEN IS A SELF PROCLAIMED LOVER OF THE HIGH HARD ONE WHICH PETERSON SEEMS TO LOATHE PITCHING TO STRINGS DOESB’T ACCOMODATE HIGH OR HARD. I BELIEVE PELF’S STRUGGLES WERE MORE IN LINE WITH NOT USING HIS SINKER SITUATIONALLY( I BLAME CATCHER) TOO OFTEN HE SEEMED TO AVOID THE SINKER IN FAVOR OF HIS HEATER AT THE WRONG TIMES.
MANY OF U MAY DISAGREE; BUT I SEE RICK AS THE PLUPERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT OLD SAYING, “THOSE WHO CAN DO, THOSE WHO CAN’T TEACH” SINCE RICK NEVER ACTUALLY PITCHED TO MAJOR LEAGUE CALIBER OPPONENTS, I’D PREFER SOMEONE LIKE MIKE MARSHALL, WHO DID VERY,VERY EFFECTIVLY SANS INJURY & LONGSLEEVES NO MATTER THE TEMP. HIS DOCTORATE IS IN KINEASEOLOGY(sp?).
I’LL WAIT FOR THE SECOND INSTALLMENT FOR MY CRITICISM OF HIS CASTING OUT OF NON-BELIEVERS, KAZMIR,BELL,OWENS,LINDSTRUM, GM’s FAULT? SOMEONE PLEASE RECALL WHO WAS GIVEN GURU STATUS IN CHARGE OF ALL PITCHING RELATED MATTERS FOR THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE, ALL LEVELS. HE WAS THE PITCHING GM, NOT ABLE TO MAKE TRADES ON HIS OWN; BUT NEEDED GM TO DO DIRTY WORK DUQUEWTTE/KAZMIR, MINAYA/OTHERS.
CAN WE NOT CANNONIZE HIM. HE’S FAILED IN THE 2 MIRACLES CATEGORY.
HIS FORTE IS TO IMPROVE MODESTLY TALENTED PITCHERS & FAILS WITH VERY TALENTED ONES. SORT OF GETS THEM ALL TO SAME LEVEL UPWARD FOR SOME DOWNWARD FOR OTHERS. PITCHING TO CONTROLED CONTACT IS HIS SCHEME JUST LIKE PITCHING JUST OFF THE PLATE WAS MAZZONE’S. ONE RETIRED BY EGO THE OTHER BY QESTEC
Sorry, but I totally disagree about pitch counts and I blame them for one of the reasons our bullpen is so overworked each season and collapses. I can see if we were talking about 130 or more pitches, but the way the Mets constantly yank pitchers as soon as they hit 100 is ridiculous to me. Look at those Braves teams when Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine were pitching 8 or 9 innings almost every time out there. Or when the Mets had Seaver, Koosman and Matlack. I feel like throwing something at the TV when Pelfrey pitches and already has 90-something pitches after five innings and he gets pulled. Look at all the pitching greats of all time. They would throw 20 complete games a year every single season. Now we have all these bullpen specialists which have done nothing but water down starting pitchers over the years. Pitchers should finish what they start. That’s how it used to be.
Did you even bother to listen to the interview. The guy says that a pitchers opposing batting average skyrockets after 100 pitches thrown. Doesn’t that make sense? I’m sure there is some data somewhere that would illustrate it better in a chart. I used to pitch in high school and I still remember how my shoulder used to hurt the next morning whenever they overworked me. And I topped out at 70 MPH. Imagine violently contorting your arm and body to throw 110 pitches at 95 mph every fifth day. Maybe the next time you work out, instead of lifting you instead throw a rubber ball at a spot on wall 100 times with all of your might. Tell me one if you’re still hitting the spot after 60 pitches, and two how your arm feels two hours later.
No offense, but how can you compare high school baseball to athletes that are trained and condition to pitch? I have no doubt that my arm would be in pain if I did that, but that’s because my body isn’t trained to. Major league pitchers get paid millions to go out there and pitch. Pelfrey gets paid two million dollars to start in the majors and yet he averages under six innings pitched per start. If that’s the best he can do then make him a long reliever. We cant continue stocking a rotation with guys like Perez, Pelfrey and Maine who all average under six innings pitched per start. Go out there and get a workhorse like Roy Halladay and John Lackey and lets build a rotation with pitchers who can go 8 innings or more with no problems, and average over 7 innings per start.
Or you put together a baseball team that plays defense and lowers their pitchers pitchs counts and extends their average innings pitched
see seattle mariners, 2009.
For real. Rick P. was the man…seemed like he was fired based on fan unrest. A baseball team is one entity where its management should never listen to its customers.
I definitely wanted Willie Randolph out, but was ashamed of how it was handled. I still get mad at how disrespectful the Mets were toward him. However, never in a million years did I expect them to fire Peterson. I was shocked. I’m holding out hope that he finds his way back to the Mets again some day.
how about Dr. Mike Marshall. this guy set all kinds of records as a reliever and is a Doctor!!!! he knows this stuff better than anyone else, and not because he learned it, because he actually used it and it was effective.
he is the best man for the position and runs a business for people who want to get better. i say hire this guy because he has shown results on and off the mound.
ANDY, POINT OF DR. HE’S NOT AN MD; BUT A Phd IN KINEASEOLOGY, I’D LOVE TO SEE HIM HIRED AS A CONSULTANT FOR THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE.
AND TO THOSE WONDER/COMPLAINING ABOUT WILLIE’S DISMISSAL METHOD, BEING FIRED AFTER A GAME IS COMPLETED IS CERTAINLY NOT UNTOWARDS, PRESS’ PANTIES WERE BUNCHED DUE TO MISSED DEADLINES & THEY GOT ‘OLD’ NEWS ALREADY RELEASED TO THE 24HR BROADCAST COVERAGES. TO ME, I BELIEVE OMAR WAS BATTLING WITH JEFF OVER KEEPING HIM WITH THE FINAL DECISION BELONGING TO FRED. JEFF WENT ON RECORD IN KEVIN BURKHARDT INTERVIEW AFTER ‘07 COLLAPSE WANTING WILLIE’S HEAD ON A STICK. I BELIEVE FRED WAS SWAYED TOWARDS HIS SON’S ARGUEMENT BY THE RACIAL MOTIVATION INTERVIEW. JEFF WANTED ACTION BEFORE DADDY RETHAUGHT IT THROUGH & ORDERED OMAR ON THE PLANE. WHY ELSE WOULD OMAR FLY COAST TO COAST ROUNDTRIP IN LESS THAN 24 HRS IF HE COULD’VE AVOIDED IT. PETERSON’S DEPARTURE, I’M CERTAIN WAS OMAR’S CONDITION WITH FRED, HE WAS TIRED OF SHARING RESPONSIBILITIES WITH RICK. THIS IS MY CONJECTURE BASED UPON FACTS PUBLISHED & TIMELINE INVOLVED AS WELL AS MY EXTENSIVE (20YRS) BUSINESS MNGT EXPERIENCE IN LG CORP SETTING.
Peterson was and still is a class act. Like another before me commented, I hope one day he returns to the Mets.
“enable baseball players to avoid injury and improve their performance”… looks like the Mets let go of the wrong guy (but I already figured out letting him go was bad). nice job.