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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:26 a.m., Monday, October 20, 2008

MLB: Kerrigan hired as Pirates pitching coach

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Joe Kerrigan, a former pitching coach with the Red Sox, Phillies and Expos, will succeed Jeff Andrews in the same job with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kerrigan was Boston's pitching coach from 1997-2001, during the time Pedro Martinez won two AL Cy Young Awards. Kerrigan was with the Phillies from 2003-04 and was the Yankees' bullpen coach in 2006-07 after serving as a Yankees special adviser for one season.

Kerrigan also was Boston's manager late in the 2001 season, after Jimy Williams was fired, and had a 17-26 record. He was replaced by Grady Little the next season after new ownership took over.

This season, Kerrigan was a pre- and postgame radio and TV analyst covering the NL champion Phillies. Kerrigan is a native of Philadelphia who attended Temple before being a major league pitcher with the Expos and Orioles from 1976-78 and in 1980.

The 53-year-old Kerrigan was the Expos' bullpen coach in 1983 and, after working in the team's farm system, was Montreal's pitching coach for five seasons starting in 1992.

"Joe Kerrigan brings to the Pirates a long and successful track record of developing and maximizing the performance of the pitchers on his staff," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.

Andrews was fired after only one season. A former Pirates minor league coach, Andrews was hired after being recommended by several of the club's younger pitchers, but the staff had a 5.08 ERA this season that was easily the National League's worst.

Ian Snell (7-12, 5.42 ERA) and Tom Gorzelanny (6-9, 6.66 ERA), considered the Pirates' top starters at the beginning of the season, had poor seasons that helped lead to Andrews' dismissal.

The Pirates have yet to hire a successor to first base coach Lou Frazier, who was also let go after the team went 67-95 in manager John Russell's first season.