Question and Answer with Alan Dunn

[Chris]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/DJAXXFAN/alandunn.jpg

 

Alan Dunn, Pitching Coach for the 2005 Southern League First Half Champion West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, has graciously agreed to answer questions from posters on NSBB! If you would like to send a comment to Alan, or if you would like to ask Alan a question, feel free to post it here. I will allow the questions/comments to be posted until Monday, July 25th at noon. I will conduct the interview with Coach Dunn on Tuesday, July 26th. Once I have an opportunity to type up the interview, Alan's responses will be posted.

 

From the Jaxx website:

Alan Dunn returns for his twelfth season in the Cubs organization, and his eighth season as the Diamond Jaxx pitching coach. As the only original member left of the inaugural 1998 season, Dunn has forged a tradition of great Diamond Jaxx pitching. He has led his pitching staffs to first or second place among the Southern League ERA leaders in three of his first six seasons. He has also coached two Southern League ERA champions at West Tenn, Jeff Yoder in 1999 and Steve Smyth in 2001.

 

Dunn began his professional career in the Detroit Tigers organization, where he played the 1983 and 1984 seasons. After playing the 1985 season with the New York Mets organization, Dunn retired from baseball. Four years later, he resumed his baseball career in a different capacity, when he became an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University.

 

In 1993, Dunn left Vanderbilt when he joined the Cubs organization as a scout, as well as a coach for Geneva, the Cubs’ class A team in the New York-Penn league. The next year he was named pitching coach for the Peoria Chiefs, the Cubs class A club in the Midwest League. In 1995 and 1996, Dunn was the pitching coach in Rockford, and from there he went to Daytona, the Cubs single A affiliate in the Florida State League.

 

The forty-three year old Dunn lives with his wife Jay, and their two children Davis and Bailey, in Huntsville, AL.

This session will be coordinated as in accordance with The NSBB Q & A Guidelines

 

Thank you to Alan for taking the time to interact with us on such an up close and personal level! A special thank you also goes out to Jay Dunn for helping not only to set up this interview, but for coordinating a silent auction raising over $3,000 for the JDRF! I encourage everyone to visit the official website of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. In addition, thank you to all of you for making NSBB such a wonderful community!

[WrigleyField 22]

Thanks for taking time to answer questions.

 

Who is the best pitcher you have had the privelage to coach?

 

Being a pitching coach at the AA level are you more concerned with things like mechanics and improving their stuff or are guys normally refined enough that you are just concentrating on more mental aspects of being a pitcher? Along with that, has their been a change in how you coached guys from level to level?

[NCCubFan]

During all your time as a pitching coach in the Cubs' organization, what pitcher do you think has shown the most improvement under your tutelege?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thanks for taking your time, Mr. Dunn!

 

Pitchers like Rich Hill and Ricky Nolasco have praised you quite a bit this year and have given you a lot of credit for their success. What sort of role did you play as pitching coach for those two? What do you tell someone like Ricky Nolasco who has been at AA before? How did you work with Rich Hill and help him improve his control?

 

What are your overall impressions of two of my favorite Cubs prospects, Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol?

[UK1679666180]

Thank you for taking the time to conduct this chat...

 

If possible, could you describe the typical routine of what a starter goes thru every 5 days at AA? For example (I doubt this is a pitcher's routine, but)...

 

Day 1:Pitch

Day 2:Light weights /cardio

Day 3:Arm and Shoulder exercises/leg weights/light throwing

Day 4:Throwing off the mound/cardio

Day 5:Light weights/light throwing/little cardio

Day 6:Pitch

 

Would something like this be mandated by Mr. Flieta or do have the authority to make adjustments you feel need to be made. One final question, do various pitchers have different routines? B/c in Atl, Maddux, Glavine, and Smotlz had comp. different schedules.

[TruffleShuffle]

What is the main focus of a pitching coach at the minor league level? Do you get the sense that it's any different than what a major league pitching coach focuses on with his pitchers?

[Jon]

Mr. Dunn-

 

About how often do you communicate with Mr. Fleita about the progress and health of your pitchers? When a pitcher is promoted/demoted to or from West Tenn., what sort of things do you discuss about that pitcher with the pitching coach at the affiliate where he is going/coming from? Also, when someone like Rich Hill, who threw about twice as many games with the Diamond Jaxx than with the I-Cubs, is promoted from AAA to the parent club, would you also talk with Larry Rothschild or would Rick Kranitz be the one to fill him in?

 

Thanks!

[rawaction]

Thanks Mr. Dunn, for answering our questions.

 

There was an earlier question about Hill and Marmol, but could you give us a quick scouting report on those 2, plus guys like Aardsma and Randy Wells? Velocity? Stuff? Any pitching patterns?

[Chris]

Quick reminder that this thread will be locked at noon. Now is the time to submit your questions!

[CUBZ99]

Hi Mr. Dunn and Thank you for answering our questions,

 

The last couple of players that were called up to the Cubs have come from AA which is a credit to the program in West Tenn. Do you think it is easier for a pitcher or a position player to make the jump over AAA?

 

Also, What are you thoughts on Bobby Brownlie? Many of us had high hopes for him and last year under your mentorship he had a pretty good year. This year he seemed to have a rough start and been moved to the bullpen.

[Chris]

(From Raisin)

 

Renyel Pinto has been impressive since returning to AA - better than last year. How has he improved his control, which he struggled with quite a bit at AAA? Do you think he's ready to return to AAA?