Veteran pitching coach Fred Corral joins Mizzou staff

According to reports, Mizzou Baseball head coach Steve Bieser has hired Fred Corral to replace Pat Hallmark as pitching coach.

The timeline

On July 17, sources told me Mizzou pitching coach Pat Hallmark is leaving the Tigers to take over as head coach for the Incarnate Word Cardinals.

Confirmation followed:

Just 8 days later, Steve Bieser has apparently found his new pitching coach.

So who is Fred Corral?

Corral’s most recent college coaching job was at the University of Georgia. UGA head coach Scott Stricklin let Corral go after the Bulldogs had a rough season.

Corral comes to Georgia to direct the pitching staff after spending the past four seasons as pitching coach at the University of Memphis. During his career, he has served as an assistant coach in charge of the pitching staff at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Sacramento City College and San Joaquin Delta College plus as an instructor in the professional ranks with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos. A total of 65 pitchers have been drafted under his tutelage including 11 in the top 10 rounds with eight reaching the Major Leagues.

Prior to that, Corral had been pitching coach at a number of schools. Per his UGA profile:

Corral comes to Georgia to direct the pitching staff after spending the past four seasons as pitching coach at the University of Memphis. During his career, he has served as an assistant coach in charge of the pitching staff at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Sacramento City College and San Joaquin Delta College plus as an instructor in the professional ranks with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos. A total of 65 pitchers have been drafted under his tutelage including 11 in the top 10 rounds with eight reaching the Major Leagues.

Longtime followers of Mizzou Baseball may remember him from that stint with the Sooners, during the 2005 through 2007 seasons.

Steve Bieser is known for hiring coaches with experience in professional baseball, and Corral fits that mold, having coached for the Dodgers and Expos.

Corral is an alumnus of the Cal Golden Bears and San Joaquin Delta College, where he made a name for himself as a relief pitcher.

Links

From The Red & Black (2/6/14) : Fred Corral brings aggressive approach to Georgia pitching

Corral comes to Georgia to direct the pitching staff after spending the past four seasons as pitching coach at the University of Memphis. During his career, he has served as an assistant coach in charge of the pitching staff at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Sacramento City College and San Joaquin Delta College plus as an instructor in the professional ranks with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos. A total of 65 pitchers have been drafted under his tutelage including 11 in the top 10 rounds with eight reaching the Major Leagues.

“He doesn’t try to change [our] mechanics but if he sees something that’s not right he’s going to change it for you,” Mancuso said. “He’s really good on the mental part of the game.”

.. . .

Mancuso said that as a pitching staff Corral taught them to pitch the front and back of the plate. Pitching these sides of the plate involves changing speeds, which disrupts a batter’s timing.

“He’s been in the best conference in the country, which is the Southeastern Conference,” Mancuso said. “He’s been in professional baseball, he knows what to expect and he knows how the hitters work in the SEC and how hitters work in other conferences.”

Corral’s pitching philosophy is on display at InsidePitching.com.

• What’s in a mound visit?
• Games or Showcases?
• Are high school states useful in recruiting?
• Pitchers off season - keep throwing or shut it down?
• 0-2, 1-2 Counts… Expand or Attack?
• Utilizing video
• Is arm action genetic or can it be changed?
• Fall ball
• Can Extension be taught?

For me, teaching extension doesn’t bring about common sense. If a 90 mph fastball will drop approximately 10-12 inches because of wind resistance and gravity on it’s path to home plate. How much will a CB at 78 and a CH at 74 drop on its path to home plate? Did I only teach extension only for the fastball? Why would I do that? And for the previous reasons, was the risk worth its reward?