Oscar Marin 'super excited' for opportunity to coach Pirates pitchers

Oscar Marin, even during a phone call from another country, made it clear how enthusiastic he is to join the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The team announced Marin’s hiring as pitching coach Tuesday, a day after news broke the Texas Rangers bullpen coach was tabbed to replace Ray Searage.

The Pirates also announced Justin Meccage will be the bullpen coach. He spent the past three seasons as Ray Searage’s assistant pitching coach.

“I’m super excited about coming to Pittsburgh. I can’t tell you how excited I am,” Marin said from Puerto Rico, where he is wrapping up his duties as pitching coach for Manati in the nation’s winter league.

“It’s a great opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Marin was particularly impressed with new general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton during the interview process. They are tasked with turning around a team that went 69-93 last season and finished last in the NL Central for the first time since 2010.

“There is a freshness there,” Marin said. “It’s a new start for everyone with the Pirates, including me, and it excites me to be in this situation. Talking with Ben and talking with Shelty, it was clear that they are going to get it done in Pittsburgh. It really made me want to be a part of it.”

Marin inherits a pitching staff in need of work.

The Pirates’ 5.18 ERA ranked 14th in the 15-team NL. The staff was also 14th in the league in hits allowed (9.4) and walks (3.7) allowed per nine innings.

The projected starting rotation for next season is Chris Archer, Joe Musgrove, left-hander Steven Brault, Trevor Williams and rookie Mitch Keller. They combined for a 26-41 record last season and 5.17 ERA.

Jameson Taillon, the opening day starter last season, will miss 2020 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Pirates also won’t have two-time All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez. The lefty is in the Westmoreland County Jail and facing felony charges stemming from an alleged improper sexual relationship with a minor.

With the start of spring training less than two months away, Marin has plenty of catching up to do. He will watch video of the Pirates’ pitchers and wants to speak with each of them on the phone as soon as he can.

The Puerto Rican Winter League season ends Friday, and Marin will then be able to turn his undivided attention to his new job.

Marin said he has no set pitching philosophy and likes to tailor his coaching on an individual basis.

“My philosophy is that I want to help each pitcher maximize his ability and succeed,” Marin said. “Each pitcher is different, and I don’t think you can coach everyone the same. Each has their individual strengths.”

Last season as the Rangers’ bullpen coach was Marin’s first year at the major league level. That followed a two-year stint as the Seattle Mariners’ minor league pitching coordinator.

The 37-year-old Marin began his professional coaching career in 2010 with the Rangers and spent seven seasons working in their farm system before joining the Mariners.

He did not play professionally.

“Ever since I can remember, I dreamed of playing in the major leagues, like a lot of other kids,” Marin said. “When I knew I wasn’t going to make it as a player, I wanted to find any way I could to get there in another capacity and coaching happened to be the path that opened up.”

The Chatsworth, Calif., native started coaching as a graduate assistant in 2005 at Arkansas-Little Rock, his alma mater. He also was the pitching coach at Los Angeles Valley College (2006-07) — also a school he attended — and Harvard-Westlake (08-09), a prep school in North Hollywood, Calif.

“I got into coaching because I liked the idea of trying to help players become better,” Marin said. “I had a lot of good coaches growing up who influenced me, and coaching is something I really love.”