ATLANTA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Braves Friday reached a tentative agreement with their long-time pitching coach Leo Mazzone.
Contract terms were not disclosed, but Mazzone will receive a significant raise from the $200,000 he made this past season. Dave Duncan
of the St. Louis Cardinals is the highest-paid pitching coach in baseball at more than $400,000 a year.
The New York Mets had asked permission to speak to Mazzone, whose contract was to expire on Dec. 31, but his preference was to remain in Atlanta.
"Leo is going to remain a Brave," said Braves General Manager John Schuerholz. "He wanted to remain and of course we wanted him back."
The Mets probably were hoping that they could use Mazzone to would help in their efforts to sign free agent pitcher Tom Glavine.
Now that Mazzone is returning to Atlanta, he may be the key to retaining Glavine and fellow starter Greg Maddux, who also is a free agent.
Mazzone, 54, has been Cox's pitching coach in Atlanta since June 1990. Under Mazzone's guidance, the Braves' pitching staff has been no worse than second in the major leagues in ERA each year since 1992.
Mazzone, known for nervously rocking back and forth on the bench, is coming off a season many consider his finest with the Braves, transforming journeymen pitchers Chris Hammond and Darren Holmes into effective relievers as the Braves boasted baseball's best bullpen.
