Stottlemyre starts over

SEATTLE – Mel Stottlemyre was getting his white blood cells counted for yet another month. Unsolicited, his doctor said he could go back to full-time work again, back to the ballpark routine he had followed just about every summer for 41 years.

Then came another unexpected offer.

Stottlemyre returned to the major leagues this week as the pitching coach of the Seattle Mariners, accepting the first of what he hopes is a series of one-year contracts. It’s the only job that could get him back into a dugout.

“I certainly hope it lasts for more than one year,” Stottlemyre said. “Whatever happens, at my age and certainly with my health issue, I’m excited for the opportunity.”

The 65-year-old former pitching coach for the New York Yankees and New York Mets got cleared to return to the bigs during a visit to his Seattle-area doctor this summer. Just as she had each month for years, the doctor told Stottlemyre his blood-cell count would allow him resume the three-weeks on, one-week off pill cycle he takes to combat multiple myeloma.

But this time, she surprised the old right-hander-turned-fisherman.

“You have no restrictions to go back to work full time, if you want,” she told him a few months ago.

“I wasn’t even looking for that,” Stottlemyre said Monday.

The former five-time All-Star with the Yankees left them in 2005, after 10 seasons and four World Series titles as New York’s pitching coach. He said he was tired of criticism from owner George Steinbrenner. Raised in Mabton, Wash., he returned to his home in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah and interviewed that fall to become manager Mike Hargrove’s pitching coach with the Mariners. Hargrove chose relatively inexperienced Rafael Chaves instead.

Stottlemyre dabbled in spring training and instructional league work with the Arizona Diamondbacks last year. He golfed, fished and helped his son Todd, one of two sons who also pitched in the majors, begin his new career as a financial adviser.

One of the first clients he lined up for Todd was John McLaren, the Mariners bench coach who became manager when Hargrove abruptly resigned July 1.

The dividends from that arrangement arrived this month. McLaren called to ask Stottlemyre to replace Chaves, after Seattle’s starters had a 5.12 ERA this past season – 12th in the A.L.

“Mel was my No. 1 choice,” McLaren said. “His reputation speaks for itself.”

Stottlemyre was content fishing and golfing.

“I wasn’t really anxious to get back into the game – until the Seattle job came open,” Stottlemyre said. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be in baseball but still be able to come home every day.”