Tigers hire Rich Dubee as pitching coach

The Detroit Tigers announced Thursday they've hired Rich Dubee as their pitching coach.

The 58-year-old Dubee has been the Atlanta Braves' minor-league pitching coordinator for the the past two seasons, and previously served as pitching coach for the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies.

"I'm very thrilled to be here. I'm appreciative of the opportunity to coach with an organization like the Detroit Tigers," Dubee said.

Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee, and Jamie Moyer are just a few of the hurlers who've blossomed under Dubee's tutelage.

The Tigers' pitching staff took a huge step back in 2015 after boasting one of the most feared rotations in baseball a year earlier. Detroit's hurlers ranked in the bottom tier of most statistical categories, including ERA (28th), WHIP, (27th), strikeouts (28th), and quality starts (22nd).

Dubee will inherit a rebuilt pitching staff led by 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. Young hurlers Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, Ian Krol, Shane Greene, Buck Farmer, are among those vying for roster spots next year.