What The Mel?

Ex-Yankee pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre is reportedly going to be at spring training, helping the Yankees and new pitching coach Ron Guidry with the pitchers. I hope this doesn't happen but it likely will. I've never been a fan of Mel's. I think he does more harm than good. I can't think of any pitchers that he has done a tremendous job with. Usually when the Yankees acquire an established pitcher, the guy never does as well as he did in seasons past. Pavano, Wright, Mussina, Brown, Vazquez, Contreras, even Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens to an extent. Johnson had said in the mid-part of last season that there he noticed a problem with his mechanics and he corrected it, and that he should soon be his old self, which he almost was. I wonder how much of his problems had to do with Stottlemyre tinkering with his delivery? When Contreras and El Duque reconnected in Chicago, El Duque reportedly told Contreras to forget everything he learned in New York. Not only is that funny but it says a lot. When guys make comments like that, it doesn't reflect well on your ability to better the pitcher. Contreras is having a pretty good stint with the White Sox, so I'm inclined to think there may be some truth in El Duque's comments.
I've never thought of Stottlemyre as a good pitching coach. I was relieved when he decided to step down, citing differences with the Tampa faction of the front office. He was tired of being second guessed. Maybe if he was a decent coach, there'd be no second guessing. I, for one, wish Mel would stay away from Tampa this spring, and let Gid take control of the staff. We don't need Mel to make the pitching staff any worse. His leaving was a good thing!