Jeff Pico

{{Short description|American baseball player & coach (born 1966)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image = Jeff Pico (46857426005) (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Pico with the Detroit Tigers in 2019

| team =

| number =

| name = Jeff Pico

| position =Pitcher

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|2|12}}

| birth_place = Antioch, California, U.S.

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = May 31

| debutyear = 1988

| debutteam = Chicago Cubs

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 9

| finalyear = 1990

| finalteam = Chicago Cubs

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 13–12

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 4.24

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 132

| teams =

As player

Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1988}}–{{mlby|1990}})

As coach

Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2015}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2020}})

}}

Jeffrey Mark Pico (born February 12, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. He played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs.

Early life

Pico was born in Antioch, California, and attended Antioch High School. His teammates included former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alex Sanchez{{cite web|url= http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/athletes/jeff-pico-0|title= Jeff Pico|publisher= Antioch Historical Society|access-date= November 26, 2013|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131101172052/http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/athletes/jeff-pico-0|archive-date= November 1, 2013}} and PGA Tour pro Larry Silveira.{{cite web|url=http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/athletes/larry-silveira-0 |title=LARRY SILVEIRA |publisher=Antioch Historical Society |access-date=November 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101062418/http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/athletes/larry-silveira-0 |archive-date=November 1, 2013 }} In his sophomore year Pico posted a 7–3 season with a 1.53 ERA. Named Most Valuable Player during both his junior and senior years, the 6’2", 170-lb. pitcher had a 6–0 record in 1984 when the team won the North Coast championship. He is one of four Antioch players to have his baseball jersey retired.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

Playing career

He was drafted in the 13th round of the 1984 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=picoje01|title= Jeff Pico Stats

|publisher= Baseball Almanac|access-date= November 26, 2013}} With his major league pitching debut on May 31, 1988, against the Cincinnati Reds, Pico threw a four-hit shutout and was the first Cubs pitcher to throw a shutout in his major league debut since Bill Lee on May 7, 1934, against the Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite web|title=Jeff Rico |url=http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/jeff-pico |publisher=Antioch Historical Society |access-date=21 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101172224/http://www.antiochsportslegends.com/jeff-pico |archive-date= 1 November 2013 }} Pico played three seasons and appeared in 113 games from 1988 through 1990; he had a career ERA of 4.24. In his best preseason, 1989, he had an ERA of 3.77 and a 3–1 record. His major league career posted a winning lifetime 13–12 record in 295 career innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-159308|title= FORMER MAJOR LEAGUERS JOIN OAKS COACHING STAFF|publisher= RawhideBaseball.com|access-date= November 26, 2013}}

Coaching career

Pico began coaching after he retired as a pitcher, and was the pitching coach for the Chico Heat from 1997 to 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.actionnewsnow.com/content/localsports/story/Former-Heat-Pitching-Coach-Becomes-Reds-Pitching/RxfLdTBgLUWB3F4_NEfj7A.cspx|title=Former Heat Pitching Coach, Becomes Reds Pitching Coach|publisher=Action News Now|access-date=November 26, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203015734/http://www.actionnewsnow.com/content/localsports/story/Former-Heat-Pitching-Coach-Becomes-Reds-Pitching/RxfLdTBgLUWB3F4_NEfj7A.cspx|url-status=dead}} In 2003, Pico joined the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and was with the organization until 2013.{{cite web|url= http://www.sportsmedia101.com/cincinnatireds/2013/11/14/jeff-pico-and-don-long-join-team-cincinnati-reds-staff-coming-together/|title= Jeff Pico and Don Long Join Team, Cincinnati Reds Staff Coming Together|publisher= Reds 101|access-date= November 26, 2013|archive-date= November 18, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131118134539/http://www.sportsmedia101.com/cincinnatireds/2013/11/14/jeff-pico-and-don-long-join-team-cincinnati-reds-staff-coming-together/|url-status= dead}} He was the pitching coach for the South Bend Silver Hawks in 2004, the Lancaster JetHawks in 2006,{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3249258|title= Mashore and Pico Set to Return to Lancaster

|date= 13 December 2005

|publisher= Our Sports Central|access-date= November 26, 2013}} the Visalia Oaks in 2007 and the Mobile BayBears in 2008 and 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-4814950|title= Pico Gets Promoted, Carlson Back with BayBears

|publisher= MobileBaybears.com|access-date= November 26, 2013}}{{cite web|title=Jeff Rico|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/picoje01.shtml|publisher=Baseball Reference.com|access-date=21 November 2013}} Pico was pitching coordinator from 2010 to 2011, and the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor-league field coordinator in 2011 and 2012.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121219&content_id=40757898&vkey=pr_ari&c_id=ari|title= D-backs announce 2013 Minor League coaching staff|publisher= Arizona Diamondbacks|access-date= November 26, 2013}}

In November 2013, Pico was hired as the pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds to replace Bryan Price who was promoted from pitching coach to manager for the Reds.{{cite web|title=Jeff Pico |url=http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2013/11/12/jeff-pico-don-long-to-join-bryan-prices-staff/ |publisher=news.cincinnati.com. |access-date=21 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117201855/http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2013/11/12/jeff-pico-don-long-to-join-bryan-prices-staff/ |archive-date=17 November 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Jeff Pico |url=http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/phils-pitching-coach-drama-reaches-12-candidates |publisher=Comcast Sportsnet Philly L.P. |access-date=21 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124115558/http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/phils-pitching-coach-drama-reaches-12-candidates |archive-date=24 November 2013 }} On October 22, 2015, it was announced that the Reds would not renew Pico's contract for the 2016 season.

On December 2, 2015, Pico was named the pitching coach for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2015/12/detroit_tigers_name_jeff_pico.html|title=Tigers hire Jeff Pico as pitching coach at Toledo; Mike Hessman named minor league hitting coach|last=Schmehl|first=James|publisher=MLive|date=December 2, 2015|access-date=December 2, 2015}}

On June 28, 2018, Pico was named the bullpen coach for the Detroit Tigers.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/mlb/id/23939055|title=Ex-Tigers pitching coach Bosio says he's 'crushed' by firing|agency=Associated Press|website=ESPN.com|date=June 28, 2018|access-date=November 13, 2019}}