Dan Warthen hired by Rangers as assistant pitching coach

It was a little surprising when we learned that the Mets would be parting ways with longtime pitching coach Dan Warthen. Not only had Warthen spent nine-and-a-half seasons in that role, but he got a lot of credit for the development of New York’s young and talented pitching staff.

While the Mets moved on and hired Dave Eiland, the Texas Rangers announced on Monday that Warthen will be joining them as the assistant pitching coach under Doug Brocail. Brocail has worked as the pitching coach for Texas and Houston in the past, and he somewhat miraculously coaxed a 3.40 ERA out of Andrew Cashner this past year despite the pitcher’s 1.34 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 2018, Brocail and Warthen will…