Rich Taylor

Owner

Former Pepperdine University Pitching Coach

-Former Chicago White Sox Scout and Instructional League Coach

-Kansas City Royals and New York Mets Associate Scout

-Original Owner and Founder of the West Coast Baseball School

-National Instructor for the MVP Arm Strengthening Program adopted by Little League Baseball and created in conjunction with the ASMI and Dr. James Andrews

-California Pitching Academy Director

-Author of Pitching Book Molding the Young Pitcher

–Pitching Instructor Gametime Academy, Meridian Idaho

-Pitching Director/Extra Innings Chandler, Arizona

-Owner, Taylor Made Athletes (current)

-Member, American Baseball Coaches Association

Rich Taylor

Developed three All Americans at Pepperdine

Has had 40 players drafted in the MLB draft/ 11 in the top ten/ Two First Rounders, Mike Fetters(Angels) and Derek Wallace (Mets) and Second Rounder Jeff Suppan who eventually won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2006 and was the MVP of the NL Division Series.

Five Former players are currently or former Division I head coaches: Larry Lee, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo/ Andy Stankiewicz, USC/ Rick Hirtensteiner, Pepperdine University/ Chad Krueter, USC/ Tim Montez, Jacksonville University Forty Three of his former players have played professionally Over 1000 of his former youth clients have gone on to play at the high school and college level and some of them represented the United States for the USA Baseball program.

Three of his former pitchers still rank in the top three for wins in one season at Pepperdine. One of them, Mike Fetters, still holds the record for most strikeouts in a season.

Author, “Don’t Throw Strikes”

Rich’s son Cory was the National Champion for the MLB Pitch, Hit and Run competition in 2010 competing in the 8 and under age group.

Thanks

After over 40 years of coaching there are so many people to thank that have given me opportunities, insight and wisdom that it would be nearly impossible to mention all of them.

However, there are a few that made an lasting impact on me as a coach and person that I’ll never forget.

Can’t ever forget my high school coaches at Santa Monica, Don Sealy and Tom McCaffrey, who I had the pleasure to play for and coach with. Don’s saying “Luck is the Residue of Design” is still ingrained in my mind to this day.

Dave Gorrie gave me my first DI job at Pepperdine at the young age of 24 and Bill Westling helped me by convincing Dave that I was the man for the job. Grateful forever to those two and all the memories at Pepperdine. Who would have thought 41 years later I’d still be coaching with the same passion I had back then!

Working baseball camps at West Hills Little League in California with Guy Hansen, Dave Trembly, Mike Gillespie and Tom Gamboa was priceless. What an unbelievable handful of knowledge they laid on me day after day and year after year. Guy and Tom eventually coached in the major leagues, Dave Managed the Baltimore Orioles and Mike won an NCAA title at USC as the head coach.

Special thanks to former Chicago White Sox GM Larry Himes and Ronnie Vaughn for having faith in me as a scout and instructor.

The players…..Wow…..had so many of them. So many highlights, so many laughs, so many pitches, so many balls and strikes, and I enjoyed (and still do today) every one of them. Wish I had a dollar for every pitch I’ve seen thrown since my coaching days began!

Never knew where I would have landed if it hadn’t been for Johnny Lonsdale and Martin Gottlieb at the Santa Monica Boys Club. For all my youth years that was my home away from home. Ate more hot dogs and pancakes at that place than I can remember!

Chuck Menzhuber, Gary Ponce, Lance Burrow, Kevin Tomlinson, Vince La Gatta, Tom Ansbro, Terry Hardtke, and Jesus Ponce, all had an impact on my life as a coach and human being whether they knew it or not. So thankful!

They were always there with words of encouragement, a place to live, kind words for my family, coaching my son Cory, and checking on me from time to time to see how I was doing.

Without everyone I mentioned above and countless others who took an interest in my coaching endeavors and life’s every day challenges, I wouldn’t be where I am today— using my gift to help and guide more pitchers and players.