Dave Wallace: 2000 N.L. Champion Mets Pitching Coach (1998-2000)

David William Wallace was born on September 7th, 1947, in Waterbury Connecticut. The five-foot ten right hander attended the University of New Haven getting signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1969. 

Minor Leagues: Wallace would spend nine seasons in the Phillies minor leagues, five of them at the AA level. Overall, he spent parts of twelve seasons in the minor leagues going 48-37 with a 4.11 ERA in 360 appearances. 

MLB Career: Wallace made brief appearances in three seasons at the major league level. In 1973 he appeared in four games over July & August, for the last place Philadelphia Phillies (71-91) posting no record. He allowed nine earned runs in 3.2 innings posting a whopping 22.09 ERA. In May 1974 he had three appearances, taking a loss to the San Diego Padres on May 7th, the only decision of his career.

In 1978 he was released by the Phillies & signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. He appeared in four games with Toronto at the big-league level. Wallace retired as a player in 1979.

He then worked as the Los Angeles Dodgers organization at A ball Vero Beach (1981-1982) San Antonio (1983) & AAA Albuquerque (1984-1986).

In 1984 while at AAA Albuquerque he returned to pitch four games earning a victory. In 1986 at age 39, he pitched another four games for the Dukes as well.

Coaching Career: From there he became the Dodgers big league pitching coach in 1995 reaming there for two seasons, making the playoff both times, although they were defeated in the first round both times. 

During his Dodger career he is credited in developing the careers of such pitchers as: Pedro Martínez, Ramón Martínez, Pedro Astacio, Darren Dreifort, Hideo Nomo, Chan Ho Park, Ismael Valdéz and John Wetteland.

Mets Career: In 1998 Wallace became special assistant to the New York Mets GM Steve Phillips. In 1999 he became the pitching coach under Bobby Valentine replacing Bob Apodaca. Apodaca was one of the coaches that was fired by GM Steve Phillips without the consent of Valentine, who learned about it listening to the radio.

Wallace & Valentine would never form a close working or friendly relationship.

That season Wallace's staff finished third in the NL with 97 wins, ranked second saves (49) fourth in strike outs (1172) fifth in ERA (4.27) & shut outs (3).

The staff was led by 13 game winners, Al Leiter & Wallace's early protege' from his Dodger days Orel Hershiser, now a veteran. Masato Yoshi was a 12-game winner & Rick Reed an 11-game winner. That year the Mets went 97-66 winning the NL Wild Card title & advancing to the NLCS.

2000 Mets Pennant Season: In 2000 the Mets won their second straight Wild Card title going 94-68, getting to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in their history. Wallace's staff finished fourth in wins (94) second in strike outs (1164) & saves (49).

The Mets were third in ERA (4.16) shut outs (2) as well as in hits, HRs & walks. The staff was led by 16 game winner Al Leiter & newcomer 15 game winner Mike Hampton. Hampton was 2-0 in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching 16 innings of shutout ball. 

His other main starters, Rick Reed, Glendon Rusch & Bobby Jones all won 11 games each as the Mets advanced all the way to World Series.

After the Post season, Wallace left the Mets & went back to the Dodgers organization.

In 2001 Wallace briefly became the Dodgers interim General Manager during a time of transition. By 2003 he took over the pitching coach role of the Boston Red Sox and won a World Series there in 2004, the tams first since 1918.

In 2004 he needed a hip replacement, two years later he suffered an infection from the surgery & almost died. He missed half the baseball season & left the club at the end of the year. Wallace fully recovered from the infection & returned to his normal health. 

He moved on the Houston Astros (2007) & then Seattle Mariners as a special assistant (2008).

Wallace moved on the Atlanta Braves in 2009 as a minor league pitching coordinator. In 2011 he replaced Roger McDowell as an interim pitching coach of the Braves when McDowell was on administrative leave for inappropriate comments to fans in San Francisco. 

Wallace then spent three seasons (2013-2016) as the Baltimore Orioles pitching coach under manager Buck Showalter. He then went back to Atlanta as a consultant.

In 2020 he was named the US National Baseball team pitching coach & his team won a Silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.