SAN FRANCISCO — Part of Dave Righetti’s success as a Giants pitching coach was that he could relate to anybody, in any role, thanks to his own varied experiences as a player.
He was starter, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1981 and throwing a no-hitter in 1983.
He was a reliever, breaking what was then a single-season record with 46 saves in 1986 and later establishing a New York Yankees career mark of 224 that lasted until Mariano Rivera came along.
He knew life as both a hotshot prospect (10th overall pick in the 1977 draft) and a fading veteran (bouncing from the Giants to the A’s to the Blue Jays to the White Sox in his twilight).