Rick Kranitz was hired as the Baltimore Orioles pitching coach Wednesday, replacing Leo Mazzone. Kranitz was the pitching coach for the Florida Marlins the past two seasons. The organization wanted to retain him for next year but he wanted to explore other options, and wasn't with the club for the final six games of this season. Kranitz takes over for Mazzone, who was fired last week with one year left on his three-year contract.