PITTSBURGH -- Ultimately, a Pirates pitching staff that finished among the league's worst in most statistical areas cost pitching coach Jeff Andrews his job after one season with the club.

Andrews, who was in his first season as a Major League coach, and first-base coach Lou Frazier have both been relieved of their duties with the Pirates. Both were informed of general manager Neal Huntington's decision this morning upon returning to Pittsburgh.

"These are extremely difficult decisions because of the people involved," Huntington said. "Ultimately, I am the GM, and I am accountable for our performance. I am not proud that I had to make coaching changes this soon with people that I hired only one year ago, but I feel like this is the best move going forward."

Andrews ascended to the position with the Major League club after spending the previous five seasons as a pitching coach in the Pirates' Minor League system. He was hired last November to replace outgoing pitching coach Jim Colborn.

Andrews inherited a starting staff that he had already helped nurture in the Minors, as four of the team's initial five starters had worked with him in the Minors. However, under Andrews, both Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell took a step back after strong 2007 showings. The only starter to make noted improvement was Paul Maholm.

The starting staff accumulated a Major League-low 33 wins and a National League-worst 5.36 ERA. And for the first time since 1890, no one on the staff reached 10 wins. Maholm finished with nine.

The pitching staff, as a whole, finished with a 5.08 ERA, the third-highest such mark in the Majors. The staff's 657 walks were surpassed only by the Orioles.

Frazier was also in his first year with the club and served as the Pirates' outfield and baserunning instructor in addition to being the team's first-base coach. After playing 14 seasons as a professional, this marked Frazier's first Major League job.

Manager John Russell and the rest of his coaching staff -- bench coach Gary Varsho, hitting coach Don Long, third-base coach Tony Beasley and bullpen coach Luis Dorante -- will be retained. Huntington also confirmed that a search process will begin immediately for fill the two coaching vacancies.