Jim Slaton new Vegas pitching coach

Jim Slaton, an Antelope Valley High School graduate who pitched for the Angels for 2 1/2 seasons (1984-86) at the tail end of a 16-year career in the majors, is the new pitching coach for the Dodgers' Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate. He replaces Ken Howell, who was promoted last month to major-league bullpen coach. Slaton, 57, spent the past 11 seasons with Seattle, the past three as the Mariners' big-league bullpen coach, but was let go with a handful of other coaches in October. He was a minor league pitching coach for 13 consecutive seasons with four different organizations from 1992-2004 before moving up to the major-league staff with Seattle in 2005. Slaton had a 151-158 record and a 4.03 ERA in the majors, primarily as a starter, and he spent the bulk of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. The rest of the Dodgers' minor-league coaching staff for 2008 is expected to be announced later this week.