Dodgers announce 2016 coaching staff. Update.

Dave Roberts‘ coaching staff was formally announced on Thursday:

Bob Geren — bench coach
Rick Honeycutt — pitching coach
Turner Ward — hitting coach
Tim Hyers — assistant hitting coach
George Lombard — first base coach
Chris Woodward — third base coach
Josh Bard — bullpen coach
Juan Castro — quality assurance coach
Steve Yeager — coach

Gabe Kapler, the runner-up for the manager’s job and a rumored coach for weeks, will remain director of player development.

Update: Kapler talked about his decision to stay in the front office, and Roberts explained the challenge of putting together a staff in mid-December.

Here’s a bit more on each of the coaches from a team release:

Continue reading “Dodgers announce 2016 coaching staff. Update.” »

Dodgers coaching staff announcement expected Thursday or Friday.

The Dodgers are expected to announce their full coaching staff sometime Thursday or Friday. The team hasn’t announced anything yet because one position still isn’t finalized — but which one?

Good question. Here’s the latest on the expected 2016 coaches, titles and reliability of information:

Bench: Bob Geren (believed done, confirmed)
1B: Gabe Kapler (believed done, unconfirmed)
3B: Chris Woodward (reported, unconfirmed)
BullpenJosh Bard (only name I’ve heard so far, unconfirmed)
HittingTurner Ward (reported, unconfirmed)
Assistant hitting: Tim Hyers (reported, unconfirmed)
PitchingRick Honeycutt (done, unconfirmed)

Reports: Mark McGwire to become San Diego Padres’ bench coach.

Mark McGwireThe Dodgers haven’t announced their coaching staff under Dave Roberts, who was named the new manager just yesterday, but it appears Mark McGwire won’t be on it.

McGwire is in line to be the next bench coach of the San Diego Padres, according to multiple reports. The Dodgers’ hitting coach the last three seasons, McGwire lives in Irvine. He came to Los Angeles from St. Louis so he could work closer to home. San Diego might be a longer commute, but at least it fits the Southern California bill.

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt is returning for his 11th season with the Dodgers, according to multiple reports, though the team hasn’t confirmed this. Outside of Honeycutt, the staff could take on a very different look in 2016.

Report: Rick Honeycutt signing two-year contract to return to Dodgers.

Rick Honeycutt will remain the Dodgers’ pitching coach through 2017, according to CBSsports.com. The report claims that Honeycutt’s new two-year contract will pay him $750,000 each of the next two years.

Honeycutt is entering his 11th season as the Dodgers’ pitching coach, having worked under three managers already: Grady Little, Joe Torre and Don Mattingly.

The Dodgers lost first base coach Davey Lopes to the Washington Nationals this week.

Mental approach ought to determine Edinson Volquez’s success with the Dodgers.

Edinson Volquez

Edinson Volquez was 9-10 with a 6.01 earned-run average this season before he was placed on release waivers Wednesday by the San Diego Padres. (Getty Images)

Edinson Volquez was laughing Friday. Maybe it was nervous laughter; reading someone’s emotions can be difficult the first time you meet them.

The right-handed pitcher, who officially signed a one-year contract with the Dodgers on Friday, was talking about his last start seven days ago against the Chicago Cubs.

“Every pitch I threw, they hit them,” Volquez said. “I was surprised because I have good numbers against the Cubs. I saw my record agianst them, it was 5-0, 2-point ERA [actually 2.98]. I had a lot of confidence. Then in the first inning it was like six runs, five (earned) runs, in the first inning. It’s not good.”

Cue the awkward laughter.
Continue reading “Mental approach ought to determine Edinson Volquez’s success with the Dodgers.” »