Diamondback Jay
Psalms 23:1
Link
If there are any changes to the Diamondbacks coaching staff this off-season, the moves will strictly be left to manager Bob Melvin's discretion, and not by suggestion or intimidation from anyone in ownership or the front office.
"I'm a big believer that the manager ought to have his own people, because in the end, everybody looks to him," Ken Kendrick, the team's managing general partner, said Saturday. "Whether success comes or doesn't come, it will be his responsibility, and that's why I feel he deserves to have the people he wants."
Kendrick said the only way he or General Partner Jeff Moorad would intervene is if there were significant off-the-field issues relating to any of the coaches. If Melvin were to make a replacement on his staff, full background checks would be conducted. Kendrick made that a permanent requirement within the organization after last November's botched hiring and subsequent firing of Wally Backman as manager. advertisement
Melvin plans to sit down with ownership shortly after the season ends in a week to detail his plans. He declined Friday to discuss the subject in any detail.
Melvin has one year left on his contract, plus two one-year club options. Each of his coaches agreed to one-year deals that expire Oct. 31.
Melvin inherited two holdovers from manager Bob Brenly's staff, pitching coach Mark Davis, who is completing his first full season in that capacity, and bullpen coach Glenn Sherlock, who has been with the team since its inaugural year in 1998.
Melvin picked the rest of his staff: bench coach Jay Bell, a former Diamondbacks infielder; hitting coach Mike Aldrete, who was with Melvin in Seattle; third base coach Carlos Tosca, who spent parts of three seasons as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays; and first base coach Brett Butler.
Tosca, Bell and Butler all have managerial aspirations, and any of them may seek opportunities elsewhere. Bell's name was linked to the Pirates job when Pittsburgh fired Lloyd McClendon.
"He's been in enough big league dugouts and in enough big league games to understand what it takes," Melvin said of Bell this month. "(Managing in the majors) will certainly be in the offing down the road, whether it's sooner or later."
As for Davis, a Cy Young Award winner for San Diego in 1989, Melvin has always been highly complimentary. But the team ERA (4.97 at week's end) ranks among the worst in the National League, and the bullpen's ERA (5.80 ) is on track to finish as the third worst since 1960.
Only the 1996 Detroit Tigers (5.97) and the 1999 Seattle Mariners (5.94) have had a higher bullpen ERA in the past 45 years.
Melvin could decide to make a switch there and attempt to hire his pitching coach with the Mariners, Bryan Price, whom he wanted to bring with him to Arizona.
Kendrick said he understands that fans have their own opinions on such things.
"The normal view out there is if we have good pitching, then we must obviously have a good pitching coach," he said. "If we have bad pitching, we must have a bad pitching coach. But there's much more to it than that."
The same reasoning could apply to Aldrete, who may come under fire for the Diamondbacks hitting .238 with runners in scoring position, one of the team's biggest downfalls. But common thinking is that such statistics are cyclical and difficult to gauge from hitter to hitter, season to season.
First baseman Tony Clark gave high praise to Aldrete, crediting much of his success this season to his daily work with the batting instructor.
2006 D-Backs: An early look
First in a series
Diamondbacks beat writer Bob McManaman breaks down a different position on the team each day this week, pointing toward the 2006 season. (Statistics through Friday)
Outfielders
WHAT THEY HAVE
LF Luis Gonzalez (148 G, .266 Avg., 21 HRs, 73 RBIs)
CF Shawn Green (150 G, .292 Avg., 22 HRs, 73 RBIs)
RF Chad Tracy (137 G, .299 Avg., 24 HRs, 62 RBIs)
CF Luis Terrero (83 G, .234 Avg., 4 HRs, 19 RBIs)
OF Quinton McCracken (126 G, .230 Avg., 1 HR, 12 RBIs)
WHAT THEY NEED
The Diamondbacks may feel they have no choice but to try to open a spot for prized prospect Carlos Quentin, who looks ready for major league duty. But where to play him? Unless something drastic happens, such as a major trade involving Gonzalez, Green or Tracy, Quentin may have to bide his time, coming off the bench as a role player to start.
WHO MIGHT BE AVAILABLE
It's doubtful the Diamondbacks will go this route, but potential free agents include Sammy Sosa, Dave Roberts, Hideki Matsui, Preston Wilson, Jay Payton, Randy Winn and Eric Young.
MAC'S TAKE
Manager Bob Melvin has to pick a permanent spot for Tracy, be it in the outfield or back at one of the infield corner positions, and it's looking more and more likely that Tracy will stay put in right field. That would mean Green stays in center, where he has been solid, if unspectacular. (Green hasn't committed an error in 183 consecutive games.) What happens in left with Gonzalez is up in the air, but if I'm the GM, I keep Gonzo right where he is and never even think about trading him.
- Bob McManaman
If there are any changes to the Diamondbacks coaching staff this off-season, the moves will strictly be left to manager Bob Melvin's discretion, and not by suggestion or intimidation from anyone in ownership or the front office.
"I'm a big believer that the manager ought to have his own people, because in the end, everybody looks to him," Ken Kendrick, the team's managing general partner, said Saturday. "Whether success comes or doesn't come, it will be his responsibility, and that's why I feel he deserves to have the people he wants."
Kendrick said the only way he or General Partner Jeff Moorad would intervene is if there were significant off-the-field issues relating to any of the coaches. If Melvin were to make a replacement on his staff, full background checks would be conducted. Kendrick made that a permanent requirement within the organization after last November's botched hiring and subsequent firing of Wally Backman as manager. advertisement
Melvin plans to sit down with ownership shortly after the season ends in a week to detail his plans. He declined Friday to discuss the subject in any detail.
Melvin has one year left on his contract, plus two one-year club options. Each of his coaches agreed to one-year deals that expire Oct. 31.
Melvin inherited two holdovers from manager Bob Brenly's staff, pitching coach Mark Davis, who is completing his first full season in that capacity, and bullpen coach Glenn Sherlock, who has been with the team since its inaugural year in 1998.
Melvin picked the rest of his staff: bench coach Jay Bell, a former Diamondbacks infielder; hitting coach Mike Aldrete, who was with Melvin in Seattle; third base coach Carlos Tosca, who spent parts of three seasons as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays; and first base coach Brett Butler.
Tosca, Bell and Butler all have managerial aspirations, and any of them may seek opportunities elsewhere. Bell's name was linked to the Pirates job when Pittsburgh fired Lloyd McClendon.
"He's been in enough big league dugouts and in enough big league games to understand what it takes," Melvin said of Bell this month. "(Managing in the majors) will certainly be in the offing down the road, whether it's sooner or later."
As for Davis, a Cy Young Award winner for San Diego in 1989, Melvin has always been highly complimentary. But the team ERA (4.97 at week's end) ranks among the worst in the National League, and the bullpen's ERA (5.80 ) is on track to finish as the third worst since 1960.
Only the 1996 Detroit Tigers (5.97) and the 1999 Seattle Mariners (5.94) have had a higher bullpen ERA in the past 45 years.
Melvin could decide to make a switch there and attempt to hire his pitching coach with the Mariners, Bryan Price, whom he wanted to bring with him to Arizona.
Kendrick said he understands that fans have their own opinions on such things.
"The normal view out there is if we have good pitching, then we must obviously have a good pitching coach," he said. "If we have bad pitching, we must have a bad pitching coach. But there's much more to it than that."
The same reasoning could apply to Aldrete, who may come under fire for the Diamondbacks hitting .238 with runners in scoring position, one of the team's biggest downfalls. But common thinking is that such statistics are cyclical and difficult to gauge from hitter to hitter, season to season.
First baseman Tony Clark gave high praise to Aldrete, crediting much of his success this season to his daily work with the batting instructor.
2006 D-Backs: An early look
First in a series
Diamondbacks beat writer Bob McManaman breaks down a different position on the team each day this week, pointing toward the 2006 season. (Statistics through Friday)
Outfielders
WHAT THEY HAVE
LF Luis Gonzalez (148 G, .266 Avg., 21 HRs, 73 RBIs)
CF Shawn Green (150 G, .292 Avg., 22 HRs, 73 RBIs)
RF Chad Tracy (137 G, .299 Avg., 24 HRs, 62 RBIs)
CF Luis Terrero (83 G, .234 Avg., 4 HRs, 19 RBIs)
OF Quinton McCracken (126 G, .230 Avg., 1 HR, 12 RBIs)
WHAT THEY NEED
The Diamondbacks may feel they have no choice but to try to open a spot for prized prospect Carlos Quentin, who looks ready for major league duty. But where to play him? Unless something drastic happens, such as a major trade involving Gonzalez, Green or Tracy, Quentin may have to bide his time, coming off the bench as a role player to start.
WHO MIGHT BE AVAILABLE
It's doubtful the Diamondbacks will go this route, but potential free agents include Sammy Sosa, Dave Roberts, Hideki Matsui, Preston Wilson, Jay Payton, Randy Winn and Eric Young.
MAC'S TAKE
Manager Bob Melvin has to pick a permanent spot for Tracy, be it in the outfield or back at one of the infield corner positions, and it's looking more and more likely that Tracy will stay put in right field. That would mean Green stays in center, where he has been solid, if unspectacular. (Green hasn't committed an error in 183 consecutive games.) What happens in left with Gonzalez is up in the air, but if I'm the GM, I keep Gonzo right where he is and never even think about trading him.
- Bob McManaman
