The Tigers signed manager Jim Leyland to a one-year contract extension today, which means there are still just three teams looking for managers. Here are the latest managerial notes, starting in the AL East…
- The Red Sox announced that they've hired longtime Blue Jays coach Brian Butterfield to coach third base in Boston. Butterfield joins manager John Farrell and bench coach Torey Lovullo as former Blue Jays personnel in Boston.
- Multiple teams were actively courting Butterfield before he signed in Boston, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
- The Dodgers have granted the Blue Jays permission to interview third base coach Tim Wallach for their managerial opening, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports. The Blue Jays wanted to interview Wallach the last time they had a managerial opening, in 2010. However, Wallach wasn't allowed to interview because of a clause in his contract. Sandy Alomar Jr., DeMarlo Hale and Don Wakamatsu also appear to be in the mix for the Toronto job. Butterfield had been a candidate before accepting his new position in Boston.
obviously, there was something super fishy in the Jays head office in 2012, to have three guys jump ship, two of them loyal to Farrell, speaks volumes.
More like, these coaches had 1 year contracts & the Jays want to grant the incoming Manager leeway in naming his own coaching staff.
The problem with everyone leaving and giving the “New” manager leeway, is that the Blue Jays have to replace them too!
Actually, I love this idea. If Butters and Farrell are on the same page, strategically, they should definitely stay together.
A manager should definitely be able to choose his coaches. Good manager-friendly move by AA to let it happen.
Like he said below–one year contracts— and a fresh start with new coach getting his guys. Lovullo came with Farrell, Butter is a New Englander
Lovullo also managed Pawtucket in 2010.
i doubt butterfield is particularly loyal to farrell, they spent exactly one (horrible) season together. More like butterfield is from new england and knew his position with the jays was tenuous at best with a new manager coming in. in fact, the jays probably told him to move on if he had the chance.
Nice that Farrell is able to get the guys he can trust and that he had in Toronto. Just surprised they were willing to both come. I’m most eager to see the pitching coach. Obviously Farrell is going to have a hand in helping the pitchers out but he has the responsibility of managing 25 guys before he dabbles in certain areas. That why its important he can select a strong candidate for that job.
Tori Lovullo is a former AAA Pawtucket Manager.
Brian Butterfield is from the New England area (I think Maine).
So in a way, they do have some ‘connection’ to the Boston Red Sox.
They need jobs, thats why it was easy for them to go.
They didnt want to risk not being renewed by the new manager
Butterfield was a canidate for a better coaching position in Toronto.
no he’s stated numerous times that he does not want to be a manager
This is false. If he didnt wasnt to be a Manager, he wouldnt be taking these interviews. Any thought to the contrary is overlooking the obvious.
what interview did he take?
looks like the Pitching coach will be Rick Peterson..
That would be awesome.
He’ll get them fixed up in…
Ah, never mind. Too easy.
I didn’t want to see Butterfield leave
I did.
They needed to clean that club house out.
Its obviously not going to be Don Waka, or else they probably wouldn’t have let butter leave
They didn’t let butter leave, he wasn’t under contract.
they could have renewed him. they told him to look for a new job because his wasn’t guaranteed
DTA
And the hits keep coming to Toronto.
No huge losses all around. The pitching coach and Hitting coach are the ones that would be hardest to replace just based on philosophy adjustment alone.
I’ve never liked dwayne murphys philosophy anyways.
Murphy seems to be the only coach actually helping on this Jays squad. Both Edwin and Jose contribute their success of Murphy changing their swinging mechanics.
if you give him credit for jose and EE (ee refined his mechanics in the minors)
then do you take credit away for guys like lind, snider, hill, ?
Edwin didn’t redefine anything last year. Stop making up facts, he changed his swing this offseason by finishing with a two handed swing instead of a uncontrolled one handed finish. Edwin’s mechanic issue is what changed him from a 35 doubles guy of 2011 to a 20 doubles guy with 40 homeruns of 2012. Hill will never be the same player that hot 30 homeruns with a .300 average. His numbers are reflective of Arizona’s hot climate and spacious outfield where hitting is easier in the NL because people don’t have insane amount of range like they do playing in say Yankee stadium.
I’m trying to think of other instances in which a manager and much of his staff from a losing team were brought in with the hopes of building a contender. Lou Piniella to the Cubs, maybe? How much of Guillen’s staff came with him last year?
Eh, I too much is made of a manager’s previous record. Before Joe Torre became a yankee legend he overall had 15 average years being a manager. Terry Francona had 4 miserable years in Philly before his success in Boston. Bruce Bochy had 12 up and down seasons in San Diego and an awful start in SF but he’s lead his team to 2 WS wins in 3 years.
Not saying this proves anything, just sometimes it seems baseball teams are like blind chemistry experiments. Get the right players, coaches, etc and you can get something great. If not: Boom.
I don’t necessarily disagree. It’s just odd how often this is tried lately, given how risk-averse MLB teams usually are.
It’s probably safe to assume Butterfield was not being offered the Jay’s manager’s position. Once AA confirmed to him that he was not in the running for the job he was free to accept Farrell’s offer to come to Boston. And I would find it hard to believe Butterfield would stay with the Jay’s after being passed over again.
Out With the Old, In With the New.
If I knew the Red Sox were taking the entire Jays coaching staff, I’d have wanted a lot more than Aviles. I can’t believe Beeston is letting the Red Sox get away with tampering.