The Marlins have announced their coaching staff under manager Don Mattingly. In addition to preexisting members, Mel Stottlemyre Jr. will serve as pitching coach, Trey Hillman will join as first base/infield coach, Jeff Livesey will become the assistant hitting coach, and Kevin Barr will run the club’s strength and conditioning.
Stottlemyre comes over from the Mariners, who decided not to retain him after the 2018 season. He only briefly reached the bigs as a pitcher, but has spent most of the past decade in MLB dugouts. Stottlemyre served for three years as the Seattle pitching coach and has functioned as a pitching coach and bullpen coach with the Diamondbacks.
As for Hillman, whose hiring was reported yesterday by Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), he has had a particularly interesting path. He has not only managed in the majors (with the Royals), but skippered championship clubs in Japan and (most recently) Korea. After taking the KBO crown last year with SK Wyverns, Hillman decided upon a stateside return.
Livesey was not retained by the Pirates as their assistant hitting coach after a five-year run, but lands the same post in Miami. Barr is best known for his long run with the Rays. Otherwise, the Fish will continue to rely on Tim Wallach as bench coach, Mike Pagliarulo as hitting coach, Fredi Gonzalez as third base coach, and Dean Treanor as bullpen coach.
thorshair
Marlins finally join the rest of the NL East and making big moves
bigwestbaseball
Tim Wallach was the Golden Spike (best college baseball player) when he played at Cal State Fullerton. He is very experienced and one day should be the manager of an MLB team. Go Titans!
bigwestbaseball
Tim Wallach was the Gold Spike (best college baseball player) when he played at Cal State Fullerton. He should be a MLB manager. Go Titans!
Blue Baron
Telling us once is sufficient. It’s not that big of a deal, thanks.
Houston We Have A Solution
Double posts happen. Its part of internet life. Move on.
MetsYankeesRedSox
The second post is different…read.
agentx
Tim Wallach was the Golden Spike (best college baseball player) when he played at Cal State Fullerton. He is very experienced and one day should be the manager of an MLB team. Go Titans!
JKB 2
So winning the award qualifies him to be a big league manager?
oldleftylong
Remember lean Gene Lamont?
Android Dawesome
Reading this I got a Major League the movie reboot vibe.
stretch123
These are good hirings but I don’t see Mattingly returning for the 2020 season.
MetsYankeesRedSox
Joe Girardi!
Hackmanjones
I was hoping he’d come to Seattle when Servais gets fired
baseballhobo
I wish Mattingly and Pagliarulo still had moustaches.
bobtillman
Funny. Their wives were saying the same thing…….
reflect
It wouldn’t have surprised me if the Marlins just didn’t have a coaching staff.
goldenmisfit
Wonder which one of these good coaches would be a prime candidate for the Marlins managing job once they show Mattingly the door.
andrewf
Try Hillman, he should be a great coach to replace Mattingly.
steveb-2
Hillman was a Yankees’ minor league manager for about 10 years before he managed in Japan.
He was Mattingly’s bench coach in LA.
He also managed Derek Jeter in A ball.
agentx
Hillman is also fresh off a KBO championship and is the first manager not born in either Japan or South Korea to win championships in both the NPB and KBO.
A little old school, but definitely a legitimate MLB managerial candidate.