The Dodgers finally have announced their coaching staff for the 2019 season. There are some new additions which include hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc who was previously with the Arizona organization as a hitting analyst and was also a private hitting coach for years. Longtime minor league coach/manager and former player Dino Ebel joins the staff as the new third base coach taking over for Chris Woodward, who left to become the manager of the Texas Rangers. Also joining the staff as a game planning coach is former player Chris Gimenez. The 35-year old catcher/infielder/outfielder split the 2018 season with the Twins and Cubs.
Returning to the staff is manager Dave Roberts, and longtime pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. Mark Prior will enter his second season as bullpen coach and Bob Geren returns as bench coach. Other returnees include Brant Brown as hitting strategist, and George Lombard as first base coach. Check out the official press release from the Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their Major League coaches for the 2019 season, with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt (14th season), bench coach Bob Geren (fourth season), first base coach George Lombard (fourth season), bullpen coach Mark Prior (second season) and hitting coach Brant Brown (second season) all returning with Dino Ebel joining the field staff as the third base coach, Robert Van Scoyoc as hitting coach, Aaron Bates as assistant hitting coach and Chris Gimenez as the game planning coach.
Dave Roberts – Manager (fourth season)
Bob Geren – Bench Coach (fourth season)
Rick Honeycutt – Pitching Coach (14th season)
Robert Van Scoyoc – Hitting Coach (first season)
Brant Brown –Hitting Strategist (second season)
George Lombard – First Base Coach (fourth season)
Dino Ebel – Third Base Coach (first season)
Mark Prior – Bullpen Coach (second season)
Aaron Bates – Assistant Hitting Coach (first season)
Chris Gimenez – Game Planning Coach (first season)
Ebel, 52, returns to the Dodger organization as the third base coach following 14 seasons in the Angels’ organization, including spending nine seasons as the third base coach on the Major League Staff (2006-14, ’18) and four seasons as the bench coach (2005, 2015-17). Last year, Ebel was also the Angels outfield coach, a position he held previously from 2011-15, and in 2017 he handled infield coaching duties as well. Ebel joined the Angels organization in 2005 as the manager for Triple-A Salt Lake following 17 seasons with the Dodgers as a minor league player, coach and manager. He started his coaching career in 1991, serving as a player-coach with Single-A Bakersfield until 1994. He then held the same role with Single-A San Bernadino in 1995 and then became a full-time coach in 1996. Ebel began his managerial career in 1997 with Single-A San Bernardino, then was the skipper for Rookie-level Great Falls in 1998, Single-A Yakima in 1999, once again for Single-A San Bernadino in 2000, then Single-A Wilmington in 2001 and was the manager for Double-A Jacksonville from 2002-04.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Ebel played six professional seasons with the Dodger organization after signing with the club in 1988 as a free agent. The infielder posted a career .255 batting average and a .331 on-base percentage, while also being named Gulf Coast League Player of the Year in his rookie season in 1988 with Rookie-level Sarasota.
Van Scoyoc (pronounced scoy-ak), 32, takes over as one of Los Angeles’ hitting coaches after spending last season with the Diamondbacks’ organization. This appointment will mark Van Scoyoc’s first time on a coaching staff at the Major League level and returns to the Dodger organization after spending 2016-17 as the club’s hitting consultant. The Santa Clarita Valley native has worked with Major League hitters as a private hitting instructor since 2011, most notably with two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger award winner J.D. Martinez and Dodger infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor.
Bates, 34, is in his fifth season with the Dodger organization and will be appointed assistant hitting coach for the Major League club, his first time on a big league staff. In addition to his responsibilities at the Major League level, Bates will be involved with the development of the organizations’ minor league hitters. Following his playing career, Bates began his coaching career in 2015 as the Rookie-level AZL Dodgers hitting coach for two seasons. In 2017 he was the hitting coach with Single-A Great Lakes and last season he spent time as the organization’s assistant hitting coordinator. Bates was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the 2006 draft out of North Carolina State University and spent eight seasons (2006-14) in the minor leagues as an outfielder in the Red Sox, Twins, Cardinals and Dodger organizations. He posted a .278 career batting average with 77 home runs and 358 RBI and also appeared in five big league games with Boston in 2009 in his only Major League action.
Gimenez, 35, joins the Dodgers as the game planning coach following a 10-year big league career with the Indians (2009-10, ’14, ‘16), Mariners (2011), Rays (2012-13), Rangers (2014-15), Twins (2017-18) and Cubs (2018). Gimenez was drafted by Cleveland in the 19th round of the 2004 draft out of the University of Nevada-Reno and posted a .218 career batting average with 24 home runs and 89 RBI over 391 career Major League games. He spent the majority of his career as a catcher, appearing in 292 career games, but also saw time at first base, third base, left field and right field, while also making 10 pitching appearances.
Wow. What a bunch of baseball nobodies. Ebel looks like he ate some bad cheese. I never heard on Von Scoyac until the other day. Gimenez I have seen play a few times. They go outside the organization for most of these guys. I guess we will see if Von can get his former pupil to quit striking out so damn much.
Eh, On coaches? I have no clue, which is no different from most Baseball subjects. Let’s just hope they all do great.
As per news:
The great Jeff Passan chimes in on the catcher market:
An already-crowded catching market is growing even more saturated, as the Toronto Blue Jays have discussed trading Russell Martin and the Pittsburgh Pirates are open to dealing Francisco Cervelli, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Both are drawing interest from a number of teams. Martin has one year at $20M left on his deal. The Blue Jays are willing to pay down a significant amount of that, per sources. Cervelli is likewise in the final year of his contract, at $11.5M. Teams love his OBP and makeup, and Pirates have Elias Díaz to play every day. The free agent market is still unusually deep for catchers. Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, Martín Maldonado, Robinson Chirinos, Evan Gattis, Matt Wieters, Devin Mesoraco, Jonathan Lucroy, among others. And that’s after Kurt Suzuki, Brian McCann and Jeff Mathis signed.
The sometimes reliable Jon Morosi reported on MLB Radio that trade talks between Dodgers and Indians involving Yasiel Puig and Corey Kluber are still very much on-going.
Rosenthal says Patrick Corbin is in line to receive six (SIX! 6!) year offers. The Nationals and Yanks? I wouldn’t give myself a six-year deal if I pitched. Also says Yankees may stay out of the market this year with an eye on Arrenado (spelling?) for next….
In most of the story’s they do not even call Van Scoyoc a coach. They call him a hitting strategist. The guy has never coached anyone. He just gives them a new approach or strategy. It worked for JD Martinez, and Taylor had a good year in 17. But, you have 40 different guys with 40 different sets of mechanics during spring. You are new to the organization and have never been a hitting coach. How is this guy supposed to spot mechanical flaws in a guys swing when he never played the game above the Junior college level? Of course he has an assistant who has done some of those things. This is one hire I just cannot wrap my head around. Forward thinking, yes, but to me it does not address the fundamentals of hitting nor does it look like it will solve the offenses biggest problem which is driving in runners in scoring position. I sincerely hope it does not blow up in their face.
Yeah, but VanScoyoc did hit .227 in his JC career, he’ll be a perfect fit.
I think these coaching additions will definitely put us over the top. I’m predicting 137 regular season wins and sweeping playoffs and WS.
Let’s hope so!
IMHO, Michael, stay tuned for more of the same in regards to the K’s with RISP and the ever evolving analytic ‘platoon’ lineups on a daily basis. And guess what…don’t be too surprised if we all notice that no FA or other player will want to come to this team knowing that perhaps half the time they sit and are not in starting lineup because of the L-R-L-R ordeal. This sitting especially after a player has a great game the night before…. SMFH……
Got that right. I was surprised Kemp kept his cool they way he did this year after he started after the all star game a little slow. He had a little slump for about 10 games and just when he was starting to hit again, Roberts went to that straight platoon stuff because Joc had been hitting homers leading off. Sitting the guy with the best RISP stats on the team and in my opinion really hurting the offense. Kemp was pulled early when he did start, even though his defense was a lot better this year and often came off the bench, even when he should have been in the lineup. Garret Richards opts for the Padres 2 year deal over the Dodgers bid. Shows you how the prestige and standing of the organization has fallen. Choosing the Padres over the Dodgers? Doesn’t the guy want to win? Sad state of affairs.
But living in SD rather than LA, if the money is close and the Dodgers appear to play revolving door with players, why wouldn’t the guy opt for SD. I mean, nice coastal setting or toilet, geez I can’t blame the guy
It seems he was close to signing with the Dodgers this morning, and the SD swooped in with the 15 mil for 2 years. The Dodgers were offering closer to 10. So he took the money. Cannot blame him for that. Cano and Diaz to the Mets for prospects and Jay Bruce almost a reality. Likely will be finalized tomorrow.,
I’m keeping my eyes on the bullpen next year. I think Mark Prior may be an issue that’s holding us back, but I need another year of observation.