Jamie Dismuke no longer manager of Dragons...Benzinger takes over

[JayBruceFan]

Dayton Daily News is reporting the Jamie Dismuke has taken a job with AAA Richmond and will be thier hitting coach

No replacement has been named yet

[camisadelgolf]

I hope it's Tom Browning so he isn't the one responsible for giving pitching advice. I've heard some bad things about him condoning bad mechanics and things like that.

[JaxRed]

Wow, that's weird. He seemed like he was really excited aout trying his hand at managing. I don't think the minor league managers and coaches make a ton of money, perhaps the AAA salary was just too good to pass up.

edit - after seeing article, it was all about the commute.

[Bip Roberts]

Good riddance, hope you had the time of your life

[camisadelgolf]

If this was really about the commute, I think it's kind of interesting because Carolina isn't all that far away. Didn't he have the opportunity to stay as manager of the Mudcats?

[JaxRed]

No, he was previously hitting coach of Carolina. Obviously if he was offered Manager at AA versus Manager at Low A he would have taken AA.

[OnBaseMachine]

Dragons lose new manager

By Marc Katz

Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

DAYTON — Jamie Dismuke, who was to manage the Dayton Dragons this summer, has instead taken a job as hitting coach for the Class AAA Gwinnett (Ga.) Braves in the Atlanta Braves organization.

"It's a better situation for me," said Dismuke, who lives with his family in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he has spent the last few years as hitting coach (and the final month of last season as manager of the Class AA Lookouts). "Gwinnett is an hour and 45 minutes from my home. It's perfect for my family, plus it's a Triple-A job."

The Reds have not announced who will take over the Dragons after letting go of Donnie Scott, who managed the team the last two seasons.

Leon Roberts, a former minor-league hitting coordinator with the Reds, was announced as the Dragons manager for 2007. However, before the season, he took the same job with the Braves that Dismuke is taking, when the franchise's AAA team was in Richmond, Va.

Now Roberts is the Braves' minor-league coordinator, and he helped pry Dismuke away from the Reds.

Dismuke spent the last nine years in the Reds' organization, and said he told Cincinnati player development director Terry Reynolds the move had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with the Reds or the job in Dayton.

"It wasn't an easy decision," Dismuke said. "It wasn't about money or anything. Terry understood. He's a class act." Reynolds could not be reached Tuesday night.

Dismuke was to be part of an all new Dragons field staff, including hitting coach Todd Benzinger and pitching coach Rigo Beltran.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...spdragons.html

[camisadelgolf]

No, he was previously hitting coach of Carolina. Obviously if he was offered Manager at AA versus Manager at Low A he would have taken AA.

Right, but wasn't he the manager for the last month or two of the season?

[JaxRed]

Yes but did not have an opportunity to stay as manager.

[camisadelgolf]

Yes but did not have an opportunity to stay as manager.

I see. I wasn't sure on that. In that case, I guess being a manager took precedence over proximity, which is understandable.

[OnBaseMachine]

Dragons want new manager in place soon

By Marc Katz

Staff Writer

Thursday, December 25, 2008

DAYTON — Cincinnati Reds director of development Terry Reynolds said he hopes to hire a new manager for the Dayton Dragons by the first of the year, but, "It won't happen this weekend, so you can relax," he said with a laugh Wednesday, Dec. 24.

On Tuesday, the Braves organization announced the hiring of Jamie Dismuke as their hitting coach at Class AAA Gwinnett (Ga.). Dismuke, who had been with the Reds organization for nine years, had been scheduled to manage the Class A Dragons.

"I was surprised by the timing," said Reynolds, mindful that most minor-league jobs are secured by now. "But I'm happy for Jamie. He has a passion for hitting, and he'll be close to (his Chattanooga) home."

Reynolds said he is in the process of interviewing candidates for the Dayton job, open because the Reds told Donnie Scott they would not rehire him after 19 years with the organization — five as manager of the Dragons, including the past two seasons.

Reynolds would give no reason for the Scott departure, only wishing him well.

"At some point, we're going to have to add a person to our staff, but I don't know if we'll move someone we have now into the Dayton job or bring someone in from outside," Reynolds said. "We are going to look at some people from outside."

The Reds went outside their existing staff to hire David Bell to manage their new Class AA team in Carolina. Last season, Chattanooga was the Reds' AA affiliate, and was where Dismuke coached (and managed the last month of last season) for several years.

Dismuke said his leaving the Reds organization had nothing to do with dissatisfaction, but mainly with a chance to take a job much closer to his home.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...spdragons.html

[HalMorrisRules]

DDN

Todd Benzinger has been named the new manager of the Dragons.

[OnBaseMachine]

Former Red Benzinger named Dragons manager
He takes over position after departure of Dismuke for job with Braves' AAA team.

By Marc Katz

Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

DAYTON — Todd Benzinger — best known for recording the final out of the 1990 World Series for the victorious Cincinnati Reds — today, Dec. 31, will be named the fifth different manager of the Dayton Dragons.

Benzinger, a first baseman during his nine-year major-league career with Boston, the Reds, Kansas City, L.A. Dodgers and San Francisco from 1987-95, was originally hired by the Reds to be the hitting coach for the Class A Midwest League Dragons. However, early last week, Jamie Dismuke, who was supposed to manage the Dragons next season, accepted a job as hitting coach for the Class AAA team of the Atlanta Braves.

"We had a pool of 3-4 names," said Reds director of development Terry Reynolds, "and Todd was on top of that list.

"I've had dealings with him in the past and had him to spring training as a guest instructor. He has a great personality to teach and instruct."

Reynolds also promoted hitting instructor Tony Jaramillo from rookie Billings to be the hitting coach at Dayton. Rigo Beltran remains the Dayton pitching coach.

Reynolds said he has yet to fill the Billings hitting position.

Dismuke had been with the Reds organization nine years, the last five with Class AA Chattanooga. He was asked to replace Donnie Scott as manager of the Dragons after Scott was not retained following 19 years in the organization.

Scott completed two terms as manager of the Dragons, covering five years.

Freddie Benavides, Alonzo Powell and Billy Gardner also managed the Dragons.

Benzinger, who also coaches the girls basketball team at Lakota East High School, was born in Dayton, Ky., and will be 46 in February. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 1981, making it to Boston during the 1987 season.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...spdragons.html

[camisadelgolf]

I remember meeting Benzinger in high school about ten years ago. He had a very positive attitude and seemed surprisingly wholesome for a professional athlete. I don't know anything about his beliefs on baseball strategy, but as far as personalities go, I think he could be a very good addition for Dayton. Because of the local ties, he could possibly become a very long term solution, too.

[Bip Roberts]

His brother is a terrible baseball coach at New Richmond high school.