Hume Let Go, Kelly Re-assigned: Everyone Else Stays

[757690]

ESPN reports in their transaction section that the Reds have announced that Billy Hatcher, Mark Berry, Brook Jacoby and Dick Pole will be back at the same coaching positions they held last year. Tom Hume was not offereda a contract, and Pat Kelly was named manager of the Sarasota Reds.
I guess this means no Mazzone unless he is the bench coach.

[GoReds33]

Originally Posted by 757690

ESPN reports in their transaction section that the Reds have announced that Billy Hatcher, Mark Berry, Brook Jacoby and Dick Pole will be back at the same coaching positions they held last year. Tom Hume was not offereda a contract, and Pat Kelly was named manager of the Sarasota Reds.
I guess this means no Mazzone unless he is the bench coach.

I still think the pitching coach position will be Mazzone's if he wants it. I still hold out hope.

[jimbo]

Pole still could end up being bench coach.

I think it was a good decision to let Hume go.

I've never been crazy about Berry as 3rd base coach though.

I also agree with keeping Jocoby. Baker is right, you have to have some kind of continuity.

[757690]

Actually they only said that they would be back, I in-correctly assumed it would be in the same position. So Mazzone could still be pitching coach and Pole bench coach, or many other logical options.

[GoReds33]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Pole still could end up being bench coach.

I think it was a good decision to let Hume go.

I've never been crazy about Berry as 3rd base coach though.

I also agree with keeping Jocoby. Baker is right, you have to have some kind of continuity.

Berry seems like a smart guy, though I don't always agree with his decisions on sending runners.

[Carolina Red]

Berry can never seem to get it right at third. He either gets 'em gunned down at the plate or holds 'em when they can score. He has cost the Reds a lot of runs over the last few seasons. I would have fired him with Narron.

[Hey Meat]

I think Pole should be moved to bench coach.

[jmac]

I dont know why Berry has not been let go or moved out that position yet. As has been posted, he has costs the reds many runs one way or another. Granted, his position really stands out like a sore thumb but still he just doesnt seem to have good judgment sometime.

[jnwohio]

I take this as a sign that Dusty liked what he saw when he was keeping an eye on the team in the last half of the season. If it is not broken why try to fix it better.

Agree they can go either way with Pole. If they can land a big time pitching coach, he can slide into the bench coach role; or if they can't, Dusty can bring in another trusted friend and confidante for the bench role. Also the fact that Hume was let go and a bullpen coach was not named sort of underscores that the pitching coach situation may not be definitely settled yet.

[AmarilloRed]

Notes: Reds want most of staff back
Team offers all but one from former regime contracts for '08
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- There will be continuity on the Reds coaching staff heading into the 2008 season.

That was new manager Dusty Baker's desire upon taking over on Monday and it was reflected in the choices the club announced on Thursday.

Third-base coach Mark Berry, first-base coach Billy Hatcher, hitting coach Brook Jacoby, pitching coach Dick Pole and bullpen catcher Mike Stefanski were offered contracts next season. Longtime bullpen coach Tom Hume was not offered a spot on the Baker staff.

Bench coach Pat Kelly, who came aboard when Pete Mackanin took over as interim manager July 3, will return to his previous position as manager of the organization's Gulf Coast League affiliate in Sarasota as director of Florida on-field operations.

The club still needs to name a new bench coach and a bullpen coach, with no timetable known to fill either position.

"I don't want a wholesale change in coaches, because you have to start all over again," Baker said on Monday. "These guys have had too many coaches in a short period of time, to me. I kind of want to keep some of the guys here, in order to maintain what they've already started teaching."

"It's the type of situation where Dusty has input, and I have input and we talked it through," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said on Thursday. "Continuity is important. You can have too much turnover. We have capable guys. I'm really happy with the staff that's coming back."

This will be Berry's 25th season in the Reds organization and his 10th on the Major League coaching staff. He has been the club's third-base coach the past four seasons. Hatcher, a Reds player from 1990-92, has been the first-base coach since the start of the 2006 season.

Jacoby will return for his second season as hitting coach. As a team, the Reds had better hitting results this season than in 2006 under former coach Chris Chambliss. In 2007, the Reds batted .267, compared to .257 in 2006. With runners in scoring position, hitters improved from .244 to .263.

This will also be the second season in Cincinnati for Pole, who was expected back, because of his longtime association with Baker. Pole was also on the Cubs coaching staff when Baker was manager from 2003-06. This season, Reds pitchers posted a 4.94 team ERA, compared to 4.51 in 2006. Cincinnati's bullpen ERA of 5.13 was ranked last in the National League.

Hume, 54, had been with the Reds staff for 11 seasons as bullpen coach and worked with six different managers. A former reliever, he pitched for Cincinnati from 1977-85 and 1987. In 2006, he served as pitching coach when Vern Ruhle was unable to continue because of cancer.

"Tom gave a lot of years to the organization and it was tough to make that kind of decision," Krivsky said. "We appreciate everything he's done and wish him all the best."

"It's part of the game. It's sad it's come to an end," Hume said. "I think of all the time I put in Reds-wise, and community-wise and it's all gone in one phone call."

Hume was initially contacted by Krivsky and later by Baker.

"Dusty said he had somebody he wanted to use. That's fine," Hume said. "I respect that. It's a different feeling to be with the same organization and then not involved anymore. It's a weird feeling."

We will get a new bench coach and a new bullpen coach. Everyone else will be returning to their old jobs next year.

[stevekun]

Good moves I think

[INRedsFan]

Does anyone know if the resigned Johnny Narron? I hope they do because I think he helped Hamilton alot this year.

[ThirdBaseCoach]

Originally Posted by INRedsFan

Does anyone know if the resigned Johnny Narron? I hope they do because I think he helped Hamilton alot this year.

it's likely JN is gone. a big leaguer does not need a babysitter.

[Bip Roberts]

Wasnt there a quote this year from Hamilton about as long as hes here so is Narron.

Also I dont even think Narron is really a staff member. Hes like batting cage quality control specialist or some junk.

video-administrative coach is his title actually

[GoReds33]

Originally Posted by Bip Roberts

Wasnt there a quote this year from Hamilton about as long as hes here so is Narron.

Also I dont even think Narron is really a staff member. Hes like batting cage quality control specialist or some junk.

video-administrative coach is his title actually

I like Johnny. I would like to see him, to make sure we don't see the bad sign of Josh Hamilton. Also, I got to meet him at Spring training. He was a really nice guy.