It's great getting someone with Wakamatsu's experience to sit beside Farrell. I think that's a major win. And I couldn't be happier about getting Hentgen into a coaching spot. I think he'll be terrific.

Sparky Anderson says Lovullo could be the best first base coach of the past 50 years

I assume Wakamatsu now fills the role of catching instructor, something that was missing in 2010.  Does Murphy double as the outfield instructor?  Torey Lovullo played just a handful of games in the outfield during his pro career.

I kind of feel bad for Langford and Malave, but with Cito leaving at the end of 2010, they might have known in advance that it was just going to be a one-year position when they were hired last offseason.  With Las Vegas needing a manager and pitching coach, that might be where they're headed.

It's a shame for Malave, Langford and Leyva, as the performance of the team didn't merit them losing their jobs. One could make a slight argument about the bullpen, I suppose, but if the manager had stayed the same I expect all would have kept their jobs.

However, it's more important that Farrell get people on board who will be in sync with his coaching philosophy and who he will feel comfortable working with. Good coaches often lose their jobs or are reassigned during a change and it's just part of the business. I am excited about the addition of Hentgen and I've heard a lot of positive things about Luvullo and Wakamatsu.

Yep, all seemingly excellent hires. Wakamatsu will be a great bench coach. He's smart, has a wider range of experience than Farrell including five years as bench coach with the Rangers (four years) and A's, was the Angels' roving minor league catching instructor for two years, great work in Seattle at least his first season. Lovullo is a buddy of Farrell's with Minor League managing success and Hentgen comes in with great knowledge of the Jays and familiarity with Walton. It would be hard to pick better guys for any of those three jobs and Farrell has kept the key pieces from the previous regime. All of the new coaching hirings including Farrell are in their 40s, as Is Walton. Butterfield is 52, Murphy now the old man at 55. It's a young coaching staff and I don't think it's a coincidence. The Jays are in building mode in all areas with the goal of sustainable success.  A great off-season so far.

I saw Hentgen being interviewed a few weeks ago at a Jays game he was attending.  His insights into the people in the Jays system and into what specific pitchers need to take their game to the next level were both fascinating and respectful of those he was discussing.  I can imagine that any reliever he works with would be thrilled to receive his counsel.

Someday, he will make a great manager.  In the meantime, a great add to the Jays coaching staff.

Sparky Anderson says Lovullo could be the best first base coach of the past 50 years

Much love, sir.

Now that the coaches are sorted - let the Hot Stove League get under way.

With reports from the Instructional League being all excited, with Mel Queen waxing excitedly about our new HS pitchers,  with our best ever (IM(H)O) AFL participants, with a few "American" kids going to be sent down to Winter Ball and with a new pre-season prospect Training Camp going to be held to give the kids "more one on one work" I'm truly more psyched than I've ever been about our direction. 

On a related, and hush hush note: I'm in serious one on one negotiations with she who must be obeyed to see if I can get to Dunedin for spring training next year. I've opened by suggesting that I go from the date pitchers and catchers report and stay until the last game in Dunedin. My real bottom line is 3 weeks. Hopefully, I can negotiate something like that. If all else fails - I'm pretty sure I can bribe her - she does have a thing for shiny little crystal like rocks - hopefully she won't be able to tell the difference between the real ones and cubic Zirconium.

You could always get her a Rolex. I suspect Pat Hentgen may be purchasing one very shortly in an attempt to gain his beloved #41 back from Mr. Murphy.

I suspect Pat Hentgen may be purchasing one very shortly in an attempt to gain his beloved #41 back from Mr. Murphy.

Murphy wore #21 when he was winning all those Gold Gloves in Oakland, and by chance it happens to be available since Randy Ruiz went to Japan. Carlos Delgado gave it to Clemens, of course, after which it was then worn for several years by Lord Voldemort. Since then it has passed from one fringe player to another like some evil thing - Chad Mottola, Buck Coats...

Bastian Tweets:
"Farrell: Wakamatsu (Jays new bench coach) will not be blocked from interviewing for Mets managerial job if approached by New York."

Which means Bastian is quoting Farrell as saying that Wakamatsu might still be going to the now very hip & SABR-friendly Mets.

Anthopoulos talked about the new coaches on The Fan 590 earlier today.

before hearing from AA my reaction is - lots of win there.

Langford, certainly, was well regarded and Malve has the history - i wonder if you won't see them at Vegas? Langford might still have a shot some place in the majors but if not, i don't see why he wouldn't be either a roving pitching coach or the pitching coach in AAA.

Malve might plug in wherever he fits after Rivera and Fasano are set.

Leyva will possibly be offered a scouting position but who knows if he'd take it.

In the AA interview he says one of the reasons for hiring Wakamatsu is that he is a very good catcher coach.  They wanted to bring in someone who could work with Arencibia.

One would think this might at least put to rest the notion that the Jays are looking to trade Arencibia anytime in the near future.

Do any of these guys speak fluent Spanish?  That would be an important asset. 

I agree a Spanish-speaker would be an asset, but I don't know that it's critical. Besides Escobar is there another player on the team who speaks mostly or only Spanish? On this team, at this moment, they could probably get by without it. Which isn't to say they aren't going to be adding Spanish-speaking players in the future.

I believe John Farrell speaks Spanish.

According to Blair, the team is actually considering hiring one or coaches "who would be in uniform before games but not during games" and that one of these could be Luis Rivera to give the team a Latin presence. So there you go.

Sickels was impressed by Thames too.

Russ Bove wasn't happy about leaving the Mets. Link

Luis Rivera has joined the major league staff as a coaching assistant and Spanish translator.

Rivera did not land Gaston's former job, but on Wednesday, it was announced that he will be a part of new Blue Jays manager John Farrell's Major League coaching staff in 2011. Rivera has been appointed to the position of coaching assistant, adding another highly-regarded mentor to Toronto's staff.

 

Adding guys as coaches who won't be in the dugout (there is a limit to how many you can have there) is a great idea imo. For the small cost (in ML budget terms) you should be able to get a big return. We all remember how much it helped Roy Halladay to have a coach dedicated to just him back in '01.

I'd lean towards personal coaches for every last player - at say $200k per year each or $5 mil total per year - and if a guy is demoted then the new guy coming up gets that coach. These guys would know every last detail about their player and would watch them like a hawk - provide detailed information to them about who they will face and health tips/enforcement. I'm sure most players have a personal coach already for fitness, but I figure this could be another asset.