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The Reds announced several coaching staff changes today, the most notable being that they have decided to part ways with pitching coach Jeff Pico and bench coach Jay Bell. Lee Tinsley, assistant hitting coach, also received walking papers.
Here's how it all shakes out:
- Hitting coach Don Long, bullpen coach Mack Jenkins, bullpen catcher Dustin Hughes, and catching coach Mike Stefannski all return in their current roles.
- Jim Riggleman moves from third base coach to bench coach, replacing Bell.
- Billy Hatcher moves from first base coach to third base coach.
- Freddie Benavides moves from infield coach to first base coach.
- Reds hire Mark Riggins as the new pitching coach to replace Pico. Tony Jaramillo will replace Tinsley as assistant hitting coach.
Riggins has been the minor league pitching coordinator for the last four years. He has also spent time in the same role with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, along with a season as the Cardinals pitching coach in 1995. Riggins spent his entire playing career in the minors. Maybe most importantly, Riggins hails from Jasper, Indiana aka the Land Of Scott Rolen.
I suppose a shake up was inevitable for a team that just lost 98 games, and Jay Bell was as likely as anyone. He was originally brought in because of his familiarity with Bryan Price, as they both spent time together in Arizona.
A little more surprising to me is the outting of Jeff Pico. I really have no idea whether or not he is a good pitching coach, but firing him after this season just seems cruel when you consider what he was given to work with. I'm not sure what results the Reds were expecting, but they apparently didn't get it. Or, maybe they just have a lot of faith in Riggins and his familiarity with the minor league crop that will be coming up any time now.
Oh, and now we're officially one step closer to Jim Riggleman: Interim Manager. So, that's something.