Álex Cora Names New Red Sox Coaches

November 2, 2017 1 Comment

Astros bench coach Álex Cora may still be celebrating Houston’s World Series win, but as the new manager of the Boston Red Sox, he’s got plenty of work to do. Step one was announced Thursday with a fresh slate of coaches and instructors.

Cora’s team of Ron Roenicke, Tom Goodwin, and Carlos Febles will replace Gary Disarcina, Ruben Amaro, and Brian Butterfield as bench coach, first base coach, and third base coach, respectively.

Roenicke will also serve as the outfield and base running instructor. Febles will be the major league club’s infield instructor.

Dana LeVangie, 48, so far the only holdover from John Farrell‘s staff, will be back as bullpen coach and catching coordinator. LeVangie also assists with advance scouting.

Experienced Staff

Red Sox Bench Coach
Ron Roenicke

New bench coach Roenicke, 61, had a 13-year playing career with 527 major league games with the Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, Giants, Phillies and Reds. Since 1991 he’s been a professional coach with 20 of those years on a big league staff, including managing the Brewers 2011 through part of 2015. Roenicke has been third base coach the past two seasons with the Angels.

Roenicke’s long coaching résumé may soothe the nerves of some fans concerned with Cora’s limited managerial experience.

First base coach Goodwin, 49, is no stranger to the Red Sox having spent four seasons coaching in Boston’s minor league system (2008-11), including time spent as outfield and base running coordinator for the short-season Single-A Lowell Spinners.

Goodwin’s 17-year playing career included stints with the Dodgers, Royals, Rangers, Rockies, Giants, and Chicago Cubs. Goodwin stole at least 50 bases in four different seasons, including a career-best 66 in 1996. He has been first base coach with the Mets since 2012.

It what turned out to be a case of “trading places,” Ken Rosenthal, senior writer for The Athletic, reported late Thursday that Goodwin’s replacement for the Mets would be none other than Boston’s first base coach Amaro.

Febles Promoted

For new third base coach Febles, 41, the 2018 season will be his first on a major league coaching staff. The six-season MLB veteran has managed 901 minor league games since 2008, all within the Red Sox system, including High-A level for Salem and Lancaster, short-season Single-A Lowell, Low-A Greenville, High-A Salem, and Double-A Portland. Febles (which is pronounced “FAY-bless”) played 1998-2003 with the Royals (506 games) then in 68 games for the Red Sox Triple-A team in Pawtucket.

The Red Sox are still in need of a pitching and hitting coaches to replace Carl Willis and Chili Davis, who left for the same roles with the Indians and Cubs, respectively.

Clean Sweep: Coaches Butterfield, Davis, Willis Gone

October 26, 2017 Leave a Comment

Just like that, three of the more recognizable faces to Red Sox Nation have left the building.

Earlier today the Indians announced that they had signed Sox pitching coach Carl Willis to the same role in Cleveland. Now, the Cubs have announced that they’ve signed Sox hitting coach Chili Davis and third base coach Brian Butterfield.

The moves come following Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski’s invitation for coaches to seek other opportunities following the dismissal of John Farrell.

Davis and Butterfield will have the same roles with the Cubs under Manager Joe Maddon. They replace John Mallee, who served as major league hitting coach for the last three seasons, and Gary Jones, who served as major league third base coach for the last four seasons, respectively.

Davis was Red Sox hitting coach these past three seasons after serving in that capacity for three years with the Athletics. Over his three seasons in Boston the Red Sox led the majors in runs (2,411) and pitches per plate appearances (3.95), tied for first in on-base percentage (.334), ranked second in batting average (.268), third in OPS (.762) and plate appearances per strikeout (5.35). Despite the success in the aggregate, however, Sox offensive power was notably limited in 2017, falling well short of expectations.

Highly respected Butterfield has served as third base coach, infield coach and baserunning coach for the Red Sox for the last five seasons starting in 2013.

Though newly named Red Sox manager Álex Cora was under no obligation to retain any of the coaches, today’s moves make certain that Cora will bring a team very much of his own choosing to the ballpark in 2018.

Indians Hire Sox Coach Carl Willis

October 26, 2017 Leave a Comment

When he announced John Farrell‘s firing, Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski was clear that the current Sox coaches, though under contract for 2018, were free to pursue other opportunities. On Thursday came the news that pitching coach Carl Willis had done just that, becoming the new pitching coach for the Indians under Terry Francona.

Willis replaces pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who was recently named manager of the Mets.

For Willis, 56, the move to Cleveland is a homecoming having begun his pitching coach career with seven seasons there (2003-09). Willis was the Mariners pitching coach 2010-13 before joining the Red Sox in May 2015.

This season under Willis, the Red Sox ranked second in the American League and fourth in the majors with a 3.70 ERA, the club’s lowest such mark in 25 years (3.59 in 1992). Boston also led the majors in 2017 with a franchise-best 1,482.1 IP, 17.1 more than any other club and 33.2 more than any other postseason team.

In Cleveland Willis will be responsible for a pitching staff that led the majors in ERA in 2017 (3.30, having allowed the fewest earned runs (529), home runs (163), and walks (406) while collecting the most strikeouts (1,614) in baseball.

A former big league pitcher, Willis was 22-16 with a 4.25 ERA over 267 career appearances (1984-95) with the Tigers, Reds, White Sox, and Twins.