Don Wakamatsu hired as new Jays Bench Coach

[The Flying Gent]

Also, Pat Hentgen hired as the bullpen coach, Tory Lovullo as the first base coach.

http://twitter.com/shidavidi

[L3M0NAD3]

The Toronto Blue Jays announce the following additions to the coaching staff of manager John Farrell for the 2011 season. Joining Brian Butterfield, Third Base Coach, & Bruce Walton, Pitching Coach, will be Don Wakamatsu, Bench Coach, Dwayne Murphy, Hitting Coach, Torey Lovullo, First Base Coach & Pat Hentgen, Bullpen Coach.

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101108&content_id=16032060&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor

[DonYon]

oh man just judging by the names that coaching staff looks rock solid.

[rarefind]

wow, solid.

edit:

VERY happy to see Murph back as well.

[G-Mac]

Good news! Wakamatsu was in a lot of rumors for bench coach positions with other teams, and I might have heard he was in the running for some managerial positions as well.

I am really excited to see how these coachs work, and whether they can get us to the next level!

[evilRyu]

Kind of surprised to see butter, murph, and pappy back to be honest. I don't think anyone saw that coming. Also, what happened with Rick Langford?

[Hoopstarr]

I'm sure Alex and Farrell did their homework but this quote from Murph about OBP isn't too encouraging.

“I think on-base percentage is an overrated stat,” Murphy said flatly. “Those guys getting on base, most of them aren’t getting them in. Give me somebody who drives them in after that. I need guys who can drive the ball.”

Some of his philosophy, Murphy admits, has been grooved because of the hitters he has. Part comes from the survival instincts derived from being in the world’s toughest division. (“Playing in the AL East, man, you gotta hit in the AL East,” he said.) And, last, well, he loves to watch guys mash.

“People talk home runs,” he said. “I just talk driving the ball.”


Also surprising is the lack of any Latino coaches

[evilRyu]

Crap I really hope they keep Malave on board, the dude has been with the jays for 30 years-ish?

[Randle McMurphy]

I'm sure Alex and Farrell did their homework but this quote from Murph about OBP isn't too encouraging.

“I think on-base percentage is an overrated stat,” Murphy said flatly. “Those guys getting on base, most of them aren’t getting them in. Give me somebody who drives them in after that. I need guys who can drive the ball.”

Some of his philosophy, Murphy admits, has been grooved because of the hitters he has. Part comes from the survival instincts derived from being in the world’s toughest division. (“Playing in the AL East, man, you gotta hit in the AL East,” he said.) And, last, well, he loves to watch guys mash.

“People talk home runs,” he said. “I just talk driving the ball.”

Get OBP-skilled players and this shouldn't be a problem. Except somebody's really got to tell Aaron Hill that he's not an all-or-nothing power hitter.

[Avenger]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

[raptorforlife88]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

I can agree with the second part of that statement, but OBP isn't overrated as a stat. It tells you a piece of direct information, how often does a player get on base. If a guy gets on base a lot he's valuable on offense.

How is that a overrated stat? There's nothing to overrate or underrate about it.

[Randle McMurphy]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

A poor team OBP held the Jays back last year offensively and it will happen again unless they get some personnel who can get on base.

It's no coincidence that the best offensive teams in baseball are almost always the teams with the best team OBPs.

[evilRyu]

i agree, that comment about Murph really does rub me the wrong way. Having him say that, can we expect the same type of offense this coming year?

Torey Lovullo intrigues me.. anyone know much about him?

[Randle McMurphy]

2010: Most Runs (NYY-859), Highest OBP (NYY-.350)
2009: Most Runs (NYY-915), Highest OBP (NYY-.362)
2008: Most Runs (TEX-901), Highest OBP (BOS-.358....TEX .354)
2007: Most Runs (NYY-968), Highest OBP (NYY-.366)
2006: Most Runs (NYY-930), Highest OBP (NYY-.363)
2005: Most Runs (BOS-910), Highest OBP (BOS-.357)
2004: Most Runs (BOS-949), Highest OBP (BOS-.360)
2003: Most Runs (BOS-961), Highest OBP (BOS-.360)
2002: Most Runs (NYY-897), Highest OBP (NYY-.354)
2001: Most Runs (SEA-927), Highest OBP (SEA-.360)

[LittleOzzy]

Former Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen is coming back to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hentgen, 41, who in 1996 became the first Blue Jays player in franchise history to get selected as the top pitcher in the American League, has agreed to become the team's new bullpen coach.

Hentgen was one of three newcomers who will be added to the coaching staff of new manager John Farrell for the 2010 Major League Baseball season the Blue Jays announced on Monday.

Joining Hentgen on Farrell's staff will be Don Wakamatsu, the former manager of the Seattle Mariners who will replace Nick Leyva as the Toronto bench coach; and Torey Lovullo, who will take over from Omar Malave as the new first base coach.

The Blue Jays also said Dwayne Murphy will return in his capacity as Toronto's hitting coach.

The Blue Jays previously confirmed Bruce Walton will return as the Toronto pitching coach along with Brian Butterfield, who will coach third base.

Lovullo, 46, joins the Blue Jays after completing his ninth season as a minor league manager, most recently with Pawtucket, the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate.

Hentgen will make his coaching debut with Toronto after a stellar 14-year playing career that included 10 seasons in a Blue Jays uniform.

In 1996 the right-hander posted a 20-10 record with a 3.22 earned-run-average to capture the first Cy Young Award in Blue Jays history.

He will take over as the bullpen coach in place of Rick Langford.

It wasn't immediately known what the future holds for Langford, Leyva or Malave.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/b ... le1790669/

[Avenger]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

I can agree with the second part of that statement, but OBP isn't overrated as a stat. It tells you a piece of direct information, how often does a player get on base. If a guy gets on base a lot he's valuable on offense.

How is that a overrated stat? There's nothing to overrate or underrate about it.

I do understand how important OBP is, along with what you said OBP tells us how often a team DOESN'T make outs at the plate and that a has direct correlation with runs scored. But OBP can be an overrated stat though, the philosophy to take as many pitches as you can to coax out walks has hurt some players who don't have the natural pitch recognition skills, that's all i'm saying.

If Vernon and Hill for example were told to follow the Yankees and Red Sox philosophy of taking a ton of pitches and maximising OBP, i can gurantee you it would hurt their overall hitting. There are some players who need to be agressive, you just can't teach them something they are not suited for.

[-MetA4-]

Torey Lovullo intrigues me.. anyone know much about him?

Lovullo has been looked at for managerial jobs in the past. The Dodgers interviewed him prior to the 2006 season and he was a leading candidate during Pittsburgh's search in 2007.

[Avenger]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

A poor team OBP held the Jays back last year offensively and it will happen again unless they get some personnel who can get on base.

I would disagree with that, i don't think the offence was a problem last year. The Toronto Blue Jays were 6th in wOBA, well ahead of the division winning Tampa Bay Rays, the reason it didn't translate into runs scored is because of fat asses on the base paths and untimely hitting. I'm not saying the Jays don't need to increase their team OBP, i'm just saying a change in philosophy isn't gonna change that, you need the right personnel for it.

[Randle McMurphy]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

A poor team OBP held the Jays back last year offensively and it will happen again unless they get some personnel who can get on base.

I would disagree with that, i don't think the offence was a problem last year. The Toronto Blue Jays were 6th in wOBA, well ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays, the reason it didn't translate into runs scored is because of fat asses on the base paths and untimely hitting.

Think about how much better they could have been if they didn't have one of the worst OBPs in the AL

I'm not saying the Jays don't need to increase their team OBP, i'm just saying a change in philosophy isn't gonna change that, you need the right personnel for it.

Well that's what I'm saying...I have no problem with Dwayne Murphy at hitting coach.

[Hoopstarr]

OBP is an overrated stat, people who don't understand the thesis from moneyball make it out to be the be all and end all. The only hitting philosophy that works is one that is tailored specifically to each individual player's strengths and weaknesses and Dwayne Murphy seems to be doing that pretty well.

and man, there are some big names on this coaching staff

I can agree with the second part of that statement, but OBP isn't overrated as a stat. It tells you a piece of direct information, how often does a player get on base. If a guy gets on base a lot he's valuable on offense.

How is that a overrated stat? There's nothing to overrate or underrate about it.

I do understand how important OBP is, along with what you said OBP tells us how often a team DOESN'T make outs at the plate and that a has direct correlation with runs scored. But OBP can be an overrated stat though, the philosophy to take as many pitches as you can to coax out walks has hurt some players who don't have the natural pitch recognition skills, that's all i'm saying.

If Vernon and Hill for example were told to follow the Yankees and Red Sox philosophy of taking a ton of pitches and maximising OBP, i can gurantee you it would hurt their overall hitting. There are some players who need to be agressive, you just can't teach them something they are not suited for.

But that's not what Murphy is saying. He's saying he wants players like that because he rejects OBP altogether. That's very different from coaching to the player's strengths because of what he's been given to work with.