The Phillies have announced that John Mallee will serve as the organization’s new hitting coach. He is one of several coaches that are now on board as the team begins filling out the staff of new manager Gabe Kapler.
According to the team, Dusty Wathan will join on as third base coach after he made a strong run at the managerial post. He was already in the organization and under contract as the manager at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Assistant pitching coach Rick Kranitz will also remain as a coach, though his precise role was not announced. Both of those moves were reported yesterday by MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
Mallee, a former Phillies minor-leaguer in his playing days, previously served as the hitting coach for the Astros and, most recently, the Cubs. The carousel has been as dizzying as ever: he’s taking over for Matt Stairs (who left to take the top batting instructor job with the Padres) after being replaced in Chicago by former Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis.
Mallee seems like a good fit, and Wathan/Kranitz are “duh” hirings.
I’ve read, and I hope it’s true, that Kranitz will stay as assistant pitching coach. Really hope he don’t get the assistant part removed.