The Dodgers announced their finalized coaching staff Wednesday, including the hiring of catcher Chris Gimenez as their new “game planning coach.” That appointment, it seems, will bring a 10-year Major League career to a close for Gimenez. The affable backstop split the 2018 season between the Cubs and Twins and finished out the ’18 season as a backup option for Minnesota.
In parts of 10 seasons, Gimenez appeared in 386 Major League games and tallied 1067 plate appearances between the Indians, Twins, Mariners, Rays, Rangers and Cubs. While the bulk of Gimenez’s work came behind the plate, he was versatile enough to spend time at first base, in the outfield corners and, more briefly at third base. Beyond that, Gimenez took the ball for 11 relief appearances in his career — the majority of which came in blowout settings. In all, he was a .218/.307/.344 hitter whose charismatic nature made him a clubhouse favorite virtually anywhere he landed.
As previously reported, the Dodgers’ coaching staff will feature new third-base coach Dino Ebel and first-year hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc. The other new addition to the big league staff will be assistant hitting coach Aaron Bates, who is entering his fifth season with the organization and will be promoted after working as a hitting coach in the minor leagues. Bates, a former first baseman, appeared in five MLB games with the 2009 Red Sox and spent parts of eight seasons playing in the minor leagues as well.
Manager Dave Roberts, bench coach Bob Geren, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, hitting strategist Brant Brown, first base coach George Lombard and bullpen coach Mark Prior will all return to the coaching staff in the same roles they occupied last season.
Huh. Well, didn’t see this coming.
Hahaha
This article has an extra Cong.
I think that’s the sound he made when he landed.
“Game Planning Coach”
New term to me.
Yeah what is that?
What is that? It’s too many chefs in the kitchen.
“First, we’ll send our guys out onto the grass out there to try to catch the ball…”
Brant Brown: OH, NOOOO!
Awesome dude who loves baseball. Incredible communicator. Good to see
This is a really interesting role that I haven’t heard of before. Has anyone ever seen this before or is this an innovation on the Dodgers part?
Cong?
Does he have enough service time then to get player pension?
He has over 6 seasons of service time, so he’ll do all right. All you need is 43 days of service to pull the minimal pension, which doesn’t kick in until age 62.
Pitching coach?
Side note: never would have guessed Mark Prior was a bullpen coach these days.
I was wondering the same thing, did this just happen or has prior been there a couple years?
Prior became bullpen coach before last season
this is Prior 2nd or third year as bull pen pitching coach. He will be dodgers pitxhing coach when Rick Honeycutt retires.
Good luck to Chris. The man was a class act.
“was”? Are you breaking his obit here?
Game Planning Coach? I could do that. Here’s the plan: Score more runs than the other team. I prefer to be paid by Direct Deposit.
I thought Honeycutt was going to be done this year? Didn’t he take a one year contract? To anyone with more baseball knowledge than me (which is essentially everyone): does Honeycutt still have it? Because he doesn’t seem like he’s doing well with his pitchers anymore.