The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with third base coach Dusty Wathan, reports Robert Murray of Fansided.com (via Twitter). Wathan, age 49, has served as Philadelphia’s third base coach since he was named to Gabe Kapler’s staff in November of 2017.
Wathan is a former professional catcher who played a total of three games for the Royals in his only big league season in 2002. On his way to the Majors, he logged over 3000 minor league at-bats. After retiring as a player in 2007, he began his coaching career in 2008, when he was named manager of the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Phillies’ former Class-A (Short Season) team. Wathan continued on to spend years as the manager of the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies’ Class-A Advanced, the Double-A Reading Fightin’ Phils, and the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs before being promoted to the Phillies’ coaching staff.
Wathan’s extension takes him out of the running for the various current big league managerial openings. NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that Wathan met with the Marlins before they hired Skip Schumaker and interviewed with the Royals as recently as October 20. He had also been a finalist for the Phillies’ job in the 2017-2018 offseason before Philadelphia hired Kapler.
News of Wathan’s extension comes on the eve of Philadelphia’s first World Series appearance since 2009. With an extension that is reportedly for multiple years, it appears that Wathan will remain with the Phillies long beyond the fall classic.
Well it’s Dusty, so…
Good timing. Would have been awkward if he decided to hold a Wildcat work stoppage while the runner was rounding 3rd during Game 7. Talk about leverage
May he be a busy man this week! Go Phillies!
Good coach and person. He deserves a shot at managing, but I’m glad he’s staying with the Phillies.
That’s good, it just seems like odd timing….
DUSTY! Man still deserves to manage tho.
Must be dusty since they only have picture of a hat
Now sign K-Long.
He should still be allowed to Interview for managerial jobs even with this extension
Leading an underrated team to a World Series is a great way to get a contract extension.
How does this extension stop him from pursuing a managerial job? Most teams would not stand in the way of a promotion, and regardless of extension or not, manager is still a big promotion.
I think it’s just a formality or another way of saying he wasn’t being offered a manager job right now. Means the Royals told him they weren’t interested I guess
I had actually hoped he would be the manager when Girardi was given the hook.
Guess it worked out ok.
He can still leave if a team offers him a promotion to Manager.
He is just keeping his options open.
Love Dusty