The Angels announced three new coaching hires for 2023, with Marcus Thames joining the team as the new hitting coach, Phil Plantier as assistant hitting coach, and Bill Hezel as assistant pitching coach. Hezel replaces Dom Chiti, while Thames and Plantier replace Jeremy Reed and John Mallee in their respective positions. Chiti, former hitting instructor Paul Sorrento, and former third base coach Mike Gallego will remain in the Angels organization but in different roles.
Fans may best remember Thames from his 10-year playing career, but he has been now been a Major League hitting coach for the last five seasons — with the Marlins in 2022, and with the Yankees from 2018-21. Thames also worked as an assistant hitting coach on New York’s staff for a season, and as a hitting coach at the minor league level.
Plantier is another addition from the Marlins organization, after a stint as a hitting coach with Triple-A Jacksonville. At the MLB level, Plantier was the Padres’ hitting coach from 2012-14, and he has a lengthy minor league career that includes coaching and managerial roles with the Marlins, Yankees, Padres, and Mariners.
Given how much the Marlins struggled at the plate in 2022, Thames and Plantier may not seem like natural choices to try and spark an Angels lineup that lacked both depth and production in 2022. Of course, Anaheim has plenty of talent on hand, and getting even a few more hitters on track will help immensely, given the consistent production provided by Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout.
Thames, Plantier, and Angels manager Phil Nevin were all in the Yankees organization at the same time, with Nevin and Plantier also being former teammates during their playing days. Hezel is an entirely new face to the mix, and while he did some past consulting work for the Phillies, the Angels position represents Hezel’s first MLB coaching role. Hezel has worked as a coach at the collegiate level, and has spent the last two-plus years as the director at Driveline. Several former Driveline employees and instructors have been joining big league teams in the last few years, including Angels pitching coordinator Dylan Axelrod.
The rest of the Angels coaching staff will be returning in 2023, though the role of third base coach has yet to be filled. It isn’t known if the Angels will pursue another outside hire, or perhaps promote from within the organization.
We’re taking it ALL!!!!! WOOOooOOOOoooooOOOOo!!!!!!!!!! Lets go Halos!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah we are. Mr. Manfred Call UPS get that piece of metal readied to be shipped to Anaheim.
Hahahahaha “that piece of metal.” NICE!!!
Where are you taking it?
Pun, Disneyland of course!
Does the Assistant Coach also require an assistant? Baseball bureaucracy. Sign of the times.
30, No the asst. coach merely gets 2 secretaries and an intern.
There’s so much information in today’s game that hitters have to process. One coach can’t do it all alone so having a couple of assistants helps.
It’s Nevin finding room for his boys. Nothing more, and hopefully nothing less.
This team needs a new everything. Owner, GM, manager, players.. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen an organization so poorly run.
You’re right. You don’t know.
Winslow, that’s the reply of the year.
He clearly has never seen how the Reds organization operates…
Reds are at least willing to tear it down and rebuild every few years with a bunch of new pieces. Angels keep thinking they’re one more big free agent away from a championship when they have literally nothing behind Trout and ohtani.
The Angels are the Yankees without intelligence to go with the money. Both teams refuse to reset, continue to pour money despite numerous bad contracts, the difference is the Yankees use some intelligence when deciding where to spend it. The Angels give guys like Anthony Rendon $38m/year.
When I looked at his contract the other day, my jaw nearly hit the floor. I knew it was a stupid contract, but that is beyond stupid.
Another person who doesn’t know the Angels. The Angels had the most wins in baseball in 2014, then lost 7 starting pitchers to basically career ending injuries in a relatively short amount of time… how were they suppose to reset?
The Angels had the best record in baseball during Josh Hamilton’s first year in Anaheim.
How would you have reset?
Mallee was the Cubs hitting coach when they won the WS in 2016. By the end of the next season, Theo fired him. Hitting coaches have to be one of the most commoditized positions on a major league ooaching staff
Enjoyed watching Thames play. Hopefully I’ll get to chat with him a bit in spring training.
HaloHJJ, talk to him during spring training? You an Arizonian??
No but I go out there every year. My favorite time of the year. If you haven’t gone, I can’t encourage it enough.
Man I’ve always wanted to. Might be back in AZ (Bullhead) in a few months so it might have to happen. It would be cool to stay out there a few days and catch a couple games.
I did this many years ago with some Mets fan friends in FL. Players are much more relaxed and accessible. Got a chance to speak with David Wright and some other guys. Do it.
Yep and out in Phoenix there are 15 teams so you can always catch a game. Plus the minor league games on the back fields are free. It is baseball heaven.
Phil Plantier, blast from the past, opened many packs of cards, one of the more memorable names. Saw the A’s / Sox at Old Comiskey, Mike Gallego hit a homer and the A’s swept.
Phil Plantier – I think I had 5 of his rookie cards in the Upper Deck set. That was the first year i had ever seen holograms on baseball cards.
Spend some dough this off season Arte !
Buy two pitchers , judge and Turner , make your fans happy , you only live once. Can’t take it with you. Pay the f’n tax Arte !
Your team’s fans have suffered for a decade with Albert et al.
Let’s go
007 yeahhhhh buddyyyy!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, hate to say but teams like the Angels are so far behind the other squads in quality depth , the only way to be competitive is to spend. Or you’re just on the if come for another decade of mediocrity.
Angels also have the prospect of ohtani leaving to boot.
It’s spend or not.
Yeah right a whole decade. There’s no way it can turn around in a year or two. Remember fellow Halo Honks. We’re doomed until 2033.
It’s true my friend…Until they scout and develop the players organically it is the ONLY way! With a bit (a lot) of luck thrown their way hopefully!
Winslow, I was hoping 2026/2027.
**Winslow**
Trumbo I’m hoping 2023 so we can keep Ohtani. At least get into the playoffs.
So am I…Deep down….
Hezel is Ohtani and Sandovals personal guy in the offseason. I imagine this is also a play to show now matter how the sale shakes out, that the Angels were the only one to let him “do both” and are commited to giving him everything he needs to thrive moving forward.
In order to be competitive year in and year out , must have at bare minimum seven star to good mlb bats everyday in the lineup. Not AAAA guys.
Need minimum two stud starters and a closer.
That’s minimum.
How far is your team ?
Angels are quite a ways off.
Star bats: Trout, Ohtani
MLB level bats: Ward,
Jury still out: Rengifo. Looked really good this year at age 25. If he’s hitting his prime, he’s MLB caliber. If it was a hot couple of months, no.
Two stud starters: Ohtani, and I think Sandoval is a good piece. Backed by Detmers and Suarez, the rotation is finally pretty decent.
Bullpen: likely needs some of the AA Trash Pandas to emerge.
Are you writing off Tony 2 Bags already?!?! Haha
Pretty much.
His age and recent injury history don’t lead to much optimism. I’d absolutely love to be wrong, though.
People comment about the Angels and don’t know a thing about the Angels. It’s like listening to AOC talk about the economy.
Sandy can make a mean Martini!
P.S. Yeah unless you watch them all the time you couldn’t possibly know. They are their own monster for sure.
Trout has settled down since 2012 and now makes what he does look too easy….But as you said, so many people have never seen him up close….I watched him in 2012. Caught about a dozen games that year at the big A. He was a sight to behold….So much fire….Just unstoppable. Everyone that saw him that year up close knew. He blew my mind every time I saw him. At least I can say I saw the best to ever play the game his first full year in the show, up close, doing inctedible things. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The biggest off-season move the Angels can make is selling the team. If I was the current owner, I would tweet and taunt Musk every day until he bought the team out of spite.
I rather have a owner that wants the team. Not one that buys it for any other reason.
They still need an Assistant to the Traveling Secretary!
They just hired Marcus Thames, former Marlins hitting coach… good luck
I don’t know if it’s the right solution, I only realize the prior coach was no solution.
Interestingly, while the article states that Nevin and Plantier were teammates, in actuality they never appeared in a game together or were even on the active roster together in Houston in 1995. Only time they technically were teammates was spring training in ’95 with the Astros and ’96 with the Tigers
Note sure that a team with a .294 OBP and 88WRC+ is where you want to go shopping for a hitting coach.
Call me crazy, but I am looking at guys from organizations that are actually successful at getting on base and driving in runs.
I totally get it, but if he had my talent and had those numbers, he’d be the greatest hitting coach of all time.
He was drafted in the 30th round. For someone drafted in the 30th round he had a remarkable career.
Trout, Thames . . .
Alex, “rivers” for $500