The Angels have announced two new members of their coaching staff, as Johnny Washington has been hired as the Halos’ hitting coach and Jerry Narron will be the new Major League catching coach.
The 39-year-old Washington has been the Cubs’ assistant hitting coach for the last two seasons, coming off a one-year stint in South Korea for the KBO League’s Hanwha Eagles. Before that trip abroad, Washington was a longtime coach in the minor leagues with the Dodgers and Padres, and San Diego promoted him to the big league staff in 2017 to act as the first base coach and eventually the hitting coach.
There’s no relation between the new hitting coach and new Angels manager Ron Washington, and the two just missed crossing paths during Johnny’s playing career, as his time as a prospect in the Rangers’ farm system ended just before Ron became the Texas manager prior to the 2007 season. However, the Angels have had Johnny Washington on their radar in the past, as they interviewed him for their managerial vacancy in the 2019-20 offseason before eventually hiring Joe Maddon.
Under ex-hitting coach Marcus Thames (who is now taking over the hitting coach job with the White Sox), the Angels had mostly decent to middle-of-the-pack batting numbers across the board in 2023. Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout naturally contributed to lot of the offense, and L.A. got good results from Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward, and Brandon Drury, though injuries plagued the Halos on the whole. 2024 could be a transformative year in Anaheim if Ohtani departs in free agency, so Washington’s to-do list includes continued development for younger bats like Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe, and seeing if Anthony Rendon can get his bat back on track if the third baseman can finally avoid the injury bug.
Narron celebrates his 68th birthday in January, and he brings almost 50 years of experience as a player, coach, manager, and several other roles at the Major League and minor league levels. Narron is best known for his two stints as a big league manager, helming the Rangers in 2001-02 and the Reds from 2005-07. He played for the then-California Angels from 1983-86, and he was back in the organization last year as a minor league catching coordinator.
So, no Chili Davis as hitting coach? Too bad, was looking forward to him returning to the club.
Maybe Chili will be the 1B Coach
Doubtful. If they couldn’t convince him for the HC position, then unlikely that he’ll accept a lesser role.
The media said Chili was going to be the HC. Washington or Perry never said it. Just like the media had Torii as our 1B Coach and future Manager.
The 1B coach is going to be Bo Porter
Chili Davis has his hands full writing books with Dr. Carlton Maxwell these days. He’s actually quite prolific.
Does younger Washington has any relashionship with the manager?
Was the summary tl:dr for you? Its mentioned.
Not according to the article.
“There’s no relation between the new hitting coach and new Angels manager Ron Washington”
Ron Washington: I give a lot of credit for our success to our hitting coach.
Johnny Washington: Thanks, Pop. Uh…Pop Tart. That’s what I always call my bosses.
Twin brother. The younger one just does heroin, so a bit of a difference.
Maybe it’s time to start adding some players now.
Next is pitching coach, who’s out there?
Hoping they get Dan Haren.
Percy is my 1st choice.
Doesn’t Chris Carpenter already work for the Angels? He would be a great hire.
Mark Langston does. He’ll point out things on the radio broadcast that never seen to be fixed by the coaches.
The coaching hot stove is on fire!
Any chance he can bring in Mike Maddox?
Wouldn’t mind it, he just signed last year so probably not going to happen. Was the pitching coach for Washington in texas.
He’s the Rangers PC
I’m aware of that, said doubt it because he signed last year but money talks, and Arte is cheap.
Yeah $200M payroll speaks Cheap.
It might have been less since they released half team to get under the tax/ save money. Your right he’s not cheap he’s frugal.
I’m saying it’s not going to happen wasn’t the original person that suggested it. He would have to be allowed to leave or get fired, and he would obviously want more money for a lateral position.
You know, guys like you and this continued attitude of defending the fact that Moreno isn’t cheap is bizarre. Let me clue you in. Moreno bought the team for $175M and it is now worth $3 Billion. That’;s quite a nice profit. He also makes a lot of money each year on general game and stadium revenues The there’s the MLB money. TV deals. Ancillary merchandising and sponsorship deals. Ohtani also was generating Moreno an extra $40-$50 million a year from the Japan and Asian market. That is the very reason Ohtani was not traded two-years ago for the betterment of the franchise. Moreno chose to keep the cash flow even though he knew he was going to lose Ohtani and along with him the opportunity to get eight top prospects. to replenish this team for the next 10-years. Moreno is swimming in money from this franchise. He could have afforded to sign multiple frontline starters (Gausman) and he chose to sign none of them. Instead, Moreno chose to sign an inexpensive, soft tossing #5 in Anderson and made limited budget moves offensively with Renfroe, Urshella and Drury. Why are the Dodgers willing to spend $100M more than the Angels? Why are Dodgers willing to invest much more heavily in scouting and assemble a much more vast management team? Dramatically more in Latin America to develop talent? Moreno can afford to go sign Snell and two other starters to compete– he won’t.
Just read an article that Ohtani signing with the Dodgers is the best bet, then reading a little farther it states that the Dodgers would be interested in acquiring Trout in a trade with the Angels, if Trout would be willing to waive his no trade clause. Said that the Dodgers would be willing to give up at least 4 or 5 of their prospects also a player or to from their MLB roster.
I’m indifferent to Ohtani leaving. But with Trout, the return would have to immediately launch us into contention, all things considered.
Trout has $223MM remaining on his deal. Disregarding his NTC, what would Angels be willing to eat and what would the return look like?
I think he still has value so I don’t see the Angels picking up much of the remaining salary. Don’t know what the return would be, but like I said, it would have to be big plus take on the salary. That’s Trout.
Yankee- Morgan Freeman has it nailed already. Denzel
is too young.
There are NO guarantees. prospects are just that.
Cool story
Do you guys run with everything you read?
If Trout could guaranteed play with Shohei in LA he might just agree to it.
Arte would *never* greenlight a Trout trade to the Dodgers. The Dodgers are the cross-town rivals and it was previously reported that Arte would never allow an Ohtani trade to the Dodgers, so there’s no way he’d approve trading the greatest player in Angel history to the Dodgers.
Agreed on all fronts…Although,if Trout DEMANDED it, Arte would be extremely hard pressed…See where I’m going? Its TROUT…He could cause a heck of a ruckus if he wanted. He has never caused them any grief and doesn’t seem to have ever asked for a single thing from them…He might have the power. He easily has more clout than any other player. And it is not even close.
That’s it, fire the laundry machines.
They now have two guys who are Wasingtons.
Westinghouse
Is Ray Montgomery staying as bench coach, what going on with Gil is he a free agent? Still hope they move Montgomery back to the front office, and keep Gil as bench coach
Technically still on the Angels but not expected to stay, as Washington is bringing his own staff. This was the reason that coaches like Wise and Thames took jobs in Chicago as the Angels coaching staff was informed by front office that their jobs were in limbo. If Nevin gets hired in San Diego, I would not be surprised to see him bring over Benji Gil and possibly Ray Montgomery.
The Angels are cornering the market on all Washingtons!
Denzel is already on board to play Ron in his biopic if the Angels win the WS.
Haha I would watch.
Seems to be something incommon with all of the coaches that Ron Washington is forcing the front office to hire but I can’t quiet put my finger on it, hmmmm…
They all wear size 11 shoes?
LFGMets- Wash said on the radio that he needed to get coaches with big personalities that can help him instill confidence, motivate and help instill the culture. That is not an exact quote , but that is what I got out of it.
These coaches also mirror RW’s approach vis-a-vis analytics; yes analytics are valuable but can’t run the decision-making. Rather a good intuitive feel for game is a must. So where does that leave Minasian, who’s hell- bent on stats as the be-all to managing the team.
The Washington Nationals truly missed out on an opportunity.
Jerry Narron! Love seeing one of the 1986 Halos back.
It def won’t be with the Angels. Nor should it be (for both sides).
Can’t wait to tell out “Washington” at Tempe a few times.
Has anyone heard what Trout has to say about the new Skip? He had to give his personal seal of approval at this juncture..Right??
I think it’s great Wash is seeking out coaches w managerial experience. So many new or young managers won’t do that. It seems a nice mix of experience w a few new comers like the IF coach
The front office can take the cue too and hire some more ex GMs.
For hitting the last few years you see other teams have an approach 1-9 of how they want to go after a team or starter. W the Angels it seems it was every one for himself to get on base so hopefully they can fix that. And hopefully Narron can shore up some of the catching issues.