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Padres To Hire Michael Brdar As Hitting Coach

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The Padres are hiring Michael Brdar as hitting coach, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). Robert Murray of FanSided reported earlier in the evening that San Diego had targeted Brdar as a candidate.

Brdar, rather incredibly, lands a big league hitting coach job at just 27 years of age. An infielder at the University of Michigan during his playing days, his professional career consisted of just 31 games with the Cardinals’ rookie ball affiliate in 2017. Brdar clearly impressed those around the game with his communication skills and understanding of the craft, though. After his playing days wrapped up, he spent a couple seasons on the Michigan coaching staff before taking over as the Giants’ minor league hitting coordinator.

That rapid ascent will continue with Brdar landing his first job on a big league staff. He’ll lead a Padres’ offensive core that’s among the most talented in the league but didn’t quite live up its to potential in 2021. San Diego hitters (excluding pitchers) posted a .249/.330/.413 line this past season. After accounting for their pitcher-friendly home park, that checked in about three percentage points above the league average, but it was still just 12th among the league’s 30 teams. For a Padres team entered the year with legitimate World Series aspirations, that registered as something of a disappointment.

There’s been plenty of turnover on the San Diego coaching staff, none more notable than the ousting of manager Jayce Tingler. Veteran skipper Bob Melvin came over from the A’s to assume the managerial role in San Diego, and Tingler’s staff was given the opportunity to explore other positions elsewhere. Damion Easley — who has spent the past two seasons as Friars’ hitting coach — is expected to depart the organization to become the Diamondbacks’ assistant hitting coach, reports Dennis Lin of the Athletic (Twitter link). He’ll work alongside incoming Arizona hitting coach Joe Mather.

Padres Finalize Coaching Staff

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The Padres have promoted Damion Easley to hitting coach, the team announced. Additionally, Skip Schumaker will take over as the Padres’ associate manager and Rod Barajas will grab the reins as their catching and quality control coach.

Easley, a longtime major league infielder, served as the Padres’ assistant hitting coach/infield coach in 2019. It was the first season on a major league staff for the 50-year-old Easley.

Schumaker, an ex-major league utilityman, spent last season as the Padres’ first base coach. He then drew interest from the Mets as they sought a new manager this offseason, but they elected to hire Carlos Beltran instead. Now, with the Padres as another team with a rookie manager (Jayce Tingler), Schumaker has moved up in their pecking order to become an even more important assistant.

The Padres interviewed Barajas to take over as their next manager after they fired Andy Green, but he’s among several candidates who lost out to Tingler. Barajas, a former major league catcher, served in multiple roles for San Diego in 2019. He was the team’s bench coach before grabbing the reins as interim manager when it let go of Green toward the end of September.

Padres Add Rod Barajas, Damion Easley To Coaching Staff

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The Padres have seen bench coach Mark McGwire step down from his post and dismissed hitting coach Matt Stairs and infield coach Josh Johnson in recent weeks. They’re filling the gaps on the coaching staff from within, per a team announcement. Former big league catcher Rod Barajas, who has been serving as the Padres’ Triple-A manager for the past three seasons, will be the Friars’ new bench coach in 2019. San Diego is promoting assistant hitting coach Johnny Washington to hitting coach. Meanwhile, another former big leaguer, Damion Easley, is moving up from the team’s minor league ranks to serve as assistant hitting coach and infield coach.

Barajas, 43, spent parts of 14 seasons as a catcher in the big leagues, seeing action with the D-backs, Rangers, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Mets, Pirates and Phillies. A career .235/.284/.407 hitter in 3784 plate appearances, he’s managed at three levels in the minors and also served as a hitting coach. He’s been connected to Major League managerial openings in the past, most recently seeing his name floated as a potential candidate in the Rangers’ ongoing search. I’s not clear if he ever received an interview, but presumably, his appointment as the bench coach in San Diego indicates that he is not under serious consideration in Arlington either way.

The 34-year-old Washington is among the league’s youngest coaches and has somewhat remarkably already spent two seasons on the Padres’ big league staff. He won’t turn 35 until next May, but Washington has already been coaching professionally since the 2010 season and has steadily risen to more prominent roles in spite of his youth.

Now 48 years of age, Easley is likely a familiar name for many fans after playing 17 seasons in the Majors — from 1992 through 2008. An All-Star and Silver Slugger winner at second base in a career-year back in ’98, Easley spent seven seasons with the Tigers, five with the Angels, two apiece with the Mets and Marlins and individual seasons with the D-backs and Rays. He was a career .253/.329/.404 hitter in his 17 seasons and has been coaching in the Padres’ minor league ranks for the past seven years.

The rest of the Padres’ coaching staff will include returnees Darren Balsley (pitching coach), Doug Bochtler (bullpen), Glenn Hoffman (third base) and recently retired utilityman Skip Schumaker (first base).

Davidoff On Free Agents

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Newsday's Ken Davidoff runs through six current free agents, digging up new information about a few.

  • Paul Byrd never received a call from the Angels, so he'll continue to wait until later this summer to see what's available.
  • Frank Thomas is working with hitting coach Mike Easler, who believes "Frank might give it to the All-Star break."  Easler says another client of his, Jacque Jones, could help a club.
  • Jim Edmonds would play in the right situation, but his agent Paul Cohen doesn't know if there will be an offer.  Damion Easley, another Cohen client, would also like to continue his career.
  • A friend of Orlando Hernandez's tells Davidoff he's considering a comeback.  El Duque didn't pitch in the Majors last year.
  • In my opinion, these free agents are better served playing independent league ball than working out privately.

Melvin On Second Base Situation

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Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel talked to Brewers GM Doug Melvin about the team's second base situation.  Rickie Weeks is out for the season with wrist surgery, but Melvin is not interested in the three free agent second basemen: Ray Durham, Mark Grudzielanek, and Damion Easley.  Durham's agent called Melvin, saying his client would need a while to get ready.  Melvin decided not to pursue Durham, who played for the Brewers last year.  Easley's agent also reached out to no avail, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

There have been no trade talks, either.  Instead, the Brewers will mix and match with internal options at second base and go back to Weeks next year.

D’Backs Rumors: Easley, Loretta, Vazquez

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5:54pm: The D’Backs offered Vazquez a one-year deal with a club option for 2010, according to his agent.  Vazquez has a better offer from another club, and awaits a counteroffer from Arizona.  He wants a multiyear deal.

10:20am: Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune says the D’Backs offered a one-year contract to Vazquez, but he seeks a multiyear deal.

10:08am: According to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, the Diamondbacks have talked to the representatives for free agent infielders Damion Easley and Mark Loretta recently.  They’ve already offered a contract to Ramon Vazquez; Easley or Loretta could form a platoon with him.

Easley hit .297/.366/.459 against lefties the past three seasons, while Loretta batted .300/.383/.424.  Easley earned $950K last year.  Loretta accepted the Astros’ arbitration offer but lost his case and was paid $2.75MM.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says Arizona’s conservative offseason agenda could leave them little margin for error in 2009.

Mets Exercise Alou’s Option, Re-sign Easley

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According to RotoWorld, the Mets have exercised Moises Alou’s $7.5MM option for 2008.  With a $1MM buyout, this was effectively a $6.5MM decision.  Even with time lost to injury Alou should be worth 3-4 wins, so the price is right. 

They also re-upped Damion Easley, not sure the amount quite yet.  Maybe $1.5MM or so.  He had a nice 76 games this year and it wouldn’t be the end of the world to give him the regular 2B job. 

Now the Mets can move onto more important issues, like filling second base and catcher and driving up the price for A-Rod. 

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