Angels Considering Mike Butcher For Pitching Coach Role
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Angels are considering Mike Butcher for the club’s open pitching coach position (link).
Butcher, who pitched for four seasons with the then-California Angels from 1992 to 1995, has served as a pitching coach for the last fourteen seasons in the major leagues. Recently dismissed after a four-year run in the Arizona dugout, Butcher previously held stints with the Rays in 2006 and with Anaheim’s club from 2007 to 2015–so Butcher’s hire would represent something of a homecoming.
Of course, that stop in Tampa coincided with Joe Maddon‘s time there, so it would be apropos for the Angels to welcome back two former franchise members with a working familiarity with one another. LA’s previous pitching coach, Doug White, was fired after the org helped manager Brad Ausmus to the door at September’s end. Maddon will also be in search of a new bench coach in the coming months.
D-Backs Part Ways With Pitching Coach, Change Bench Coach
5:08pm: In another move now acknowledged by the team, Luis Urueta will move into the bench coach role for 2020. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported that decision on Twitter.
That decision pushes Jerry Narron out of the seat he had occupied since early in the 2017 season. He’s expected to remain on the staff in an as-yet-undefined capacity.
3:12pm: The Diamondbacks have announced that they will not retain pitching coach Mike Butcher. Ken Rosenthal and Robert Murray of The Athletic first tweeted the news.
Butcher had been in his role since the start of the 2016 campaign, so he pre-dated manager Torey Lovullo and the organization’s primary front office leadership. He has previously served as the pitching coach for the Rays and Angels.
Though he was able to survive the major 2016-17 organizational shakeup, and help a few notable pitchers turn in quality campaigns, Butcher evidently wasn’t seen as the right voice moving forward. His departure isn’t part of a broader wave of change, as the remainder of the 2019 coaching staff is expected to return for 2020.