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Rays give Rocco Baldelli new title of major-league field coordinator

 
Published Nov. 17, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays completed the new look of their coaching staff by giving Rocco Baldelli a newly created title — major-league field coordinator.

Baldelli, who had been first-base coach the past three years, now will implement ideas and information from the staff, assist manager Kevin Cash and bench coach Charlie Montoyo during games and continue coordinating the outfield defense. He also will be a liaison to the minor-league staffs.

"Rocco has been promoted to a position that will take full advantage of his personal strengths as well as the strengths of our staff as a whole," Cash said in a statement.

"This is a cohesive group that will feed off of one another and generate many thoughts focused on how we can get better. A significant part of Rocco's job as major-league field coordinator will be making sure that we successfully implement these ideas. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the way this staff has come together, and I'm excited to see it in action this spring."

The staff has three new members in Kyle Snyder (pitching), Matt Quatraro (third base) and Ozzie Timmons (first), and two in new roles, Baldelli and Montoyo.

Also, former bench coach Tom Foley was given the title of special assistant, baseball operations, and former assistant hitting/catching coach Jamie Nelson was named a coach at Double-A Montgomery.

STANTON DERBY: The Giants have made a formal offer to the Marlins for rightfielder and NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, the Athletic website reported. The Cardinals and Red Sox are also believed to be in touch with Miami, which is looking to slash payroll under a new ownership group. Stanton, 28, is guaranteed $295 million over the next 10 seasons but can opt out after 2020 and has a full no-trade clause, giving him the right to reject any deal.

HART RESIGNS: John Hart left the Braves less than a week after being stripped of his role as president of baseball operations. The decision was not unexpected given the hiring of general manager Alex Anthopoulos, now in charge of all baseball-related decisions. Hart was bumped to the role of senior adviser but clearly had no real power. A former general manager in Cleveland and Texas, Hart, 69, took on a leading role with the Braves at the end of the 2014 season after the firing of general manager Frank Wren.

YANKEES SEARCH: Aaron Boone became the first person with no experience as a manager or coach to interview for the manager's job of the Yankees. Boone, 44, had a 12-year career as a player, including one partial season (2003) in New York where he hit one of the most memorable home runs in team history. The current ESPN analyst became the fourth person to go through the process after Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson, former Indians and Mariners manager Eric Wedge and Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.