San Diego Padres: Coaching Staff is Club’s Strongest Continuity

The San Diego Padres recently announced their coaching staff, which contrary to the rest of the roster, brings some stability to the club.

The San Diego Padres may be experiencing a lot of roster change heading into 2017, but the coaching staff is one area which won’t change too much.

On Monday, the team released their coaching staff for the upcoming season, a list consisting mostly of names fans are familiar with.

Of course, Andy Green will return for his second season as manager. Other notable coaches which will be returning include pitching coach Darren Balsley, third base coach Glenn Hoffman, and bench coach Mark McGwire.

In fact, the only two true changes will be at first base and in the infield, as Johnny Washington will coach first and Ramon Vazquez will coach the infielders.

The full coaching staff will be as follows:

Manager: Andy Green

Pitching Coach: Darren Balsley

Bullpen Coach: Doug Bochtler

Hitting Coach: Alan Zinter

First Base Coach: Johnny Washington

Third Base Coach: Glenn Hoffman

Infield Coach: Ramon Vazquez

Outfield Coach: Jon Mathews

Bench Coach: Mark McGwire

In the midst of all of the roster turnover, it is promising to have consistency in the coaching staff.

Rookies including Hunter Renfroe, Ryan Schimpf, Manuel Margot, and Carlos Asuaje will presumably be spending their first full season at the major league level. Entering a stable organization with coaches who are already established is a major bonus.

More from Friars on Base

• Padres barely missed out on high-end veteran starting pitcher
• This veteran DH target seems ideal for contending Padres roster
• Padres got steal with Xander Bogaerts after Carlos Correa’s mega-deal
• Failed Padres top prospect makes stunning return with minor league deal
• Padres fail to land ideal Xander Bogaerts teammate at catcher

Many fans do not get to see the benefits of solid coaching and managing, but the correlation between a consistent coaching staff and success is undeniable. Simply looking at recent World Series history proves this, with John Maddon, Ned Yost, and Bruce Bochy as several of numerous examples.

The Padres have several formidable coaches which ought to excite fans about the future of the organization. Green is just 39 years old, and while his managerial skills have yet to completely develop, he can certainly relate to players, playing four major league seasons himself. McGwire, a legend, has had success coaching in the past with the Cardinals and Dodgers. His experience is invaluable, and he complements Green very well as his bench coach.

Next: Fantasy Outlook Bleak, or are Fans just Uninformed?

There isn’t a lot of certainty for the Padres in 2017. Thankfully, the coaching staff provides some sort of stability, and can help this young team through their learning process as quickly and effectively as possible.