NEWSLETTER
In case you were concerned about the status of pitching coach Chris Bosio – a reasonable position following the departure of relatively beloved coach Dave McKay – never fear. Bruce Levine reports that Bosio will indeed be returning next year with a fresh, two-year contract.
It’s always hard to pin down, precisely, the contributions of a particular coach, and we’ve got a limited view as fans, it has looked from the outside like Bosio has been a wild success. Whether it was Jeff Samardzija’s successful conversion to the rotation or Travis Wood’s emergence as a legitimate mid-rotation candidate or Scott Feldman’s breakout last year, pitchers seem to have blossomed under Bosio. You’ll never get 100% success, obviously, but even with a “failure” like Edwin Jackson, I see a whole lot in the peripherals that tell me he was being schooled as the year went on. (I think we’re going to see a great year in 2014 from Jackson, and I think it’s going to be largely a credit to Bosio and his emphasis on getting groundballs.)
Although I’m pleased to see Bosio returning, there is an interesting dynamic at work here. When Dale Sveum took over as manager under this front office, he was able to identify most of his own staff. The most notable holdover from the previous coaching staff, of course, was hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. You’ll recall that Jaramillo was a big money signing (as far as coaches go) from the Rangers, and was well-liked at the time Sveum was hired. By June, Jaramillo was fired.
Am I saying that’s what will happen to Bosio? Of course not. In fact, I tend to think the disconnect with Jaramillo had less to do with him not being selected by Sveum, and more to do with him not being selected by the front office. In Bosio’s case, they were around when he was hired. I just think it’s interesting when you have coaching staff decisions that are made, ostensibly, separately from the managerial decision. Hopefully Bosio and Renteria are familiar with each other and can work together well.
