Dodgers News: Tim Wallach Named Bench Coach, Lorenzo Bundy 3B Coach
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced this morning that third base coach Tim Wallach would join manager Don Mattingly in the dugout as his bench coach and Triple A Albuquerque manager Lorenzo Bundy would take over as the third base coach.
This move was rumored a week or so ago after Wallach was a finalist for both the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners managerial openings, but was passed over again. The Dodgers official Twitter account was the first to announce the news to the public:
Don Mattingly and 9 coaches will return in 2014. Tim Wallach is the new bench coach and Lorenzo Bundy is joining the club as the 3B coach.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 11, 2013
After firing bench coach Trey Hillman a week after the season ended, management wanted to give Mattingly a better in-game strategist as there are concerns about his decision-making late in games. Wallach coached the Isotopes in 2009 before joining the Dodgers coaching staff and the two should form a good duo in the dugout.
Meanwhile, Bundy has been the manager at Albuquerque since 2011 and was the Arizona Diamondbacks first base coach in 2009. Along with these two new hires, the Dodgers will have the same coaching staff as last season since Davey Lopes and Rick Honeycutt had their options picked up earlier in the off-season.
The last question remaining about the coaching staff is whether or not Mattingly will receive an extension. The Dodgers and Mattingly are talking as the fourth-year manager wants a three-year deal and a resolution should be reached shortly.
Adding Wallach and Bundy to the Dodgers coaching staff should definitely help both will look to put the players in a position to build on their 2013 season.
Here’s the entire Dodgers 2014 coaching staff, via @Dodgers:
Don Mattingly-Manager (4th season)
Lorenzo Bundy-Third Base Coach (1st season)
Chuck Crim-Bullpen Coach (2nd season)
Rick Honeycutt-Pitching Coach (9th season)
Davey Lopes-First Base Coach (4th season)
Mark McGwire-Hitting Coach (2nd season)
Tim Wallach-Bench Coach (4th season on staff, 1st in this position)
Ken Howell-Assistant Pitching Coach (7th season on staff, 2nd in this position)
John Valentin-Assistant Hitting Coach (2nd season)
Manny Mota-Coach (35th season)
Steve Yeager-Coach (3rd season)
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