New A’s manager Mark Kotsay reportedly has found his right-hand man.
According to Audacy Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman, Kotsay has tabbed former Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus to be his new bench coach. Last year’s bench coach, Ryan Christenson, followed former A’s manager Bob Melvin to his new job with the San Diego Padres.
Ausmus managed the Tigers from 2014-17, compiling a 314-332 record (.486) with his lone playoff appearance coming in 2014, resulting in a first-round ALDS exit. He only lasted one season in Anaheim as Mike Scioscia’s successor with the Angels in 2019, removed following a 72-90 season despite a talented roster that featured superstars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
According to Baseball-Reference, Ausmus caught the seventh-most games in MLB history (1,938) during his 18-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tigers. Ausmus, 52, and Kotsay, 46, were contemporaries during their playing careers.
Even though Ausmus’ managerial record (386-422) doesn’t sparkle, he should provide valuable input as someone who has pulled strings as an MLB skipper and caught in the league for nearly two decades.
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With the hiring, Oakland is still missing a third-base coach, the role Kotsay occupied in 2021. There could be more additions to Kotsay’s supporting cast this offseason. Coaching staffs are growing around the league and Kotsay acknowledged to reporters in his introductory press conference that the A’s could follow suit. Here’s an updated look at Kotsay’s 2022 staff:
Manager: Mark Kotsay
Bench coach: Brad Ausmus
Hitting coach: Darren Bush
Assistant hitting coach: Eric Martins
Pitching coach: Scott Emerson
Bullpen coach: Marcus Jensen
First-base coach: Mike Aldrete
Third-base coach: TBD
Once the A’s hire a third-base coach, they’ll have an eight-man staff. Across the Bay, by comparison, the Giants feature a diverse 15-person coaching staff. Oakland’s financial constraints from ownership extend beyond the playing field, though, as coaching staffs and organizational support are areas where the A’s severely fall behind the competition.
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