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After fielding nearly 40 phone calls about his vacant bench coach position, Orioles manager Dave Trembley found exactly who he was looking for in Jeff Datz, a former catcher who spent the previous 19 seasons in the Cleveland Indians organization.
His hiring made official Thursday, Datz replaces Dave Jauss, who was let go by Trembley earlier this month after two seasons as the Orioles' bench coach.
"He has experience, he's shown a great deal of loyalty to one organization, and he came very highly recommended by the people that he worked for and with," Trembley said. "He's very meticulous and a very thorough tactician and instructor of the game. He's going to be a very good resource, not only for me but for the other coaches and our players. It was a process we spent an awful lot of time on and Jeff was right at the top [of the list] from the very beginning."
Datz, 49, was on the Indians' coaching staff for eight seasons before he was relieved of his duties when manager Eric Wedge was fired in early October. Datz was Wedge's bench coach for three seasons after serving in that same role under former Indians manager Charlie Manuel for the first half of the 2002 campaign. During his 19-year tenure in the Cleveland organization, Datz was also the Indians' first base coach, third base coach, minor league field coordinator, minor league manager and an area scout.
"Dave Trembley's an outstanding human being, number one, and a great baseball man and manager," Datz said. "As we went through the process, he made me feel welcome and I was excited even more to be part of the organization. I spent a long time in Cleveland, but I'm really excited to move on."
As a player, he spent parts of nine minor league seasons behind the plate and played seven games with the Detroit Tigers in 1989. In his new role, Datz will assist Trembley in all facets, including coordinating spring training and working extensively with young catcher Matt Wieters.
Trembley said that it was important for the new bench coach to have a catching background after the manager needed minor league catching instructor Don Werner to spend extended stretches with the club last season to assist with Wieters' development. Datz said that Wieters made an impression on him when the Indians played the Orioles late in the season.
"I remember a throw he made in Baltimore, where it was a breaking ball in the dirt and he just threw a rocket right on the bag," Datz recalled. "[Shin-Soo] Choo came back and said, 'Datzy, I had a great jump, what happened? Was it a pitch out?' I said, 'It wasn't a pitch out, it was just a laser right on the bag.' He's obviously a special talent."
The rest of Trembley's coaching staff from the previous two seasons will return for the 2010 season. That includes Terry Crowley (hitting), Alan Dunn (bullpen), Rick Kranitz (pitching), Juan Samuel (third base) and John Shelby (first base).
Headed for the 'pen?
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said that he spoke to pitcher Koji Uehara before the end of the season and told him that he'll likely be used out of the bullpen in 2010. Uehara started 12 games for the Orioles in 2009, but didn't pitch after June 23 due to a partially torn flexor tendon in his right elbow.
Uehara signed a two-year, $10 million with the Orioles in January, largely because they were willing to give him an opportunity to start.
"It's not a foregone conclusion, but likely," said MacPhail on converting Uehara to a reliever. The right-hander saved 32 games for the Yomiuri Giants in 2007. "I think he understands. Medically, it might be the thing that makes the most sense."
Around the horn
MacPhail spoke recently with outfielder Nolan Reimold (left Achilles surgery) and pitcher Brad Bergesen (left shin contusion) and said both are progressing from injuries that prematurely ended their rookie seasons, adding that "nobody has any concerns [about their availability] for spring training." ... Though it won't be officially decided until next month, it appears that center fielder Adam Jones will avoid Super 2 contract status, pushing his arbitration eligibility until after the 2010 season and saving the Orioles money in the process. Reliever Matt Albers likely will achieve Super 2 status, joining Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Ray, Cla Meredith, Rich Hill and Luke Scott as the Orioles' arbitration-eligible players.
His hiring made official Thursday, Datz replaces Dave Jauss, who was let go by Trembley earlier this month after two seasons as the Orioles' bench coach.
"He has experience, he's shown a great deal of loyalty to one organization, and he came very highly recommended by the people that he worked for and with," Trembley said. "He's very meticulous and a very thorough tactician and instructor of the game. He's going to be a very good resource, not only for me but for the other coaches and our players. It was a process we spent an awful lot of time on and Jeff was right at the top [of the list] from the very beginning."
Datz, 49, was on the Indians' coaching staff for eight seasons before he was relieved of his duties when manager Eric Wedge was fired in early October. Datz was Wedge's bench coach for three seasons after serving in that same role under former Indians manager Charlie Manuel for the first half of the 2002 campaign. During his 19-year tenure in the Cleveland organization, Datz was also the Indians' first base coach, third base coach, minor league field coordinator, minor league manager and an area scout.
"Dave Trembley's an outstanding human being, number one, and a great baseball man and manager," Datz said. "As we went through the process, he made me feel welcome and I was excited even more to be part of the organization. I spent a long time in Cleveland, but I'm really excited to move on."
As a player, he spent parts of nine minor league seasons behind the plate and played seven games with the Detroit Tigers in 1989. In his new role, Datz will assist Trembley in all facets, including coordinating spring training and working extensively with young catcher Matt Wieters.
Trembley said that it was important for the new bench coach to have a catching background after the manager needed minor league catching instructor Don Werner to spend extended stretches with the club last season to assist with Wieters' development. Datz said that Wieters made an impression on him when the Indians played the Orioles late in the season.
"I remember a throw he made in Baltimore, where it was a breaking ball in the dirt and he just threw a rocket right on the bag," Datz recalled. "[Shin-Soo] Choo came back and said, 'Datzy, I had a great jump, what happened? Was it a pitch out?' I said, 'It wasn't a pitch out, it was just a laser right on the bag.' He's obviously a special talent."
The rest of Trembley's coaching staff from the previous two seasons will return for the 2010 season. That includes Terry Crowley (hitting), Alan Dunn (bullpen), Rick Kranitz (pitching), Juan Samuel (third base) and John Shelby (first base).
Headed for the 'pen?
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said that he spoke to pitcher Koji Uehara before the end of the season and told him that he'll likely be used out of the bullpen in 2010. Uehara started 12 games for the Orioles in 2009, but didn't pitch after June 23 due to a partially torn flexor tendon in his right elbow.
Uehara signed a two-year, $10 million with the Orioles in January, largely because they were willing to give him an opportunity to start.
"It's not a foregone conclusion, but likely," said MacPhail on converting Uehara to a reliever. The right-hander saved 32 games for the Yomiuri Giants in 2007. "I think he understands. Medically, it might be the thing that makes the most sense."
Around the horn
MacPhail spoke recently with outfielder Nolan Reimold (left Achilles surgery) and pitcher Brad Bergesen (left shin contusion) and said both are progressing from injuries that prematurely ended their rookie seasons, adding that "nobody has any concerns [about their availability] for spring training." ... Though it won't be officially decided until next month, it appears that center fielder Adam Jones will avoid Super 2 contract status, pushing his arbitration eligibility until after the 2010 season and saving the Orioles money in the process. Reliever Matt Albers likely will achieve Super 2 status, joining Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Ray, Cla Meredith, Rich Hill and Luke Scott as the Orioles' arbitration-eligible players.
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And he played 7 games for the Detroit Tigers, catching? Aren't there like 100 and so in a season..uh what happened to the rest of the season? Did he stink and get demoted? ..I bet Chris Hoiles probably could of made a nice bench coach
I_H8_Stupid_People (10/29/2009, 5:59 PM )