The Washington Nationals announced five moves to complete their 2009 coaching staff on Friday, hiring former major league manager Jim Riggleman, adding two players-turned-coaches in Marquis Grissom and Pat Listach, and promoting two coaches from their minor league system (Class A Potomac manager Randy Knorr and Class AAA Syracuse hitting coach Rick Eckstein).
The hirings end a monthlong search after the Nationals announced during the last game of the 2008 season the only coach they will bring back next season is pitching coach Randy St. Claire.
“It’s a staff that’s got a good combination of experience and youth,” manager Manny Acta said. “They’re high-energy, high-character guys who will help turn this around.”
Riggleman, who will be Acta’s bench coach, is the only member of the group who has had a major league coaching or managerial job before, though Knorr and Eckstein have helped the Nationals as late-season coaching additions.
That move, which puts a manager with eight years of managerial experience at Acta’s side, could be seen as a contingency plan in case general manager Jim Bowden decides to make a midseason switch at manager next season. But Acta said it’s important for him to have a veteran bench coach, as he has had the last two seasons with Pat Corrales, adding he helped Bowden put together the whole staff.
“There’s not one of these guys I’m not on board with,” Acta said. “I’m completely committed to every one of these guys. We went through a lot of names and did a lot of research.”
Grissom and Listach will coach first and third base, respectively. Eckstein will be the new hitting coach, and Knorr will be the bullpen coach.
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