OAKLAND, CALIF. (AP) - Bob Melvin wasted no time making changes to his Oakland coaching staff after receiving a new three-year deal last week to stay put as manager.
The Athletics said Friday they aren’t renewing the contracts of bench coach Joel Skinner, pitching coach Ron Romanick and hitting coach Gerald Perry. First base coach Tye Waller and third base coach Mike Gallego will return to the staff in 2012. Bullpen coach Rick Rodriguez will be considered a candidate for his same position next year.
Melvin took over for the fired Bob Geren in June and went 47-52 the rest of the way, including 35-35 after the All-Star break. The A’s finished their fifth straight year without a winning record or playoff berth since being swept by the Tigers in the 2006 AL championship series.
“A lot of the coaches who are here right now have been in this organization, and when you move up, you move up based on your performance,” Melvin said at a news conference Thursday. “Once you get to the big league level, a lot of it has to do with the manager unfortunately. These guys are very loyal to Bob Geren, who was a good man and a good manager. I really appreciate the job they did for me. Having said that, as a manager, you do want some of the guys you feel close to around you that get your message across and know really what you’re all about.”
The 49-year-old Melvin, who also managed the Mariners and Arizona, plans to fill the positions in the coming weeks.
It’s expected he will offer Phil Garner a spot, perhaps as bench coach. Melvin coached for Milwaukee under Garner, hired as an A’s adviser in August. They worked together with the Tigers, too.
Garner has said he would need to run any potential job offer or decision by his wife, Carol, considering “I already told her I’d retire _ twice.”
Oakland was his first major league club, and he would give Melvin an experienced right-hand man.
Garner managed the Brewers, Detroit and Houston Astros.
Garner owns a 985-1,054 career managerial record over 15 seasons. A three-time All-Star, Garner delivered the 10,000th hit in Oakland history against the California Angels on June 27, 1975.
Also Friday, the A’s announced they have received 22-year-old outfielder Eliezer Mesa from Colorado to complete the trade that sent Mark Ellis to the Rockies on June 30.
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