Athletics Nation - Oakland A's shake up front office, coaching staffAn SB Nation blog for Oakland Athletics fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47025/an-fave.png2015-11-11T23:16:55-08:00http://www.athleticsnation.com/rss/stream/103915232015-11-11T23:16:55-08:002015-11-11T23:16:55-08:00A's will name Kotsay bench coach, reports SF Chronicle
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<figcaption>Mark Kotsay scores for the Oakland Athletics on his two-run inside the park home run for the Athletics in Game 2 of the 2006 ALDS. | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The former Athletics outfielder returns to Oakland.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> will name <span>Mark Kotsay</span> their bench coach on Thursday, <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-to-name-Mark-Kotsay-bench-coach-6626377.php?t=8b39510fe83d4cb4da&cmpid=twitter-premium">according to a report from Susan Slusser of the <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i></a>. Kotsay, 39, takes over for Mike Aldrete, who will take the vacant first base coach position that was previously filled by Tye Waller. Mark Kotsay was the hitting coach for the <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">San Diego Padres</a> in the 2015 season, and the Padres gave the A's permission to interview him last week despite being under contract for 2016. He played for the A's from 2004-2008 and retired after the 2013 season.</p>
<p>Slusser notes that Kotsay "has a reputation for leadership" and this could be a response to clubhouse chemistry<a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/4/9452745/where-did-the-awful-athletics-clubhouse-chemistry-come-from"> issues reported in the <i>Chronicle</i> shortly after this season</a>.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/11/11/9720636/oakland-as-will-name-mark-kotsay-bench-coach-reports-sf-chronicleJeremy F. Koo2015-11-06T18:29:00-08:002015-11-06T18:29:00-08:00A's will interview Kotsay for bench coach
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<figcaption>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> will interview former A's player <span>Mark Kotsay</span> for bench coach early next week, <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-get-OK-to-interview-Mark-Kotsay-for-6616384.php?t=2380ee97543d4cb4da&cmpid=twitter-premium">reports <i>San Francisco Chronicle </i>A's beat writer Susan Slusser</a>. Kotsay, 39, was the hitting coach for the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Diego Padres</a> in the 2015 season. He played for the A's from 2004-2008 and retired after the 2013 season.</p>
<p>Incumbent bench coach Mike Aldrete would move to a different coaching position on the A's staff if Kotsay is hired, Slusser says. The only known vacancy on the major league staff is first base coach, with the A's declining to retain Tye Waller, though the A's have not yet announced any coaching decisions.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kotsay's a media favorite: once helped us on deadline by taking a tape recorder into the whirlpool and interviewing <span>Damian Miller</span> for us.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/662818209217646592">November 7, 2015</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The best part: Kotsay (very knowngly) asked every possible cliche he could think of. Screamingly funny.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/662818382857678849">November 7, 2015</a>
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<p>Slusser also reports that the A's are losing minor league pitching coordinator Garvin Alston. He will become bullpen coach for the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a>.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/11/6/9686434/oakland-as-will-interview-mark-kotsay-for-bench-coach-reports-sfJeremy F. Koo2015-11-06T11:43:00-08:002015-11-06T11:43:00-08:00A's promote Owens & Feinstein to assistant GM
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<figcaption>Dan Feinstein, pictured when he was a member of the Rays organization in 2011. A photo of Billy Owens was not immediately available. | J. Meric/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> have promoted Billy Owens and Dan Feinstein to assistant general manager titles, the club announced today:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a> promote Billy Owens to Asst. GM/Director of Player Personnel and Dan Feinstein to Asst. GM, Pro Scouting and Player Personnel</p>
— Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/662714997856800768">November 6, 2015</a>
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<p>Owens and Feinstein join Dan Kantrovitz at the assistant general manager level in the A's organization. Kantrovitz does not formally have an additional title in the front office beyond assistant general manager, <a href="http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/oak/team/executive_bio.jsp?loc=kantrovitz">but his club bio says</a> his primary focus is "on overseeing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in the amateur draft, free agent and trade markets."</p>
<p>Owens has been director of player personnel since 2004. In <a href="http://pressbox.oaklandathletics.com/Home%20Directory/11-06-2015%20C%20A%E2%80%99s%20Promote%20Billy%20Owens%20and%20Dan%20Feinstein.pdf">a press release</a>, the A's said "Owens will continue to provide input and recommendations for potential trades and free agent signings, along with evaluation in the area of amateur scouting." Owens was interviewed last month for the general manager position with the Philadelphia Phillies, but was out of the running after the first round of interviews, <a href="https://twitter.com/bnightengale/status/657666528871997440">reported Bob Nightengale of <i>USA TODAY</i></a>.</p>
<p>Feinstein returned to the A's after 2011 as director of professional scouting/baseball development. In <a href="http://pressbox.oaklandathletics.com/Home%20Directory/11-06-2015%20C%20A%E2%80%99s%20Promote%20Billy%20Owens%20and%20Dan%20Feinstein.pdf">their press release</a>, the Athletics say Feinstein "will continue to oversee the A's professional and international scouting efforts while assisting in all other aspects of baseball operations."</p>
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<p>It's tempting to say all these recent promotions smack of a bit of title inflation, but I think these titles accurately reflect the importance of Owens, Feinstein, and Kantrovitz to the A's organization. Owens has been with the club continuously since 1999 and Feinstein from 1994-2004 and since the 2011-12 offseason. Kantrovitz has been in various baseball capacities since 2004, and 2016 will be his fifth season with the A's in some capacity.</p>
<p>The A's front office is oft described as <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=a%27s%20%22brain%20trust%22&es_th=1">a "brain trust"</a> and it's only befitting to recognize those minds in a way not really possible for the recent title bumps for Beane and Forst.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/11/6/9684098/athletics-promote-billy-owens-dan-feinstein-assistant-gmJeremy F. Koo2015-10-24T10:19:47-07:002015-10-24T10:19:47-07:00A's keep Kantrovitz, Phillies hire Angels' Klentak
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<figcaption>Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With no other general manager jobs available this offseason, it appears the Athletics will retain Dan Kantrovitz's services for another season.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Phillies</a> will name <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Angels</a> assistant general manager Matt Klentak their next general manager, <a href="https://twitter.com/nickcafardo/status/657952299147509761">reports Nick Cafardo of the <i>Boston Globe</i></a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/657958765166264320">confirmed by MLB.com Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki</a>. <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> assistant general manager Dan Kantrovitz was one of three finalists for the position, <a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/657622583420936192">Zolecki reported on Friday</a>. <a href="https://www.draysbay.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rays</a> executive Chaim Bloom was the other one.</p>
<p>Kantrovitz continues in his role as being "involved in all aspects of the A's baseball operations department with a primary focus on overseeing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in amateur draft, free agent and trade markets," according to his bio in the A's Media Guide. Kantrovitz enters his second offseason in this role after replacing Farhan Zaidi last November.</p>
<p>For the Angels, this is the second assistant general manager that has taken an opportunity elsewhere in the last two days. Scott Servais was named the new manager of the <a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seattle Mariners</a> on Friday, replacing Lloyd McClendon. <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/angels-689032-klentak-general.html">According to Jeff Fletcher of the <i>Orange County Register</i></a>, the Angels are also expected to lose special assistant to the general manager Tim Bogar to become Servais' bench coach in Seattle.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/24/9607706/oakland-as-keep-asst-gm-dan-kantrovitz-phillies-name-angels-mattJeremy F. Koo2015-10-23T11:44:28-07:002015-10-23T11:44:28-07:00A's asst. GM Dan Kantrovitz finalist for Phillies GM
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<p>The Athletics assistant general manager joins executives from the Angels and Rays in the finalist pool.</p> <p><a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> assistant general manager Dan Kantrovitz is among the final three candidates for the general manager opening with the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Phillies</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/657622583420936192"> tweets MLB.com Philadelphia Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki</a>. Joining Kantrovitz in the finalist pool are <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Angels</a> assistant general manager Matt Klentak and <a href="https://www.draysbay.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Rays</a> vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources confirm 3 finalists for Phillies' GM job are Matt Klentak, Dan Kantrovitz and Chaim Bloom. Ivy Leaguers in 30s with analytics base.</p>
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) <a href="https://twitter.com/ToddZolecki/status/657622583420936192">October 23, 2015</a>
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<p>The A's brought Kantrovitz on board as an assistant general manager last November after Farhan Zaidi left the A's to become general manager of the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Dan Kantrovitz was the scouting director for the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a>, and previously was in charge of international scouting for the Athletics.</p>
<p>Kantrovitz is currently the only assistant general manager in the A's organization following David Forst's promotion to general manager. According to his bio in the 2015 A's Media Guide, Kantrovitz "is involved in all aspects of the A's baseball operations department with a primary focus on overseeing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in amateur draft, free agent and trade markets."</p>
<p>The A's previously had permitted Kantrovitz to interview for the Brewers general manager position that was ultimately awarded to David Stearns. Kantrovitz has already been through two rounds of interviews with the Phillies, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/656499241897107464">according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports</a>.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/23/9601792/athletics-dan-kantrovitz-finalist-phillies-general-manager-searchJeremy F. Koo2015-10-14T18:11:27-07:002015-10-14T18:11:27-07:00A's dismiss Tye Waller, will retain rest of staff
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<img alt="Oakland A's first base coach Tye Waller (right)." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R6s5YdYVagiMtuQ25ZTSQSlf3S0=/0x7:3000x2007/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47425732/usa-today-8581808.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Oakland A's first base coach Tye Waller (right). | Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Athletics will retain the rest of their major league staff, according to MLB.com</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> will not retain the services of first base coach Tye Waller next season, <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/athletics/2015/10/14/as-make-first-post-season-move-by-firing-waller/">according to a report by John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group</a>. MLB.com's <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneMLB/status/654452271288336386">Jane Lee further reports</a> that the A's will retain the rest of the Major League staff. Waller had been an A's coach for nine seasons, at first and third base in 2007-08, as Bob Geren's bench coach from 2009-10, and back to first base since 2011.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/14/9535661/oakland-as-dismiss-first-base-coach-tye-willer-reports-bay-area-newsJeremy F. Koo2015-10-05T18:34:37-07:002015-10-05T18:34:37-07:00Beane/Forst: Extensions for Reddick and Gray?
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<figcaption>A's Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Billy Beane, pictured. | Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Josh Reddick will be with the Athletics for at least this season, says the front office team, and will the A's try to extend both Reddick and Sonny Gray?</p> <p>After announcing title bumps for Billy Beane and David Forst to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, respectively, the duo held a press conference at the O.co Coliseum.</p>
<p>The responsibilities of the two are not changing much, as David Forst seems to already have responsibilities in the same vein as other President-GM front offices do, just without the title. <a href="http://www.csnbayarea.com/athletics/promotions-beane-forst-long-haul">Says CSN California's Joe Stiglich</a>, "They've each cultivated their own relationships with executives from other teams when it comes to trade talks, to the point where Forst knows some GMs around the game better than Beane does."</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Beane/Forst promotions only a change in titles. As Beane said, "This makes public how we've been operating."</p>
— Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneMLB/status/651113974872715265">October 5, 2015</a>
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<p>Billy Beane did hint that he hopes to become more involved in amateur scouting and the draft. Beane said, "After a while, you get separated from that part of it and like to reconnect with it in a bigger way, so I'm hoping that's the case," <a href="http://m.athletics.mlb.com/news/article/153363416/athletics-promote-beane-name-forst-new-gm">reports MLB.com's Jane Lee.</a></p>
<p>Forst has had numerous opportunities to interview with other clubs, but he has stuck with the A's each time in his 16 seasons in the A's front office. According to Joe Stlglich, Forst said, "Working for (owners) Lew (Wolff) and John (Fisher), working with Billy, for [A's team president] Mike [Crowley], it's what I always wanted. My family loves it here. I'm thrilled to have this happen, to know I'm gonna be here for a while."</p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Along with today's title bumps comes word from Billy Beane that the A's will consider Josh Reddick and Sonny Gray for contract extensions, <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/athletics/2015/10/05/reddick-gray-in-line-for-possible-contract-extensions/" style="background-color: #ffffff;">writes John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Beane says firmly that Reddick is back next year and a candidate for a contract extension.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/651112253442256896">October 5, 2015</a>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Reddick will reach free agency after the 2016 season, and his performance at the plate this year was enough to earn him Oakland's nomination for the Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the MLB player selected as the top hitter in each league and voted on by baseball fans and media.</p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: left;">"Monday morning[,] manager Bob Melvin took Reddick aside, presumably to tell him of the club's intentions," Hickey writes. Reddick told the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/Reddick-Crisp-hope-to-anchor-A-s-outfield-next-6547453.php"><i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>'s Susan Slusser last week</a>, "I love being here, I love playing here. ... I think there is a bright future for this organization and I obviously want to be a part of it. ... I hope it's the rare occasion where I stick around and get the kind of extension very few players ever get here."</p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Sonny Gray won't reach free agency until 2020, and salary arbitration until 2017, but Beane is repeatedly on record as saying Gray's status in Oakland is not in doubt. Contrast to last year's pronouncement by an unnamed "Athletics official":</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I see two national writers mentioned possibility of a Donaldson trade. I ran that by an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a> official; he said "That would be stupid."</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/517519783298744320">October 2, 2014</a>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Beane's on the record for this latest denial. So we'll see.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/5/9458007/billy-beane-david-forst-promotions-press-conference-round-upJeremy F. Koo2015-10-05T11:11:00-07:002015-10-05T11:11:00-07:00A's promote Beane to EVP, Forst to GM
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<figcaption>Billy Beane has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Oakland Athletics promoted General Manager Billy Beane to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, and Assistant General Manager David Forst to General Manager, the club announced this morning ahead of end-of-season press availabilities with the manager and front office leadership team. The news has been expected since the <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-front-office-focused-on-future-6427586.php?t=721353e06f3d4cb4da&cmpid=twitter-premium"><i>San Francisco Chronicle</i> reported it</a> on August 5.</p>
<p>In a press release, A's Owner and Managing Partner Lew Wolff said, "Billy Beane and David Forst have continually proven themselves to be two of the best baseball minds in the game today. The team remains in great hands. We're very fortunate to have not one but two executives of their caliber."</p>
<p>Details of how exactly the job duties of the two will change have not been released, and that will presumably be a topic for today's press availability with Beane and Forst, scheduled for 11:30 am.</p>
<p>Billy Beane just finished his 18th season as General Manager while David Forst completed his 16th season with the A's and 12th as Assistant General Manager.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2015/10/5/9455163/athletics-promote-billy-beane-exec-vp-of-baseball-ops-david-forst-general-managerJeremy F. Koo