The coaches, they shall return

DODGERS RETAIN ENTIRE MAJOR LEAGUE COACHING STAFF FOR 2009

LOS ANGELES – The 2008 National League West Division Champion Los Angeles Dodgers today announced they have retained their entire Major League coaching staff for the 2009 season.  The staff, led by manager Joe Torre, guided the Dodgers to a first-place finish, followed by the franchise’s first postseason series victory since 1988. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

The coaches:

Larry Bowa – Third Base Coach (second season)
Mariano Duncan – First Base Coach (fourth season)
Rick Honeycutt – Pitching Coach (fourth season)
Ken Howell – Bullpen Coach (second season)
Don Mattingly – Hitting Coach (second season)
Manny Mota – Coach (30th season)
Jeff Pentland – Instructor (second season)
Bob Schaefer – Bench Coach (second season)

Bowa will enter his fourth straight season as the third base coach for Torre.  The 2009 season will be Bowa’s 44th in professional baseball as a player, coach or manager.

Duncan was inducted into the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday.  The San Pedro de Macoris native saw action at all four infield positions and in the outfield during his 12-year Major League career, and played four seasons with the Dodgers (1985-87, 1989).

Honeycutt has guided the Dodger pitching staff to a 4.04 ERA during his tenure (2006-08), the third-best mark in the Majors in that time behind only Toronto (3.95) and San Diego (3.99).  The Dodgers’ staff had a National League-best 3.68 ERA in 2008.

Howell oversaw a bullpen in 2008 that ranked second in the National League – and third in the Majors – with a 3.33 ERA, behind only Toronto (2.94) and Philadelphia (3.19).

Mattingly, who was hired as the hitting coach in November 2007, stepped down from his role prior to the start of the 2008 season due to personal reasons and rejoined the Dodgers staff at the All-Star break.  The club batted .279 (645-for-2309) in 67 games after the break to rank second in the NL.  The Dodger offense had hit .253 (810-for-3197) in 95 games before the All-Star break to rank 12th in the NL.

Mota will enter his 30th season as a coach with the Dodgers and 40th overall in the organization.  He donned a Dodger uniform as a player in parts of 13 seasons from 1969-80 and 1982. His tenure as a coach is the longest in Los Angeles Dodger history.

Pentland last year joined the Dodger organization at the All-Star break as a roving hitting instructor.  The 2009 campaign will be his 13th as a coach at the Major League level.

Schaefer will enter his 29th year in professional baseball, a span that includes seven seasons as a minor league manager (1980-81, 1983-87).