As expected, as soon as the Dodgers formally introduced Dave Roberts as their new manager, the first of what will be a sweeping change to their coaching staff began one day later.

Although there has been no formal announcement yet, it was widely reported on Wednesday that the Dodgers have named former Mets bench coach and recent Dodgers managerial candidate Bob Geren as the teams new bench coach, replacing Tim Wallach, who himself was a Dodgers managerial candidate. (Note: It is speculated that Wallach will join former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly in Miami as the team’s new bench coach under his former boss).

Like many Dodgers front office appointees, Geren has ties with either Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman or general manager Farhan Zaidi – in this case the latter. After spending four years as a minor league manager in the Red Sox organization, Geren was hired by the Oakland A’s where he managed the team’s Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats from 2000 to 2002. During the winter of 2002, Geren led the Tigres del Licey to the Dominican Baseball League Championship, after which he was promoted as the A’s bench coach – a position he held until being named manager in 2007. After serving as the A’s manager for four full seasons, Geren was fired midway through the 2011 season. He wasn’t out of the game for long, however, as he was named as the Mets bench coach under manager (and former Dodger) Terry Collins on October 14, 2011 up to and through the 2015 World Series.

Geren spent four and a half seasons as the A’s manager under (then) assistant general manager Farhan Zaidi. (Photo credit – Justin Sullivan)

And then late Wednesday morning it was reported that the Dodgers appointed former Diamondbacks hitting coach Turner Ward to replace Mark McGwire as the Dodgers’ new hitting coach. (Note: McGwire was officially named as the Padres new bench coach earlier in the day).

After spending 12 seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder with six different teams (including the 1992 World Champion Toronto Blue Jays), Ward was hired by the Dbacks in 2011 to manage their Double-A affiliate Mobile BayBears. Ward found instant success when he led the BayBears to consecutive Southern League Championships in 2011 and 2012 and was named the Southern League Manager of the Year in 2011. Ward was promoted to assistant hitting coach for the Dbacks in 2013 and then hitting coach in 2014.

The name Turner Ward is probably familiar to many Dodger fans. He was with the Dbacks on June 11, 2013 when the Dodgers and Dbacks got into one of the most epic brawls in baseball history. During that brawl, Ward was nearly pushed over the railing and into the photographers’ well by Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell. When the dust finally settled, both Ward and Howell were ejected (and later suspended) along with a slew of other players and coaches. That being said, it’s probably safe to say that there are no lingering hard feelings between Howell and Ward over the spur-of-the-moment emotional incident. In fact, knowing J.P. Howell’s sense of humor, the incident will probably be the source of quite a few jokes between the two.

Perhaps the greatest image of the epic Dodgers-Dbacks brawl on June 11, 2013 is when Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell nearly dumped Dbacks coach (and new Dodgers hitting coach)  Turner Ward into the photographers’ well. (Video capture courtesy of KCAL 9 Sports – Click on image to view video)

Although hope springs eternal in our beloved national pastime, when new people come in, existing coaches are replaced, and such is the case with the Dodgers. As most Dodger fans know by now, first base coach Davey Lopes has moved on to become the Washington Nationals’ first base coach under new manager (and Lopes’ former Dodgers teammate) Dusty Baker and third base coach Ron Roenicke has moved on to become the Angels’ third base coach under manager (and former Dodger) Mike Scioscia, thereby creating vacancies at both coaching positions for the Dodgers.

Additionally, the Dodgers have been unusually quiet with their plans for their pitching coach position. It was initially reported (but never confirmed) that longtime Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt had agreed to a two-year deal with the Dodgers but in what capacity was unknown. Since those early reports there has been no additional information in this regard, which tends to suggest that perhaps those early reports were nothing more than typical off-season rumors.

There is one coaching position for which there is zero doubt is currently vacant – that of the Dodgers bullpen coach previously held by former MLB reliever Chuck Crim.

“I was shocked when they told me they weren’t bringing me back,” said the three-year Dodgers bullpen. “I went from being the top pitching coach in the minor leagues to being a three-time division champion bullpen coach to being out of a job.”

The 54-year-old Van Nuys native and former eight-year major league reliever, who was named The Sporting News Magazine “Top Set-Up Man” in 1988 and 1989, said that the hardest part of being let go is that he no longer gets to work with the Dodgers relievers who he became very close with.

“Nobody knows Kenley Jansen like I do,” Crim said. “All of these guys are like sons to me, that’s what hurts the most. I love these guys.”

Crim said he was devastated when he learned he had been let go as the Dodgers bullpen coach.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With his résumé there is little doubt that Crim will land on his feet with another organization. There is also little doubt that Andrew Friedman, Farhan Zaidi and Dave Roberts will (probably) find a suitable replacement for Crim. But one thing is for sure, they will have a hard time finding someone with more passion than Chuck Crim.

“I want to be a Dodger,” said Crim “I like it here, this is where I want to stay.”

Crim is living proof that baseball is indeed a brutal business, but a business nonetheless.