An entirely new staff in 2011?

The early projections among members of the media had manager Buck Showalter keeping a few of the holdovers on his coaching staff and going outside the organization to fill the remaining spots. As the process dragged out, reporters began to wonder whether most, if not all, of the coaches on the Orioles' payroll would return. As you survey the landscape this morning, it's fair to assume that no one is coming back. We'll know for sure once the Orioles make a formal announcement - with the slight chance that it comes early next week - but it's become increasingly evident that Showalter, while appreciating the work put forth by his former staff members, is ready to clean house. Jim "Hound Dog" Presley will be introduced as hitting coach. Rick Adair, most recently the Seattle Mariners' pitching coach, will become the Orioles' bullpen coach, according to The Sun. Alan Dunn could remain in the organization as a minor league instructor, since the Orioles are trying to corner the market. Don Wakamatsu is the leading candidate to be hired as bench coach, and Mark Connor is the favorite to become pitching coach. Deals haven't been finalized, but it looks like we're headed that way. Wakamatsu could work with the catchers, duties that were handled by Jeff Datz this year. Showalter could go in a variety of directions when it comes to first and third base. He'll need infield and outfield instructors. Name the last Orioles manager who replaced every coach on the staff. You'd have to go back a ways, since Elrod Hendricks was here forever. Mike Hargrove was allowed to hire Jeff Newman and Brian Graham in 2000, and he wanted them to coach third and first base, respectively. But the Orioles were one coach over the limit and Eddie Murray wasn't budging from first, so Graham ended up in the press box as an "eye in the sky." Not exactly what he wanted. It wasn't long before Graham and Newman were gone, though Graham's back in the organization as the coordinator of instruction for the minor leagues. Most of us knew that things would be different with Showalter in charge. Here's one shining example.



Naka...Naka...not gonna give up
The role of the coach
 

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