Tribe adds Tolman, Radinsky and Smith to staff

[AZ_]

Acta adds three to coaching staff

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

11/16/09 11:00 AM EST

CLEVELAND -- Manny Acta's coaching staff is nearly complete, as the Indians announced the selection of three members of the staff Monday.

Tim Tolman, who served as the Tribe's Minor League field coordinator earlier this decade, has rejoined the organization as Acta's bench coach, while Scott Radinsky was promoted from Triple-A pitching coach to big league bullpen coach and Steve Smith has come aboard as Acta's infield and third-base coach.

These moves, in addition to the appointment of Tim Belcher to the pitching coach post earlier this month, leave Acta with just two more major vacancies to fill -- hitting coach and first-base coach. The expectation is that those spots will be filled between now and the start of the Winter Meetings in December.

Triple-A Columbus hitting coach Jon Nunnally is considered a candidate for the hitting-coach position.

Tolman, 53, has ties to the Tribe and to Acta. The two worked together in the Astros' player development system and in Washington, where Acta was the manager of the Nationals and Tolman was his third-base coach in 2007 and '08.

A former outfielder and first baseman for the Astros and Tigers, Tolman played professionally from 1978-89 and played in parts of seven Major League seasons from 1981-87. When his playing days were done, he worked in the Astros' Minor League system from 1990-2002 before joining the Tribe in '03 and spending four seasons working with Tribe farmhands. After two years on Acta's staff, Tolman spent the '09 season serving as the Mariners' Minor League coordinator of instruction.

Radinsky, 41, was passed over for the Tribe's bullpen coach job last year, when the Indians dismissed longtime coach Luis Isaac and replaced him with Chuck Hernandez.

This time around, the Indians are giving the nod to Radinsky, who is well-respected by many of the Tribe's young arms who have come up through the system.

Radinsky made 557 relief appearances over 11 seasons with the White Sox, Dodgers, Cardinals and Indians, compiling a 42-25 record with 52 saves and a 3.44 ERA. Since joining the organization as a coach in 2004, Radinsky spent the last three years serving as pitching coach at the Triple-A level.

The 57-year-old Smith is a native of nearby Canton, but he's new to the Indians. He has 11 years of Major League experience as an infield and third-base coach. He was with the Mariners from 1996-99, the Rangers from 2000-06 and the Phillies in 2007 and '08. In that span, he worked with Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins, who combined to win six Gold Glove awards under Smith's tutelage.

Smith, who played seven seasons in the Minors from 1976-82 and managed at the Minor League level for 11 seasons, was relieved of his duties by the Phillies following their '08 World Series title.

I like Radinsky, not sure on the other two.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

Radinsky has had a record of fixing pitchers, so putting him as the bullpen coach is a great move.

I have no idea about the other two. I will say that if we hire Nunnally, I'll be upset...I don't think Nunnally is a very good coach.

 

[Gunther]

As long as Manny is happy with them, I'm happy with them. They sound like decent candidates.

 

[macbdog]

Tolman was Acta's 3B coach in Washington- and a former minor league fielding coordinator for the Tribe- and Steve Smith was the Phillies' 3B coach who left supposedly b/c of disagreements with Charlie Manuel. All I know is, the last time Smith was on the Phillies staff, they won a World Series. They fired him, and they haven't won one since. Good sign for the Tribe! :chuckles:

Tolman is really bouncing around, I wonder why. As in, what inspired him to bail on the Nats for one year to work in a minor league org then bail again? Weird.

 

[BooyaCS]

Smith was ran from a game after arguing a call with the Phillies.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_relea...ent_id=2034329&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

We need more guys like this.

 

[BooyaCS]

Tolman was Acta's 3B coach in Washington- and a former minor league fielding coordinator for the Tribe- and Steve Smith was the Phillies' 3B coach who left supposedly b/c of disagreements with Charlie Manuel. All I know is, the last time Smith was on the Phillies staff, they won a World Series. They fired him, and they haven't won one since. Good sign for the Tribe! :chuckles:

Tolman is really bouncing around, I wonder why. As in, what inspired him to bail on the Nats for one year to work in a minor league org then bail again? Weird.

Tolman and four other Washington coaches were fired at the end of the 2008 season.

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2009/10/cleveland_indians_manager_mann.html

Someone comes calling and wants you back in the bigs. Do you take it or stay in the minors as an instructional position?

 

[Chris]

b00bie can start freaking out.

Manny Acta just said on All Bets Are Off, the new 1B Coach for the Cleveland Indians is Sandy Alomar Jr

 

[Gunther]

Player support helped Nunnally's cause
Tribe's new hitting coached drew rave review from vets
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
12/09/09 5:13 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS -- It's good to have friends in high places.

As Indians manager Manny Acta was considering candidates for his vacant hitting-coach position, several of the players he's inheriting, including designated hitter Travis Hafner and star center fielder Grady Sizemore, were pushing hard for Jon Nunnally to get the job.


Nunnally officially got the job Tuesday, and the Indians announced the decision Wednesday. Minor League field coordinator Dave Hudgens was the runner-up.

This was a promotion for Nunnally, who spent the '09 season at Triple-A Columbus after two years serving as the hitting coach at Class A Kinston.

"Besides the point of a Triple-A guy and being familiar with our guys, our guys love him," Acta said of Nunnally. "They love his energy, his work ethic, they love that he's a motivator. He was endorsed by a lot of our hitters. Some of the guys who went down there on rehab assignments and stuff were raving about him. We came away from our interview very impressed by him."

Nunnally is currently in Venezuela, serving as hitting coach on the Caracas team being managed by Hudgens. While Hudgens has a big league coaching background as a former hitting coach for the A's, Nunnally's familiarity with many of the young hitters he'll be working with worked in his favor.

Before he got into coaching, the 38-year-old Nunnally was a third-round Draft pick by the Tribe in 1992. He went on to play with seven different organizations from 1992-2006, including parts of six seasons at the big league level with the Royals (1995-97), Reds ('97-98), Red Sox ('99) and Yankees ('00).

Acta said he wasn't at all concerned that Nunnally tested positive for performance-enhancing substances and was suspended for 15 games while playing in the Pirates' system in 2005.

"That's something that is there," Acta said. "At the end of the day, you have to see the guy for who he is and the fact that he has been our Triple-A hitting coach. That wasn't a concern at all."

The hiring of Nunnally completed Acta's staff for his first year at the helm of the Tribe. Nunnally, pitching coach Tim Belcher, bullpen coach Scott Radinsky and assistant to the Major League staff Ruben Niebla were promoted from within, while bench coach Tim Tolman, third-base and infield coach Steve Smith and first-base and catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. were brought in from outside the organization. Smith is the only coach without a previous career tie to the Tribe.

"I'm very happy," Acta said of his staff. "It's too bad you can't have 10 guys. I did come across a lot of good candidates. [Triple-A manager] Torey Lovullo [who has since moved on to the Red Sox organization] was fantastic. [Minor League outfield and baserunning coordinator] Gary Thurman was real, real good, and he's going to be a big part of our club during Spring Training. And [special assistant] Robby Thompson was another guy who blew me away. You can only have so many guys. But [the number of quality candidates] says a lot about our system."

SOURCE

 

[macbdog]

Nunnally tested positive for performance-enhancing substances and was suspended for 15 games while playing in the Pirates' system in 2005.

Well, I guess if there is anyone who can get Hafner back 'on trackt' it is him.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

It should be noted that whenever a player was sent down to get "fixed", Nunnally fixed that player. Hell, he even turned Marte into a decent player.

 

[Snowblind]

Radinsky has had a record of fixing pitchers, so putting him as the bullpen coach is a great move.

I have no idea about the other two. I will say that if we hire Nunnally, I'll be upset...I don't think Nunnally is a very good coach.

It should be noted that whenever a player was sent down to get "fixed", Nunnally fixed that player. Hell, he even turned Marte into a decent player.

Hmmmm...:detective

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

:chuckles:

What can I say, he was hired, so I have to support him.

I don't think he is the best hire and I DO think that this team would be better suited with an experience hitting coach considering the young players we have, but Manny thought otherwise...

Oh and don't be alarmed, that beeping noise is me backing up from my position...

 

[Gunther]

The Tribe has hired Charley Nagy as AAA pitching coach:

Cleveland Indians hire Charles Nagy to be Class AAA pitching coach
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
December 10, 2009, 11:03AM

INDIANAPOLIS -- If Sandy Alomar Jr. can come home, why not Charles Nagy?

The Indians have hired Nagy as their Class AAA pitching coach at Columbus. He replaces Scott Radinski who was promoted to manager Manny Acta's big-league staff in Cleveland as bullpen coach. Another new addition to Acta's staff is Alomar as the first base coach and catching instructor.

Nagy and Alomar were an enduring battery for the Indians in the 1990s. Alomar caught for the Tribe from 1990 through 2000. Nagy pitched for the Indians from 1990 through 2002.

In another coaching move Lee May Jr. was promoted from Class AA Akron to Columbus as hitting coach.

Nagy went 129-103 for the Indians. He finished his career with the Padres.

He was a special assistant for Indians GM Mark Shapiro and the Angels Class AAA pitching coach.

"There could not be a better fit for us than Charles Nagy," said Ross Atkins, Indians director of player development. "Not only regarding his major league pedirgree, but his Cleveland Indians pedigree.

"I think he'll be ideal for helping pitchers get over the hump at Triple-A to the big leagues."

Nagy and Alomar are recent inductees into the Indians Hall of Fame

SOURCE

 

[macbdog]

Chuck has been working with the minor leaguers for a few years now- I think he was a roving instructor before. Good pick, Chuck transformed himself after his elbow blew up and really became a 'true' pitcher and made the most of the velocity he had left.