NewsRoyals tab Foster new bullpen coach
Training staff also revamped with new additions
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
10/27/09 6:48 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- The Royals completed their coaching staff on Tuesday by hiring Steve Foster as the bullpen coach.Foster, 43, spent the last three years as the Marlins' bullpen coach. He replaces John Mizerock whose contract was not renewed.
The Royals also promoted Kyle Turner to assistant trainer on the Major League staff. For the last two years he was their Minor League medical coordinator. Assistant trainers Frank Kyte and Jeff Stevenson are not returning to the staff under new head athletic trainer Nick Kenney.
In addition, the Royals announced that Ty Hill will return as strength and conditioning coordinator and Jeff Blum will be back as physical therapist.
Foster's background is pitching. He spent his entire playing career in the Cincinnati organization, including 1991-93 as a right-handed reliever with the Reds. In 59 Major League games, he had a 3-3 record, two saves and a 2.41 ERA, but his career was cut short by arm surgeries.
"He was a Major League pitcher, and he's been working as the bullpen coach with the Marlins, and he did a terrific job there," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.
"He'll be an extension of [pitching coach] Bob McClure, obviously, and he brings a lot of successful experience as a bullpen coach there in Florida."
Moore wanted an ex-pitcher in the bullpen, which ranked 29th of the 30 big league teams with a 5.02 ERA last season. The Marlins, with ex-Royals staffer Mark Wiley as pitching coach and Foster in the bullpen, were ninth in the relief standings with a 3.83 ERA.
Mizerock, who left after 18 years in the Royals' organization, has a catching background.
Foster was the pitching coach for two years at Class A Greensboro before being promoted to the Marlins' staff. He also scouted for Tampa Bay and was a college coach at the University of Michigan and Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Foster pitched at the University of Texas-Arlington, also manager Trey Hillman's alma mater.
"He had quite a few opportunities that he was looking at throughout the game and we're glad he's going to be in Kansas City," Moore said.
The training staff under Kenney, who replaced Nick Swartz, will be trimmed a bit with Turner in effect replacing both Kyte and Stevenson.
"They did a very good job, very loyal and they did a terrific job. At the end of the day, with a new head trainer coming in, we felt it was best to have everybody start with a clean slate," Moore said.
"It was very important for us to create synergy between our Major League and Minor League training departments and Kyle Turner's recent role created the best opportunity to do that."
Before spending the last three years in the Royals' organization, Turner worked seven years for the Rangers. A graduate of Southern Utah University, he was head trainer at Northern Oklahoma College in 1998-2000.
Dick Kaegelis a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
