NewsMarlins add four coaches to staff
St. Claire hired to help pitching staff find consistency
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
11/06/09 5:50 PM EST
MIAMI -- With the free-agent filing period under way, player movement is inevitable throughout the league.The Marlins will also have change in their coaching staff. On Friday, the team announced four new coaches have been hired, including pitching coach Randy St. Claire.
Dave Collins will be the outfield and first-base coach, Josue Espada becomes the infield and third-base coach, and Reid Cornelius is the bullpen coach.
St. Claire reached an agreement to join the Marlins on Oct. 26, and the announcement was made two days after the World Series.
"This coaching staff is a well-rounded group that brings a great deal of experience in coaching and teaching," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We look forward to starting Spring Training in preparation for the 2010 season."
On June 1, St. Claire was dismissed in the middle of his seventh season with the Nationals. Through the years, St. Claire developed a strong reputation for improving pitchers' mechanics.
The Marlins are looking for more consistency in their rotation, which posted a 4.29 ERA in 2009, ninth best in the National League.
St. Claire, who pitched nine seasons in the big leagues, is already getting a look at Andrew Miller, who is pitching for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League.
Collins, a former big league outfielder from 1975-1990, has had three previous stints coaching in the big leagues. He was the first-base coach with St. Louis (1991-92), Cincinnati (1999-2000) and Colorado (2003-06).
The Marlins filled a couple of vacancies from within. Espada, the organization's infield coordinator, takes over as infield coach. And Cornelius gets a promotion from Double-A Jacksonville pitching coach to bullpen coach.
Gone from the 2009 staff are pitching coach Mark Wiley, infield and first-base coach Andy Fox, outfield and third-base coach Bo Porter, and bullpen coach Steve Foster.
Wiley is staying on with the Marlins as a special assistant, under the condition that he could leave for a pitching coach job elsewhere.
The staff returns bench coach Carlos Tosca, hitting coach Jim Presley and bullpen coordinator Pierre Arsenault.
Porter took a job as third-base coach of the D-backs, and Foster is the new bullpen coach for the Royals.
Espada has been in the Marlins system for four years, serving as infield coordinator the past two seasons.
A native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, Espada played eight years in the Minor Leagues, beginning in the A's system from 1996-2000. He was in the Marlins organization as a Triple-A shortstop in 2001.
Cornelius has been in Florida's organization for seven seasons. Prior to being the pitching coach for the Suns, he was the pitching coach at Class A Jupiter.
An 11th-round pick of the Montreal Expos in 1988, Cornelius pitched in parts of three seasons. He broke in with the Expos in 1995, and he also pitched for the Mets that year.
In 1999 and 2000, he pitched for the Marlins. In all, he pitched in 45 big league games, with 33 starts.
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
