Report: A's name Ron Washington third base coach, replacing Mike Gallego
The Oakland Athletics shook up their coaching staff a bit on Monday, naming Ron Washington their third base coach for the remainder of the season. His promotion came at the expense of Mike Gallego, as the team included in the Tweet announcement:
This marks the latest development in Washington's eventful year. After stepping down as manager of the Texas Rangers in 2014 amid some personal issues, the A's brought him on as a special instructor earlier this season. He's spent a lot of time working with shortstop Marcus Semien on improving his defense, to mostly solid results.
Washington spent 1996-2006 as a member of Oakland's coaching staff, splitting duties as an infield coach and first base/third base coach, so this news is a bit of a homage to his earlier stint with the Green and Gold.
As for Gallego, who just had his own 'Windup Toy' promotional day earlier in the month, this brings to an end his coaching career with the A's that began in 2008.
As Gallego said to John Hickey of Inside the A's on Monday via phone, he wasn't particularly surprised by his firing - and, in fact, he had seen it coming more or less since Washington was hired in May: "This is part of the cruel business we are all in. It was not a good situation with both Wash and I there. I appreciate all that Wash does. He clicked right way with Semien.’’
Gallego added that while the move wasn't surprising per se, he still isn't sure what the team's reasoning was: "Billy decided it was time to make a change,’’ Gallego said. “I don’t know what his reasoning is because I haven’t talked to him, but he pulled the trigger. And there’s not much an old third base coach can say. We are part of this game, and it can be a cruel game."
(h/t Twitter, Inside the A's)
Ron Washington said elevation to #Athletics 3B coach today "a surprise. I thought I would get back on the field maybe next year."
— John Hickey (@JHickey3) August 24, 2015
New 3B coach Ron Washington said he got a call from #Athletics mgr Bob Melvin last night, the mgr saying "he wanted me in the dugout."
— John Hickey (@JHickey3) August 24, 2015
Ron Washington, #Athletics 3B coach: "Any time you are a part of an ML dugout it means you really have an opportunity to make a difference."
— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) August 24, 2015
