A's make it official, bring Kotsay on as bench coach

By foxsports
Published

On Thursday, the Oakland Athletics announced that they have reunited with a fan favorite: 39-year-old former outfielder Mark Kotsay has joined the club as Bob Melvin's bench coach. 

Earlier in the week it was revealed that the team planned to interview Kotsay for the position, and as it turns out that's exactly what happened. As for previous bench coach Mike Aldrete, the A's announced how this move impacts his role:

These maneuvers mean that the A's coaching staff now features Melvin, Kotsay, Aldrete, Ron Washington (at third base), and Curt Young (pitching coach) among its ranks.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, meanwhile, shed some light regarding what prompted the A's to consider Kotsay for the bench coach position. As she put it, Kotsay's leadership qualities and relative youth (for someone in a role such as bench coach) could be factors in the decision to bring him aboard: 

After the A’s last-place finish this past season, The Chronicle reported that there were indications that clubhouse chemistry was an issue, with the team not really coming together after nine offseason trades. Kotsay isn’t much older than most of the A’s players and only three years removed from his playing days, and he has a reputation for leadership.

With the A's seeking a drastic turnaround after a dismal 2015, bringing in an energetic type such as Kotsay is an intriguing move.