There’s another new coach I don’t know much about in the Dodgers‘ dugout. Bob Geren will be joining rookie manager Dave Roberts as bench coach. Geren is filling the role left by Tim Wallach, who followed Don Mattingly to Miami.
Geren is a former catcher who spent 10 years in the minor leagues before making his debut with the New York Yankees in 1988. He stayed with the Yankees for four years, spent a year in the minors with the Pawtucket Red Sox, then played his final year with the San Diego Padres in 1993.
Geren has coached his way through the ranks, starting in the Red Sox organization at both the Rookie and Class A levels, before joining the Oakland A’s to manage their Triple-A team in Sacramento. He was promoted to bench coach for the A’s in 2002, where he remained through 2006. On November 27, 2006 he ascended to manager in Oakland, where he guided the A’s to their first losing season since 1998.
His time with Oakland was rocky — he received an extension on his contract, but his managing style was questioned after several players voiced their displeasure. Former A’s reliever Huston Street called him the “least favorite person I have ever encountered in sports.” He was fired on June 9, 2011.
On October 14, 2011 he was hired to be the bench coach for the New York Mets. Geren would go on to spend four years in New York, which included a run to the World Series last season. In December, he was hired by the Dodgers to be bench coach, after having interviewed for the managerial position in early November. Geren and his wife are from California, and have stated that the favorable location had weighed a lot in his decision to come to Los Angeles.
Geren has many good things to say about manager Dave Roberts. In an interview with Robert Pace of Fox Sports, Geren said, “His (Roberts) enthusiasm is infectious, his personality is off the charts. He’s a great pick, just a great choice.”
Geren also feels that he can be a good teacher for the younger Roberts, and that they can lean on and learn from each other.
Hearing that he’s been called the “least favorite person” that someone has met in sports in concerning for sure, but his years of experience and his willingness to be open to the ideas of the front office should provide a good sounding board for Dave Roberts as they strive to take the Dodgers deep into the postseason.
(Photo Credits: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports & Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
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