Could Joe Girardi Tap Yankees Or Mets for New Phillies Pitching Coach?

Joe Girardi will be the Phillies' next manager. What now for the rest of the coaching staff?

In early October, the Phillies picked up the contract options of nine coaches from Gabe Kapler's staff:

• Bench coach Rob Thomson
• First base coach Paco Figueroa
• Third base coach Dusty Wathan
• Infield coach Bobby Dickerson
• Catching coaches Bob Stumpo and Craig Driver
• Bullpen coach Jim Gott
• Assistant pitching coach Dave Lundquist
• Assistant hitting coach Pedro Guerrero

It is not a guarantee that all will remain on Girardi's staff but there was a date earlier this month by which the Phillies needed to decide on those contract options.

Thomson is a slam dunk to remain. He was Girardi's bench coach with the Yankees, the two have an excellent rapport and he's a respected baseball mind. Thomson has been with the Phillies for the last two seasons and will be an invaluable resource to Girardi as he familiarizes himself with the roster and the organization. 

Wathan, too, is a slam dunk to remain on the staff. He is well-regarded around the game and a potential future manager somewhere. 

Dickerson was a big hit as infield coach in his first season with the club in 2019. A tireless worker, he utilizes a blend of analytics and feel in positioning the infielders and will likely remain in that role.

With so much of the staff currently in position, Girardi will want to choose his own pitching coach and hitting coach. One name to watch for pitching is Larry Rothschild, the Yankees' pitching coach since 2011. There is a widespread expectation that the Yankees will make changes to their coaching staff and that could free up Rothschild to re-join Girardi in Philadelphia. The two men are close and had great chemistry in New York.

Lundquist could also be considered for the role of head pitching coach. He is popular with pitchers on the staff and was often sought out by them because of his excellent eye for mechanical tweaks.

Other potential pitching coaches include Mike Harkey, the Yankees bullpen coach, and Mickey Callaway, who was recently fired as manager of the New York Mets. Callaway had previously been the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians.

One potential name to keep an eye on for hitting coach could be Hensley Meulens, who had success in that role with the San Francisco Giants. He is a candidate for the Giants' managerial opening. He could be considered for a spot on Girardi's staff, potentially as hitting coach, the position he held during all three of the Giants' World Series earlier this decade.

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