Coaching staff to take shape in time
GM Zduriencik, new manager McClendon meeting in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said he plans to spend the next few days with new manager Lloyd McClendon, and one of their first major decisions will be how to go about building a coaching staff.
That process began Monday, when McClendon picked his bench coach, former Nationals third-base coach Trent Jewett. Zduriencik spoke about it again on Tuesday, when McClendon arrived at the JW Marriott for the General Managers Meetings.
"Everything's up in the air every time you bring in a new manager," Zduriencik said. "I have my thoughts. He knows what they are. We'll share our thoughts, who's got some ideas, and we have current staff members that we'll look at first. If that meets both of our criteria, then they'll be retained. Otherwise, we're just going to explore options if we feel like we need to do that."
Zduriencik said he isn't going to set a deadline for those hires, and he doesn't have a timeframe in mind. The most important thing, he said, is making sure he and McClendon are comfortable with their choices.
"I would have rather had it done yesterday, but that's just the way it is," Zduriencik said. "You've got guys coming in from different parts of the country.
"As soon as we get guys in here and have a chance to sit down and talk. I think we just need to do a thorough job and at the end, what if it takes us three days, four days, five days? It doesn't matter. The time element isn't a factor. I think what's important is to get the right guys."
All of Seattle's holdover coaches have a year remaining on their contracts, so the GM and manager will first evaluate how they factor into the club's plans for 2014. Pitching coach Carl Willis, third-base coach Daren Brown, first-base coach Mike Brumley and bullpen coach Jaime Navarro were involved with the Mariners before former manager Eric Wedge's tenure began.
"The guys that are on staff right now have been told that they'll get an opportunity to sit down with Lloyd. He and I will get together," Zduriencik said. "We've been doing it, we'll continue to do it and we've got to do what's best for the organization going forward. He has his thoughts. I have mine. We'll put our heads together and make decisions."