The Boston Red Sox today announced the following additions to the major league coaching staff:
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski and Manager Alex Cora made the announcement.
LeVangie, 48, has spent his entire 27-year professional baseball career -- as a player and staff member -- in the Red Sox organization (1991-2017). For the past five seasons (2013-17) he served as bullpen coach on the major league staff, working extensively with all Red Sox pitchers while also serving as the club's catching coordinator. In addition to his role as pitching coach, LeVangie will continue to assist in all facets of the club's advance scouting efforts.
From September 1, 2016 through the 2017 regular season, Red Sox relief pitchers led the majors with a 2.97 ERA (203 ER/615.1 IP) in 185 games, with no other club's bullpen posting an ERA of 3.00 or lower in that time (source: Elias Sports Bureau). During that same stretch, Boston's relief pitchers ranked second in the majors in WHIP (1.17) and third in opponent batting average (.223), opponent OPS (.647), and home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (0.94), as well as fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.14).
In 2017, Boston's relievers posted a 3.15 ERA (186 ER/531.0 IP), the second-lowest mark in the majors and the club's lowest mark since 2007 (3.10). The Red Sox bullpen recorded four separate scoreless streaks of at least 15.0 innings in 2017, including a 26.0-inning stretch from June 11-17. In Boston's 3-2, 19-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on September 5, 11 relief pitchers combined to throw 13.0 scoreless innings. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that game marked the first time in franchise history that Red Sox relief pitchers threw as many as 13.0 innings in a game without allowing a run.
Selected by Boston in the 14th round of the 1991 June Draft, LeVangie played six seasons in the Red Sox system (1991-96) as a catcher, reaching the Triple-A level in 1995 and 1996. He spent the next eight seasons as a bullpen catcher (1997-2004) before working as a pro scout (2005) and a major league advance scout (2006-12). Since joining the major league coaching staff in 2013, LeVangie has been a part of three American League East Division titles in five seasons (2013, '16, '17).
Born in Brockton, MA, LeVangie graduated in 1987 from Whitman-Hanson (MA) High School before attending Cape Cod Community College (1987-89) and American International College (1989-91). In 1991, he played in the New England College All-Star Game at Fenway Park.
LeVangie currently resides in East Bridgewater, MA. He and his wife, Traci, have two children, Liam and Avery.
Vazquez, 41, will serve as a liaison between the major league club's advance scouting and statistical analysis efforts, for the purpose of presenting information to players and coaches. He made his major league coaching debut in 2017 with the San Diego Padres, working primarily with the club's infielders.
Prior to joining the Padres, Vazquez spent three seasons in the Houston Astros organization. He first served as the club's developmental specialist in 2014 and 2015, focusing on infielders. Following the 2015 season, he made his managerial debut with Santurce of the Puerto Rican Winter League, and in 2016 he managed High-A Lancaster.
Born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, Vazquez played professionally for 18 seasons (1995-2012) after attending Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, IA. Selected by Seattle in the 27th round of the 1995 June Draft, the former infielder appeared in 696 major league games with the Mariners (2001), San Diego Padres (2002-04), Boston Red Sox (2005), Cleveland Indians (2005-06), Texas Rangers (2007-08), and Pittsburgh Pirates (2009). Vazquez was teammates with Red Sox Manager Alex Cora in 2009 with Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Vazquez and his wife, Griselda, have a son, Nomar, and a daughter, Sofia. He resides in Cayey, Puerto Rico, and is the president of the Juntos Dando la Mano foundation.
In his new role, Langone, 39, will travel with the major league team and work closely with Vazquez and advance scouting assistant J.T. Watkins. A former pitcher, Langone has worked in the Red Sox front office since joining the organization for the 2009 season as a baseball operations intern. After serving as the club's advance scouting coordinator from 2010-12, he spent the past five seasons as a major league advance scout.
Selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 21st round of the 2000 June Draft, Langone pitched for seven seasons in the Dodgers (2000-04), Red Sox (2005), and Philadelphia Phillies (2006) organizations, reaching as high as the Triple-A level in 2003. He graduated from Boston College in 2000 and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2008.