A’s Announce Coaching Staff for 2013

The Oakland A’s named Darren Bush as the bullpen coach on manager Bob Melvin’s coaching staff for the 2013 season, the club announced today.  The rest of the coaching staff for the defending American League West Division Champions will return next season.

Bush has managed in the A’s farm system the last six years, including back-to-back division titles with Triple-A Sacramento the past two seasons.  He also led Double-A Midland to playoff appearances in each of his two seasons with the RockHounds in 2009 and 2010, including a Texas League Championship in 2009.  Bush guided Single-A Stockton to the California League Championship in his second year as a manager in 2008.  The 38-year-old Dunedin, Fla. resident joined the Athletics in 2005 as hitting coach at Stockton and spent two seasons in that capacity before taking over as manager for the Ports in 2007.  He has a 462-386 record in six seasons as a manager.

Tye Waller returns for his seventh season on the A’s coaching staff, his third straight at first base, while Mike Gallego will be in his fifth season as third base coach.  Curt Young also returns for the second consecutive year as A’s pitching coach and his ninth overall as he also served in that role from 2004-10.  Hitting coach Chili Davis, bench coach Chip Hale and Major League coach Ariel Prieto return for their second consecutive season in those capacities.

Rick Rodriguez, who was the A’s bullpen coach in 2011 and 2012, has been offered a minor league assignment in the A’s organization.