MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers are bringing back their entire Major League coaching staff for 2017, general manager David Stearns announced Tuesday.
Manager Craig Counsell is already signed for next season. His staff consists of bench coach Pat Murphy (who will be entering his second season), hitting coach Darnell Coles (third season), pitching coach Derek Johnson (second season), bullpen coach Lee Tunnell (fifth full season), third-base coach Ed Sedar (11th season, and 26th in the organization), first-base coach Carlos Subero (second season) and assistant hitting coach Jason Lane (second season).
"I think [returning the group intact] speaks to both the quality of job we think they did throughout the Major League season and the continuity we're looking to build throughout our entire organization," Stearns said. "It's also a commentary on how we think this Major League season went. We set out at the front of the season looking to develop and build a core of young players that ultimately could lead us back to a consistently competitive team. We have had some players emerge this year, and that's been a promising sign for the organization.
"No one is satisfied with 73 wins. That's certainly not our end goal. We have a lot of work to do to get to where we ultimately want to be. But we do think this was a productive season for us going forward."
Stearns has expressed similar praise for Counsell, so it is likely the Brewers will extend his contract in some fashion. But there was no such announcement on Tuesday.
Milwaukee went 73-89 in 2016, Counsell's first full season as manager. It marked a five-win improvement from the year before, despite trading away All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and relievers Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith in the continuation of an organizational rebuild.
When he hired his coaches a year ago, Counsell said he wanted to build a "great" staff. Did he get what he was seeking?
"This whole process we're going through, we're at the start of it still," Counsell said. "I think we made strides. I'm still hopeful and optimistic that's on the way to happening. I do think we have to be together to develop into 'great.' We have to have continuity, and that's what we're on the path to."