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Davis named first-base coach for Twins

Former outfielder rounds out Molitor's first staff

MINNEAPOLIS -- The coaching staff under new Twins manager Paul Molitor is now complete.

The Twins added their seventh and final coach on Monday, as Butch Davis was officially named first-base coach. Davis joins hitting coach Tom Brunansky, third-base coach Gene Glynn, assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez, pitching coach Neil Allen, bullpen coach Eddie Guardado and bench coach Joe Vavra.

Davis, 56, will coach the outfielders, along with handling baserunning and bunting duties, in addition to his role as first-base coach. He joins the Twins after spending the last 20 years coaching in the Orioles organization.

"I think I bring knowledge with my 20 years coaching and 14 years playing professionally," Davis said in a conference call along with Twins general manager Terry Ryan and Molitor. "I'm a very positive person and I look forward to bringing that."

Davis most recently served as a field coach for Double-A Bowie the last two years after serving as Baltimore's Minor League roving outfield/bunting instructor from 2006-12. He also coached for Bowie in 2000 and from 2003-05, and at Triple-A Rochester from 1995-96 and 2001-02. He has three years of managing experience in the Minors, going a combined 55-65 (.458) at Rookie-level Sarasota in 1997-98 and going 58-80 (.420) at Class A Delmarva in '99.

"He's been well-traveled in the Minor League system for the Orioles," Ryan said. "He's a good human being, he's a good worker, he has the skillset we're looking for as a first-base/outfield/bunting instructor. And he has some familiarity with the Twins because [the Orioles] train in Sarasota, which is just right up the road from us [in Spring Training]."

Davis also played parts of eight seasons in the Majors with the Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Dodgers and Rangers from 1983-94. Davis hit .243/.274/.380 with seven homers, 13 stolen bases and 50 RBIs in 166 games while seeing time at all three outfield positions. He said one of his clearest memories from his playing days was when Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett robbed him of a home run at the Metrodome in 1993.

Molitor said he recalls playing against Davis, but he didn't really get to know him until the interview process for the first-base coach position.

"I remember him as a player and found out more about his coaching career over the last several weeks," Molitor said. "This process has been educational. We had some people in mind from the start and others were brought in from the outside. It was just kind of taking information from people we trusted and then doing our diligence to see if there's a fit. And that's exactly what happened in Butch's case."

Molitor had a similar role with the Twins last year, as he helped assist with baserunning and bunting as a coach under manager Ron Gardenhire, who was dismissed on Sept. 29. Molitor said he shares similar philosophies with Davis, which will help with the transition.

"I've had a chance to talk to Butch a few times over the last few weeks and one of the many hats he's worn is as a baserunning instructor," Molitor said. "He knows others on the staff have baserunning teaching experience. So we'll be interested to break that down. We will not be afraid to collaborate. We want to make sure we're on the same page."

Davis joins Allen as one of two coaching hires under Molitor with no previous ties to the Twins. Brunansky and Vavra were both retained from last year's coaching staff, while Hernandez and Glynn were both promoted from Minor League positions with the Twins. Like Brunansky and Molitor, Guardado played with the Twins, and he also served as a Spring Training instructor with the club.

"We all believe we have the right people," Ryan said. "Some are from outside of the organization and some have a lot of familiarity with the organization. But we feel good. This has been a process. We've worked hard to assemble this group and we feel good about it."

Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger.
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