The Yankees have officially announcing the hiring of Gary Tuck (bullpen coach), Matthew Krause (strength and conditioning coordinator), Trey Hillman (special assistant, major and minor league operations), and Mike Quade (roving outfield and baserunning instructor). The moves have been in the works for weeks. Tuck replaces Mike Harkey, who left to become the Diamondbacks’ pitching coach a few weeks ago. Here’s the press release if you’re looking for background info on all four new hires.
Staff Notes: Tuck, Hillman, Quade
Lost in the chaos of the last few days were some coaching staff and front office notes. Here is the latest, courtesy of Ken Davidoff and Bruce Levine:
- Gary Tuck is likely to get the bullpen coach job now that Mike Harkey has been officially introduced as the Diamondbacks’ pitching coach. We heard he was a strong candidate earlier this week. Tuck was the team’s bullpen coach in 1990 and he held the same role with the Red Sox from 2007-2012. He was also Joe Girardi’s bench coach with the Marlins in 2006, so he’s not a stranger.
- Trey Hillman has joined the Yankees in a development/consultant role. I figured this would happen. Hillman coached in the Yankees’ farm system from 1990-2001 and he is supposedly very close friends with Brian Cashman, close enough that he was considered a dark horse for the manager’s job before Girardi was hired. The Dodgers replaced Hillman as their bench coach a few weeks ago and it felt like only a matter of time before wound up in New York.
- The Yankees have hired Mike Quade as a roving outfield instructor. He served as the Cubs manager from 2010-2011 under GM Jim Hendry, who is now a special assistant in the Yankees’ front office. Quade has tons and tons of coaching and managerial experience in the minors.