Dodgers add John Valentin, Chuck Crim to coaching staff

The Dodgers on Tuesday announced their 2013 coaching staff, which is two deeper than last season. In addition to new hitting coach Mark McGwire, the Dodgers have added John Valentin and Chuck Crim to their major league staff.

Valentin will be assistant hitting coaching coach, after five seasons coaching in the Dodgers' minor league system. Valentin was the hitting coach for Triple-A Albuquerque for the last two seasons and hitting coach for Double-A Chattanooga in 2010. Valentin managed Chattanooga in 2009, and managed Class-A Inland Empire in 2008.

The Dodgers also had two hitting coaches to start the 2011 season, with Jeff Pentland is hitting coach and Dave Hansen as hitting instructor, but the season ended with just one hitting coach as Pentland was fired on July 20 that year. Hansen served as hitting coach through the end of the 2012 season, and he was dismissed on Oct. 12.

The Dodgers are also going with two pitching coaches, with Ken Howell moving into a new role of assistant pitching coach after five seasons as bullpen coach. In his new role, Howell will assist pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and will work with Dodgers' minor league affiliates and pitchers on rehab assignments.

Crim is the new bullpen coach, after spending the last two years as Double-A pitching coach. Crim was also pitching coach in Single-A Great Lakes in 2010 and rookie league Ogden in 2009. He served as an amateur scout for the Dodgers from 2007-2008.

Ten of the Dodgers' 11 coaches were major league players, with a combined 145 years in the big leagues. The only one without major league playing experience, Trey Hillman, has 22 years of coaching experience, including 20 years as a manager in the major leagues, minor leagues, and Japan.

"All of these men have a passion for teaching and coaching," said Colletti. "They provide a vast array of experience and are well-respected with a proven track record."

Steve Yeager will continue working as catching instructor, his second season working with major league catchers in both spring training and throughout the season. Manny Mota will enter his 34th season as Dodgers coach, and 44th in the Dodgers' organization.

The full 2013 Dodgers coaching staff:

• Manager: Don Mattingly
• Bench coach: Trey Hillman
• Hitting coach: Mark McGwire
• Pitching coach: Rick Honeycutt
• Bullpen coach: Chuck Crim
• First base coach: Davey Lopes
• Third base coach: Tim Wallach
• Assistant hitting coach: John Valentin
• Assistant pitching coach: Ken Howell
• Coach: Steve Yeager
• Coach: Manny Mota