Dodgers coaching staff to return in 2015

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 7, 2014) -- In an offseason of change throughout the Dodgers front office, manager Don Mattingly will have his entire coaching staff intact for a second straight season, with all eight major league coaches retained for 2015, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman announced on Friday.

After season-ending meetings Mattingly was noncommittal when asked if his coaching staff would return in 2015.

"I'll say this. I'm proud of everything we've done this year," Mattingly said on Oct. 9. "I'm proud of these guys."

Tim Wallach is back for his second season as bench coach and fifth straight year on the major league staff after a pair of years managing in Triple-A Albuquerque in 2009-10.

Rick Honeycutt is the longest-tenured coach on the staff, back for a 10th season as major league pitching coach. Next year will be his 15th season in the organization, including four years as minor league pitching coordinator (2002-05) and one as a pitching consultant. In his nine years as Dodgers pitching coach the club is top in the National League in ERA (3.68), FIP (3.73), xFIP (3.84), strikeout rate (20.3 percent) and K-BB% (12.2%).

Mark McGwire will be the hitting coach for a third straight season after serving in the same position for three years with the Cardinals. McGwire's teams have finished first in the National League in OPS+ in each of the last four years, and have finished first in wRC+ three times during that span, with only the 2013 Dodgers finishing a close second to St. Louis.

Davey Lopes is back for a fifth season as first base coach, and is also the club's baserunning instructor. The Dodgers have finished in the top five in the National League in stolen base percentage in three of his four seasons, after finishing 14th and ninth in the previous two seasons before he returned to the Dodgers.

Lorenzo Bundy is back to coach third base, as reported on Oct. 23. Bundy will return for his eighth season in the organization, including his second with the major league club.

John Valentin is assistant hitting coach for a third season, his eighth year in the organization.

Ken Howell will return as assistant pitching coach for a third season, his eight consecutive year on the major league staff and 14th overall year as a coach in the organization.

Chuck Crim will be the bullpen coach for a third season in 2015, his ninth year in the Dodgers organization.

Mattingly will have seven of his eight coaches for a third consecutive season in 2015, with the one change during that time Wallach shifting from third base coach to bench coach in 2014, with Bundy joining the major league staff after former bench coach Trey Hillman was let go after the 2013 season.

UPDATE (January 8, 2015): The Dodgers made official the return of its entire major league coaching staff for 2015 on January 8, 2015. In addition to those mentioned above, bullpen catchers Rob Flippo (in his 14th season with the Dodgers) and Steve Cilladi (in his second) will be back, as will catching instructor Steve Yeager, in his fourth season on the staff.