Paul Hoynes, the Plain Dealer’s long-time Cleveland Indians scribe, snuck some coaching staff details in his post about Matt LaPorta’s hip surgery on Friday. Here’s the latest on the staff unfolding alongside Terry Francona, Sandy Alomar and likely Brad Mills:
GM Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona are still interviewing candidates for the coaching staff.
Class AAA manager Mike Sarbaugh interviewed for the infield coach’s job earlier in the week. There’s an opening because Steve Smith took next season off to watch his son, Garrett, play his senior year in college.
Sarbaugh, 45, has been the Tribe’s Triple-A manager for the past three years. He led the Clippers to Triple-A championships in 2010 and 2011. He’s been in the organization for 23 years.
Tim Belcher, Indians pitching coach in 2010 and 2011, is not a candidate to return to that position. He stepped down for family reasons and those still remain.
Ruben Niebla ended the year as the interim pitching coach after replacing Scott Radinsky, who was fired.
The Indians are looking for a hitting coach because Bruce Fields was not rehired.
It appears that the announcements of Fields and Smith came earlier this week, but this appears to be new news about Sarbaugh, a logical choice unless another team nabs him, along with Belcher, who many expected to return in 2013.
[Related: Francona Hire is a Coup, but if Chris Antonetti Can’t Find Pitching, it Won’t Matter]
