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Rocco Baldelli’s promotion on Rays coaching staff now makes him major league field coordinator

Tom Foley now will be a special assistant and Jamie Nelson is heading back to Double-A Montgomery.
 
Rocco Baldelli is moving from first-base coach to field coordinator. [WILL VRAGOVIC / Tampa Bay Times]
Rocco Baldelli is moving from first-base coach to field coordinator. [WILL VRAGOVIC / Tampa Bay Times]
Published Nov. 17, 2017|Updated Nov. 17, 2017

The Rays completed the reorganization of their coaching staff by giving Rocco Baldelli the title of major league field coordinator.

In being promoted from first-base coach, Baldelli will implement ideas and information from the staff, while assisting manager Kevin Cash and bench coach Charlie Montoyo during games and continue coordinating the outfield defense.

"Rocco has been promoted to a position that will take full advantage of his personal strengths as well as the strengths of our staff as a whole," Cash said in a statement. "This is a cohesive group that will feed off of one another and generate many thoughts focused on how we can get better. A significant part of Rocco's job as major league field coordinator will be making sure that we successfully implement these ideas. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the way this staff has come together and I'm excited to see it in action this spring."

The Rays also gave former bench coach Tom Foley the title of special assistant, baseball operations, and named former assistant hitting/catching coach Jamie Nelson a coach at Double-A Montgomery.

The major-league staff now includes three new members and two others in new positions:

Manager: Kevin Cash  (entering fourth year)
Bench coach: Charlie Montoyo (first year in position, fourth on staff)
Major league field coordinator: Rocco Baldelli (first year in position, fourth on staff)
Hitting coach: Chad Mottola (second year)
Pitching coach: Kyle Snyder (first year)
First-base coach: Ozzie Timmons (first year)
Third-base coach: Matt Quatraro (first year)
Bullpen coach: Stan Boroski (seventh year)