Fan opinion on the 2016 Arizona Diamondbacks’ coaching staff was clear on two things. First-base coach Dave McKay had done sterling work with the players, who stole bases as a franchise-record rate of success, and would hopefully stick around for 2017. Meanwhile, pitching coach Mike Butcher proved completely incapable of handling the issues affecting the pitching staff, and was a cert to be fired, particularly under a new front-office regime with no inherited loyalty.
Today proved to be a day of surprises: one pleasant, one likely disturbing for most D-backs supporters. McKay will indeed be returning to the Diamondbacks in 2017.