LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- When former Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway left to become the Mets' new manager earlier this offseason, it created a ripple effect on Cleveland's staff. The Tribe restructured its pitching coach hierarchy and have now added two more coaches to the fold.
On Monday at the Winter Meetings, the Indians announced that they have hired Brian Sweeney and Mark Budzinski as Major League coaches to assist the group in place. Sweeney will assist with advance scouting and serve as an assistant to the pitching coaches, while Budzinski will assist the entire staff.
Following the departure of Callaway (manager Terry Francona's pitching coach for the past five seasons), Cleveland re-hired veteran pitching coach Carl Willis.