PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said he loves the fact that he and bench coach Rob Thomson think differently about baseball. Kapler believes the contrast of opinions will be beneficial during the season.
The Phillies announced Thomson's hiring on Tuesday. He joins pitching coach Rick Kranitz, hitting coach John Mallee, third-base coach Dusty Wathan, bullpen coach Jim Gott, assistant pitching coach Chris Young and assistant hitting coach Pedro Guerrero. The Phillies still need to hire a first-base coach.
"The manager's job is, in my opinion, to stay open, really pause," Kapler said about the relationship between a manager and bench coach.