ST. PETERSBURG – The Rays are close to filling the final spot on their big-league coaching staff, with minor-league catching coordinator Paul Hoover emerging as the leading candidate.
The Rays are believed to have interviewed about a half-dozen candidates, mostly internal, for the field coordinator position vacated when Rocco Baldelli was hired to manage the Twins. Former Rays Triple-A manager Jared Sandberg declined the field coordinator post and took a similar job with his hometown Mariners. An announcement is expected next week.
Hoover, 42, played 14 years mostly in the minors at the Triple-A level, reaching the majors for short stints in seven seasons, appearing in 40 big-league games.