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Diamondbacks’ talent is on the coaching staff

By Kevin Baxter
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If the Arizona Diamondbacks struggle on the field this season the way they did last summer -- their 65-97 record was the second worst in the National League -- they might give some consideration to letting their coaching staff play.

You could certainly do worse than a six-player core of Manager Kirk Gibson, bench coach Alan Trammell, first-base coach Eric Young, third-base coach Matt Williams, pitching coach Charles Nagy and hitting coach Don Baylor. Those players combined for 102 years of big-league experience, making 16 All-Star teams, winning eight Gold Glove awards, a pair of league MVPs and two postseason MVP awards.

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Compare that with the Angels staff, where Manager Mike Scioscia and first base coach Alfredo Griffin combined to make three All-Star teams. Only three other coaches played more than 12 games in the majors.

-- Kevin Baxter in Tempe, Ariz.

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Kevin Baxter

Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and other things for the Los Angeles Times, where he has worked for 27 years. He has covered seven World Cups, four Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald. An essay he wrote in fifth grade was voted best in the class. He has a cool dog.

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