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New manager Brad Ausmus continues to fill out his coaching staff. On the heels of Sunday's hiring of Wally Joyner as hitting coach, this morning there were reports of out Venezuela saying 46-year-old Omar Vizquel would be leaving the his minor league infield instructor position with the Los Angeles Angels to join the Detroit Tigers as their first base coach.
MLB.com has confirmed the hiring.
Confirmed, Omar Vizquel has left the #Angels to become #Tigers first-base coach.
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) November 18, 2013
Jason Beck is reporting Vizquel will also serve as infield and base-running coach, in addition to his first base duties.
Top 100 Indians: #29 Omar Vizquel
The the best defensive shortstop in Cleveland history.
This is intriguing news for a team with the extremely young and talented Jose Iglesias as their shortstop. Vizquel was the best fielding shortstop of his generation.
Tigers fans are extremely familiar with Vizquel thanks to his 11 highlight-reel worthy seasons as shortstop for the Cleveland Indians.
A 24-year major league veteran (1989-2012), Vizquel won 11 Gold Gloves, including nine consecutive awards between 1993-2001. At the time of his retirement, the then 45-year-old Vizquel was both the oldest player in baseball and the oldest to have ever played his position. Vizquel is the all-time leader in games played at shortstop with 2709.
After his retirement, Vizquel joined the Angels as an infield coach, spending 2013 as a roving instructor.
Vizquel joins the returning Gene Lamont and Jeff Jones, along with the newly hired Dave Clark and Joyner, on the Tigers' coaching staff.
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