Los Angeles Angels hire Scott Radinsky as bullpen coach

The Los Angeles Angels completed their coaching staff Wednesday, hiring former reliever Scott Radinsky to replace Steve Soliz as the team’s bullpen coach.

Soliz will now serve as a catching and information coach for the Angels. Radinsky had an 11-year major league career, pitching for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and the Cleveland Indians. Radinsky had a 42-25 career record, recoding 52 saves with a 3.52 ERA in 557 relief appearances.

Radinsky was a minor league pitching coach for the Dodgers the past three seasons. Radinsky worked with the Indians from 2005-2012 in different capacities. He was the Indians’ bullpen coach from 2010-2011 and was the team’s pitching coach in 2012.

Radinsky joins Ron Roenicke (third base coach), Charles Nagy (pitching coach) and Dave Hansen (batting coach) as new members of the Angels coaching staff. The Angels have also hired a pair of assistant general managers, Steve Martone and Jonathan Strangio. Former major leaguers Bud Black and Eric Chavez have also been hired as special assistants to Angels GM Billy Eppler.

Radinsky had his best years in the majors while he was a member of the Dodgers from 1996-1998, going 16-8 with a 2.65 ERA and 17 saves in three seasons while serving as a set-up man in the Dodgers bullpen. Radinsky started his career with the White Sox in 1990 and pitched six years for the team until signing with the Dodgers before the 1996 season.

Radinsky pitched his final season with the Indians in 2001 and retired at the age of 33 due to arm issues as he was only able to pitch in three games during his final two seasons in the majors with St. Louis and Cleveland. He is another in a long line of former Dodgers coaches and players to be hired by the Angels since they plucked manager Mike Scioscia from the Dodgers’ minor league organization to be the manager in 1999.

A quote that the legendary former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said to me one time when I went up to talk him wearing my Anaheim Angels 2002 World Series jacket: “Just remember, in heaven all Angels are ex-Dodgers.” This statement definitely applies to this year’s coaching staff that is made up of five former Dodgers players and coaches, as well as former Angels batting coach Mickey Hatcher.

Let’s hope that Radinsky will bring success to the 2016 LA Angels.

LA Angels manager Mike Scioscia found out the final member of his 2016 coaching staff as Scott Radinsky was named bullpen coach Wednesday. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports