Brian McTaggart is tweeting that the Astros have announced some positions on the minor-league side :
Paul Runge - Field Coordinator
Dyar Miller - Pitching Coordinator
Ralph Dickenson - Hitting Coordinator
Craig Bjornson - Roving Pitching Instructor
Jeff Albert - Roving Hitting Instructor
Brendan Verner - Strength/Conditioning
Jamey Snodgrass - Medical Coordinator
Daniel Roberts - Rehabilitation
This is Runge's third season as minor-league field coordinator. Bjornson was the bullpen coach in 2012 - and that's pretty much it as far as holdovers from the 2012 team.
Dyar Miller comes to the Astros from - surprise! - the Cardinals, where he was the bullpen coach in 2012, and was the only member of the Cardinals' staff who wasn't retained. Miller was the Cardinals' minor-league pitching coordinator for four years, and had spent 20 years with the organization.
Ralph Dickenson has been with the Blue Jays' organization as a coach for the last three years, and was the Nationals' minor-league hitting coordinator from 2007-2009 (Bo Porter connection?).
Jeff Albert had been the minor league hitting coach for the Cardinals' Florida State League team in Palm Beach since 2007.
Brendan Verner had been the strength & conditioning coach in the Pirates' system since 2009.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
