Nationals name coaching staff for 2013

The Washington Nationals today announced that bench coach Randy Knorr, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Eckstein, third base coach Trent Jewett, first base coach Tony Tarasco and bullpen coach Jim Lett will comprise manager Davey Johnson's coaching staff for the 2013 season. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Eckstein and McCatty return for their fifth seasons on the Nationals coaching staff, while Lett and Knorr enter their fourth and third campaigns, respectively. Jewett, who served as first base coach in 2012, shifts across the diamond to man the third base coaching box for his third campaign on Washington's staff. Tarasco joins the Nationals' major league staff after serving the previous seven seasons in player development roles within the organization. The 41-year-old spent the last two campaigns as Washington's outfield/baserunning coordinator. Tarasco also spent time as hitting coach with Hagerstown (2008-10) of the Single-A South Atlantic League and Vermont (2006-07) of the Rookie-level New York-Penn League. Tarasco played eight big-league seasons as an outfielder with the Atlanta Braves (1993-94), Montreal Expos ('95), Baltimore Orioles ('96-97), Cincinnati Reds ('98), New York Yankees ('99) and New York Mets (2000). He played under manager Davey Johnson during his Orioles tenure, and was the skipper's right fielder for the controversial play in the 1996 ALCS when fan Jeffrey Maier reached into play to catch Derek Jeter's home run ball. It was announced on Saturday that Johnson will return in 2013 for his final managerial campaign before shifting to a consultant position with the Nationals in 2014.