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Red Sox make changes in organization

The Boston Red Sox have made some organizational changes.

After the Pawtucket Red Sox concluded their season Monday at McCoy Stadium, pitching coach Mike Griffin was informed he was being reassigned in the organization, and hitting coach Mark Budaska was fired.

Red Sox vice president of player personnel Ben Cherington and the club's director of player development Mike Hazen informed Griffin and Budaska of the decisions following Pawtucket's last game of the season.

“Griff’s a loyal employee and a hard worker,” said Cherington. “He’s someone we admire.”

Cherington explained the job of a Triple-A pitching coach is a difficult one, a position with unique challenges.

“It’s a grind,” he said. “That grind was starting to get in the way of his ability to make an impact. . . It was starting to get in the way of all the good things he’s done in the past."

If Griffin decides to stay in the organization, which Red Sox management hopes he does, the club feels he’ll be getting a fresh start that will bring out his strengths again.

“Buda worked very hard,” said Cherington. “A lot of young hitters enjoyed success and made it to the major-league level [because of him] and that’s not lost on anybody. This was just a change we felt was necessary. Buda is a very qualified hitting coach.”

Cherington said the organization’s view and Budaska’s view on a couple of things “didn’t match up” and “the change was in the best interest for both.”

Griffin worked in Pawtucket for five seasons, becoming the longest-tenured pitching coach in team history. Budaska was the PawSox' hitting coach for four seasons.

“Both are good people,” said Cherington. “Not an easy decision to make and it’s news that you don’t like to deliver."

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 5:04 PM | Permalink

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Michael | September 4, 2007 5:56 PM link