TORONTO -- By setting the stage for Cito Gaston's departure as manager and shuffling some faces in and out of the coaching staff, general manager Alex Anthopoulos believes he's turned down the heat on the simmering discontent in the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse.
Gaston will fulfil the last season of his contract in 2010 before moving into a consultant role on a four-year deal that begins in 2011, the club announced Friday, and that's just the beginning of the changes.
Gone from 2009's dysfunctional group are pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, who leaves for the same role in Houston after he and Gaston butted heads for much of the year, and hitting coach Gene Tenace, a close friend of Gaston who retires after failing to form a productive working relationship with most of the team's batters.
Other changes will bring the well-liked Bruce Walton from the bullpen into Arnsberg's old role, with the widely respected Rick Langford promoted to bullpen coach from a role as the organization's roving pitching coach.
Player favourite Brian Butterfield returns to his old job as third base coach after being underutilized by Gaston as bench coach the past year and a half, while Nick Leyva, another of Gaston's buddies, goes from third to Gaston's side on the bench.