Manager Dave Trembley announced Sunday the team would not retain bench coach Tom Trebelhorn, ending a 12-year relationship between the coach and the organization.
“I’ve had a good run here,” Trebelhorn said. “This is the longest I’ve been in any organization. I’ve done a lot of different jobs, worked for a lot of different people, worked in the warehouse, outside the warehouse, worked with the minor-league affiliates. So I’ve had a really nice run. They’re going to make changes and changes are part of this business. Do I agree with the change? No.”
Trebelhorn, 59, acknowledged it was difficult for Trembley to give him the news.
“We’re going to do what we feel we have to do in order to change the face and identity and we’re going to go in another direction,” Trembley said. “I know that’s what everybody says, but that’s what we’re going to do. I can’t say that Treb is not coming back because he doesn’t work hard or he doesn’t have knowledge. That’s not the
case.”
Trebelhorn spent the past seven seasons as an Orioles coach after serving as a member of the front office for five seasons. He joined the Orioles in 1996 as the coordinator of minor league instruction.
He has no immediate plans.
“We’ll see. I’ve got a beach house I want to buy in Oregon,” Trebelhorn said. “[Maybe] just head up to Oregon and hit [pop-flies] to the sea gulls.”
First base coach Sam Mejias will not return either, notifying the club recently of his decision to leave.
The Orioles will determine if they will retain the services for the team?s remaining coaches at next week’s organizational meetings.
MARKAKIS MOST VALUABLE O: Last year, he was the team’s favorite newcomer. This year, he’s its MVP.
Right fielder Nick Markakis was named the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole before Sunday’s season finale.
Markakis, 23, in his second season with the Orioles, batted .300 with 23 home runs and 112 RBIs while swiping 18 bases and playing solid defense in right field. He entered Sunday eighth
in the American League with 112 RBIs and sixth with 43
doubles.
He was not in the starting lineup Sunday for just the fourth time all season, and played in every game until the finale.
Markakis was the only player on each of the 28 ballots turned in by members of the local media. Left-hander Erik Bedard was the runner-up, and second baseman Brian Roberts took third. Kevin Millar, Jamie Walker and Jeremy Guthrie also received votes.
