Bench Coach

Buck Showalter moved closer Monday to finalizing his 2011 coaching staff, offering former Pittsburgh Pirates manager John Russell one of two remaining positions. Russell, a former big league catcher who managed the Pirates for three seasons before he was fired early last month, is interested in the opening, but he still has to work out contractual details with Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail . One source said that it's "moving in that direction, but it's not a fait accompli.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter interviewed former Pittsburgh Pirates manager John Russell on Friday for one of two vacant positions on his coaching staff, according to two industry sources. Russell, 49, could fit as Showalter's bench coach or third base coach, a position Russell held with the Pirates from 2003 to 2005 under then-manager Lloyd McClendon. Russell rejoined the Pirates in 2008 and served three seasons as manager before being fired at the end of this past season. He compiled a 186-299 record (.384 winning percentage)

It's official. Juan Samuel will not be returning to the Orioles' staff in 2011. Samuel has been announced as the new third base coach and outfield instructor for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is moving his old Orioles' boss, Sam Perlozzo, from the third base coaching box to first base. Here's what Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel had to say about adding Samuel, who spent most of his best years as a player with the Phillies. "I feel fortunate that we were able to add someone of Juan's stature to our coaching staff," Manuel said in a news release.

Five months after being fired by the Orioles, former manager and baseball lifer Dave Trembley has landed the minor league field coordinator position with the Atlanta Braves, according to an industry source. He is also expected to supervise the instruction of coaches and players throughout the Braves organization. Trembley, who has been out of work since he was fired by the Orioles on June 3, could not be reached for comment. Trembley, 59, spent eight years with the Orioles organization, including nearly three full years as manager, before he was dismissed after the team started 2010 with a 15-39 record and was buried in last in the American League East.

In a move that has been anticipated since Buck Showalter took over as Orioles' manager in August, the club has agreed to terms with Mark Connor to become its new pitching coach. Connor, 61, has been on Showalter's staff in each of the manager's three previous stints in the majors, including time as Showalter's pitching coach with the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. Connor attended part of the Orioles' organizational meetings in Phoenix this week and a club source confirmed that Connor has reached an agreement to be the Orioles' pitching coach.

The Orioles are inching closer to completing their 2011 coaching staff after coming to terms with former big leaguer Wayne Kirby to be the club's first base coach and outfield instructor. According to an industry source, Kirby joins hitting coach Jim Presley and bullpen coach Rick Adair as done deals on manager Buck Showalter's staff for next year. The club is still in discussions with Mark Connor (pitching coach) and Juan Samuel (third base/infielders) and has not officially reached agreements with either, the source said.

The Orioles' 2011 coaching staff is coming into focus with the hiring of hitting coach Jim Presley and bullpen coach Rick Adair, the first of six slots to be filled by manager Buck Showalter. The club isn't expected to officially announce its hires until the entire coaching staff is finalized, but an industry source said Presley and Adair both have agreed to two-year deals. The source said the Orioles could have the full staff completed within the next week. Don Wakamatsu (bench coach)

Tony La Russa will return for a 16th season in St.Louis after the manager and the Cardinals agreed Monday to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2012. The Cardinals posted an 86-76 record this season under the 66-year-old La Russa and finished five games behind the National League Central champion Reds. "We are excited to have Tony returning and are looking forward to 2011," Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr . said. "He has guided the team in one of the greatest eras in Cardinals history" — seven division titles, the 2004 NL pennant and the 2006 World Series championship.

Presented in the spirit of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, we give you a primer on baseball's hiring season. Call it Who the Hell is Bo Porter? Eight teams are in the process of filling vacancies at manager, including the Mets, who also must hire a general manager. Tony La Russa and Joe Girardi could cause that list to grow to 10, but their leaving the Cardinals and Yankees, respectively, seems unlikely. This year, though, who knows? If your team didn't make the playoffs, there was a 50 percent chance it switched managers.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter will meet with his coaches before the season ends Sunday, but he said any definitive decisions on his 2011 staff likely won't be made until after the World Series. "I want to talk to them before the season is over to give them a heads-up about what our thinking is, what the time frame's going to be," said Showalter, who inherited the staffs of former managers Dave Trembley and Juan Samuel . "I wouldn't dare let them leave here without some idea.