Pittsburgh Pirates Keep Bench Coach Jeff Banister After Astros Turn Him Down

Several media reports have the Houston Astros hiring A.J. Hinch to be the team’s new manager, meaning Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister will stay with the team.

Banister had multiple interviews which were said to have gone well. Banister lives 20 minutes away from Minute Maid Park and the move would have made sense geographically but also from the analytic standpoint. Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow has a sabermetric-friendly front office which would have supported Banister had he been hired.

Hinch was hired as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 8, 2009 but was fired on July 1, 2010 after posting an 89-123 record. Hinch most recently was the San Diego Padres assistant general manager but left the position Aug. 5. Hinch will replace Bo Porter, who was fired on Sept. 1. Porter went 110-190 before being fired.

Banister staying with the Pirates is great news. Banister has made a name for himself with the Pirates succeeding and will be a candidate for future major league manager positions and sooner rather than later he will be hired.

For now, the Pirates keeping him is best case scenario for all parties involved. Banister has been with the team for 29 years now and is a lifer. The contributions he has made for this franchise do not get enough respect and he goes about his business the right way, quietly.