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Chris Speier expected to join Washington Nationals as third base or bench coach

Chris Speier has history with the Washington Nationals franchise (when they were the Montreal Expos) and he has history with new Nats' skipper Dusty Baker. Speier is rumored to be joining the Nationals as either their third base or bench coach.

By Patrick Reddington
Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Washington Post writer James Wagner reported yesterday on another potential addition to Washington Nationals' skipper Dusty Baker's coaching staff, writing that, "Chris Speier is expected to be on Baker’s coaching staff in some capacity, according to people familiar with the situation, though no announcement has been made."

This afternoon, MLB.com's Bill Ladson is reporting that Speier will likely be either the third base or bench coach with the Nats:

Baker, in answering a question about what, if any, responsibility he felt as the lone African-American manager in the majors during last week's introductory press conference in the nation's capital, told reporters that his phone has been ringing constantly since he got the job with offers from people interested in coaching on his staff.

"I could have a hundred coaches if there was room," Baker said, "because everybody has asked to be on my staff."

So far the Nationals have hired pitching coach Mike Maddux and first base coach Davey Lopes, and now they'll reportedly add Speier.

Speier, 65, played 19 seasons in the majors with the San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs.

After his playing days ended, Speier has jumped around as a coach, serving as the Milwaukee's third base under Davey Lopes, when Lopes managed the Brewers. He served as the World Series-winning Arizona Diamondbacks' third base coach in 2001 and was the bench coach for the Oakland Athletics in 2004.

Dusty Baker was not the Nationals' second choice

 Photo © Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

Immediately after retiring, Speier was a "roving minor league instructor for the Giants" in 1990-91, hitting instructor for the Cubs' Double-A affiliate in 1995 and he served as a manager in the D-Backs' organization from 1996-99.

He also spent six seasons with Cincinnati when Baker was the Reds' skipper from 2007-2013, serving as an infield coach and Baker's bench coach.

As MLB.com's Andrew Simon noted in an article on the rumored hiring this afternoon, the Nationals have made no announcement thus far on Speier joining Baker's staff.

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