Arizona.Diamondbacks.MLB.com

Hinch shrugs off former coach's criticism

• fan comments
• print this page
• e-mail this page
• post on facebook

Related Links

• Hinch, Davis clear up disagreement
• Davis argues with D-backs skipper Hinch
• Steve Gilbert's MLBlog

By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

05/17/09 2:05 PM ET

ATLANTA -- D-backs manager A.J. Hinch said he has too much to worry about on the field to concern himself with recent comments made by former pitching coach Bryan Price.

Price resigned his position May 8 when the team dismissed manager Bob Melvin, a close friend of Price's. This past week, he opened up about his feelings to the Marin Independent Journal.

"The hiring of A.J., I thought, was a poor decision," Price said. "There is an unbelievably strong connection to Bob and a loyalty to Bob. I feel his termination was unfair and uncalled for. They fire one of my friends, who I believe in firmly, and they replace him with somebody with no experience."

Hinch was the team's farm director at the time he was named manager and did not have experience managing or coaching at any level.

"A.J. has worked hard to get his credibility in the business in that side of the game," Price said referring to the front office. "But he doesn't have any credibility between the lines as a manager. That, for me, just wasn't going to work."

Hinch took the comments in stride.

"I think on the experience, it's a fact, so it's hard to negate that," Hinch said. "I'm not shaken by it. I have confidence in my abilities running a game and being in this position. We have a job to do, and I think for me to spend a lot of time thinking about the different reactions that are going on out there is negative energy. So I'm going to stay concentrated on what we're doing on the field, the 25 guys here, the staff that I have here and this organization. I can't pay a lot of attention to it. It's not fair to that group out there."

Price told the newspaper that he might have stayed on had the team named third-base coach Chip Hale or bench coach Kirk Gibson as manager rather than Hinch.

"To me, it was a slap in the face, not only to Bob, but to Chip and to Gibby and to anybody who has actually managed or coached in the past," Price said. "I thought it bypassed people who were more prepared to finish out the year. There was no way I could stay. It was really hard to leave the pitchers. They are a phenomenal group and very talented group. Great catchers. A really close-knit group of guys. It hurts to know that I left them hanging."

The organization knew when it made the decision to hire Hinch and give him a contract through 2012 that it would likely raise some eyebrows throughout the game.

It did not help matters that Melvin was respected in the industry and that the D-backs lost six of their first eight games under Hinch.

"These jobs are held in high regard, and a lot of people work their tail off to get the opportunity I was provided," Hinch said. "I expected there to be people with positive reactions, I expected there to be some negative reactions and some in the middle that will be swayed either way by the success of this. It's not surprising because of how special these jobs are.

"I don't take it personal, because I think it's more directed at the position than it is me. I have a lot of integrity. I worked my tail off on the field and certainly in my career to get here. People are going to react how they're going to react. I can't control that."

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.