Angels hire Keith Johnson as new player information coach

The Angels began the second half with a new player information coach, a role that Keith Johnson, a former triple-A manager who was serving this season as a roving infield instructor, assumed for Friday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Angel Stadium.

Johnson replaced Rico Brogna, who was reassigned to a professional scouting role in the wake of General Manager Jerry Dipoto’s July 1 resignation. Brogna was hired by Dipoto.

“We felt like we needed a fresh voice in that role, and we felt like Rico could be productive in a scouting role leading up to the [July 31] trade deadline,” Assistant GM Matt Klentak said. “It’s an opportunity for Keith and something he’ll be very good at, and for Rico to continue to be of value.”

Dipoto, according to a report before his resignation, expressed frustration with the failure of Manager Mike Scioscia and his coaches to convey scouting and statistical information provided by the front office to the players. Brogna, in his role, was a conduit between the front office and coaches for such information.

As a result, the Angels changed the way they disseminate scouting information in early July, sending it directly to players via e-mail, as well as the coaches, who then go over the reports during meetings with players.

But Scioscia felt it important to retain the role of a player information coach, who also serves as something of an advance scout for the Angels.

“The whole filtering of data and information is vital, and that part is working,” Scioscia said. “We’ll continue to get the same reports from Jeremy [Zoll, scouting coordinator] that will come down through K.J.” to the coaches.

“There’s a lot that goes into that position. He’s also our advance scout during the game. He’ll sit behind the plate and take notes on things that maybe aren’t quite lined up the way they should be, and that way we can adjust. There are very tangible things that have made us better, and it’s important to keep.”