Padres to Add Radison, Bochy to Coaching Staff

The Padres are expected to announce today the hiring of Dan Radison as their bench coach and Bruce Bochy as third base coach, completing their coaching staff.

They also hope to add Dave Bialas as bullpen catcher, but are awaiting approval because of financial considerations.

Radison, 42, has managed the New York Yankees’ double-A Albany team the past three seasons. He previously managed two years in the New York Mets organization and four years in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

It was during Radison’s stint with the Cardinals that he met Padre Manager Jim Riggleman. They became friends, even living across the street from one another in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Radison, whose instructional forte is hitting, was Riggleman’s batting coach one winter in Puerto Rico and the Yankees’ minor-league roving instructor in 1990. He has led his team to four division titles in the minor leagues.

Bochy, who played five years for the Padres, has won three league championships during his minor-league managerial career with the Padres. His Spokane team won the Northwest League in 1989, his High Desert team won the California League in 1991 and his Wichita team won the Texas League in 1992.

Bochy, 37, is highly regarded as a potential big-league manager. If he had not been promoted in the Padre organization, he might have joined the Colorado Rockies staff.

Bialas, 38, has managed 10 years in the Cardinals organization, including the past seven for St. Petersburg.

He and Riggleman also played together during the minors in the Cardinals organization.