Mariners do not retain hitting coach Chris Chambliss

The Seattle Mariners showed signs of improvement in 2012. They finished with a record of 75-87 and were never really involved in the American League West race after June, but the fact that their young players continued making strides is promising for the future. As the players and staff began preparing for the offseason on Thursday, the front office announced that hitting coach Chris Chambliss will be the only coach not retained for next season.

The Mariners ranked last in the American League in runs scored with 619, nearly 50 fewer than the club ahead of them. Part of that is due to spacious Safeco Field, but the fact is the team could not put together strings of solid plate appearances for more than an inning or two on most nights. Chambliss had spent the last three years in Seattle and most felt it was time for a change.

As for the rest of the staff, SB Nation's Mariners blog, Lookout Landing, provided us with this:

Manager: Eric Wedge
Pitching Coach: Carl Willis
First Base Coach: Mike Brumley
Third Base Coach/Pear With Glasses: Jeff Datz
Bench Coach: Robby Thompson
Bullpen Coach: Jaime Navarro
Bullpen Catcher: Jason Phillips
Hitting Coach: ????

It will be interesting to see how the M's go about the hiring process. Will they promote from within, or will they look elsewhere? Given how young this club is, it will be a huge decision for General Manager Jack Zduriencik and the front office to make.