SEATTLE -- Lloyd McClendon is bringing an entirely new coaching staff to Seattle, although a number of his additions have ties to the Mariners organization. Donte Moncrief Womens Jersey . McClendon announced his coaching staff on Monday, with only two of his hires coming from outside of the club. Instead, McClendon is promoting a number of coaches from the minors and still holding out the possibility that one coach may return from the previous staff under Eric Wedge but in a different role. "Obviously, there is some advantage to having some guys from within the organization," McClendon said. "If you have the opportunity to promote from within, No. 1 its healthy for the organization, and No. 2 if those guys are qualified individuals it becomes an A-plus. ... All those guys fit that bill." Howard Johnson, the former New York Mets third baseman, will take over as Seattles hitting coach after serving in that role for the organization at Triple-A Tacoma last season. Hell replace Dave Hansen who was with the club for only one season but may return as Johnsons assistant. Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said Hansen has an offer to return as the clubs assistant hitting coach if he does not find another major league job. Rick Waits will move from minor league pitching co-ordinator to Seattles pitching coach, while John Stearns will be the third-base coach and Chris Woodward will be the infield coach. Stearns finished the 2013 season as Tacomas manager after Daren Brown was added to the major league staff, while Woodward was a roving minor-league infield co-ordinator. McClendon said he was impressed by Waits and his view of how a pitching staff should be handled. "He really blew me away from the interview process," McClendon said. "(He) represented everything I wanted in a pitching coach." McClendon is bringing in Andy Van Slyke (first-base coach) and Mike Rojas (bullpen coach) from outside the organization. Van Slyke has been out of coaching since 2009 when he left the staff in Detroit, where he worked with McClendon. He reached out to McClendon to express his interest in returning to coaching in Seattle. "He was excited for the opportunity to coach with me again," McClendon said. "Andy Is probably the most impressive practice coach I have ever been around." McClendon previously announced that Trent Jewett will serve as his bench coach. The team said that bullpen catcher Jason Phillips and Scott Budner (left-handed batting practice pitcher) would return, and Zduriencik said if Brown does not find another major league job he has already signed a contract for a minor league position in the Mariners organization. Pat McAfee Womens Jersey . -- Canadian Erik Bedard pitched into the fifth inning in his bid to win a spot in Tampa Bays rotation, helping the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday. Donte Moncrief Jersey . - Adam Scott didnt have to look as far down the leaderboard to find players who suddenly are a real threat to win at Bay Hill. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Retired Yankees closer Mariano Rivera says he would take Bostons Dustin Pedroia over former teammate Robinson Cano as his top second baseman. Thats fine by Cano, who insists he respects Rivera as the best ever, no matter what. "There is no doubt that he is a Hall of Fame-caliber talent," Rivera said about Cano in his new book published Tuesday. "Its just a question of whether he finds the drive that you need to get there." "I dont think Robby burns to be the best. I think hes content to enjoy the game and help his team and go home. You dont see the red-hot passion in him that you see in most elite players," Rivera said. Cano has moved on out West with Seattle, determined not to let Riveras words in "The Closer: My Story" affect him or his new team. "Everybody has a different opinion. Thats his opinion and I have to respect his opinion," Cano said before Tuesday nights game at Oakland. "Im not going to go too far into this. Thats the only thing that I can say. My focus right now is this team. Im here, were winning. I was over there already and now Im here and now Im focused on the team. Im going to be excited for my teammates." Baseballs career saves leader played nine seasons with Cano. Rivera retired after last year, and Cano left the Yankees in the off-season and joined the Mariners on a $240 million, 10-year contract as the new centerpiece of the franchise. Rivera played against Pedroia for eight years in New Yorks rivalry with the Red Sox. "Nobody plays harder, gives more, wants to win more. He comes at you hard for 27 outs, every time. Its a special thing to see, a little guy like that who is willing to do whatever it takes," Rivera said. "If I have to win one game, Id have a hard time taking anybody over Dustin Pedroia as my second baseman." Rivera cites Roberto Alomar and former teammate Chuck Knoblauch as second baseman hed consider alongside Cano in the debate over the best at the position. Dwayne Allen Womens Jersey. In the end, Rivera decides on Pedroia. Cano has played at least 159 games in each of the past seven years -- and Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon insists that durability shows plenty about his love for the game and desire to be great and stay in the lineup every day. Cano will let those numbers provide all the necessary information. "Everybody knows I play 160 games," he said. "How does Mariano feel? I respect that and Im always going to have respect for him, a guy that I spent nine years with and for me is always going to be the best closer. Thats how I feel." McClendon said he was "surprised" to learn of Riveras remarks regarding Cano. "Im extremely proud, Im humbled and I feel blessed to be able to manage a guy of Robinson Canos character and his ability to play the game of baseball. Hes a Seattle Mariner and Im proud to have him," McClendon said. "One thing I know about human nature, I dont know what Robinson Cano is feeling inside, just like you dont know what Im feeling inside. Its impossible for me to justify that or answer that. All I can tell you is check the book, he plays 160, 162 games a year. I think thats pretty good passion. "The last nine years, hes been the best second baseman in baseball, offensively and defensively, and the awards and the numbers back it up." In the book, written with New York Daily News reporter Wayne Coffey, Rivera says there has been a decrease in atmosphere at New York home games following the move to new Yankee Stadium for the 2009 season. "It doesnt hold noise, or home-team fervour, anywhere near the way the old place did," he said. "The old Stadium was our 10th man -- a loud and frenzied cauldron of pinstriped passion, with a lot of lifers in the stands. Maybe Im wrong, but its hard to see that the new place can ever quite duplicate that." cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '