Coaching stability for troubled Dodgers

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - While control of the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to be contested in a highly public divorce battle, the team gained much needed stability Monday when the entire coaching staff was retained for next season.

Hitting coach Don Mattingly, third base coach Larry Bowa, first base coach Mariano Duncan, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and bullpen coach Ken Howell, among others, would return for 2010 general manager Ned Colletti said in a statement.

Under manager Joe Torre, who has one year left on his three-year, $13 million contract, the Dodgers have won two consecutive National League West Division titles.

Although beaten 4-1 by the Philadelphia Phillies in their best-of-seven NL Championship Series, Los Angeles have reached the post-season three times in the last four seasons.

They ended the 2009 regular season (95-67) with the NL's best record for the first time since 1983 and swept the NL Division Series for the second consecutive year.

Earlier this week, Torre told the Los Angeles Times he was considering extending his contract with the Dodgers for at least one more year.

"We were talking about my coaches and I've been thinking about it," Torre said. "It's been fun.

"When I came here, I was curious about how it might go but the last two years have been invigorating. You see progress and your ego tells you maybe you had something to do with it."