The coaching staff was a selling point for Pederson
The D-backs have a well-respected coaching staff -- no one more so than first-base/outfield/baserunning coach
Dave McKay.
Pederson is not known as a good defender, but he said in a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday that he wants to get better in the outfield, and he believes McKay can help with that.
“I've gotten to know him over the years, playing against him,” Pederson said. “I've heard so many good things and seen it in action. I’ve seen him help lot of guys steal a good amount of bases that aren't necessarily speedsters. I've seen him make huge improvements in the outfield with some guys that weren't as good, and I've seen him really lock in some of the guys that are more skilled.
“So even if I don't get a lot of opportunities on the field, I'll be putting the work in with him. Then when the opportunities present themselves, [I'll] make the best of them and go from there.”
It wasn’t the only mention of the coaches from Pederson. Watching the D-backs play from the opposing dugout for the past two seasons with the Giants, he noticed something else.
“The coaching staff seems incredible,” Pederson said. “I mean, to maintain the standard throughout the whole 162 [games], I don’t think it’s any fluke [that the D-backs reached the World Series].”