Rob Picciolo

Robert Michael Picciolo (February 4, 1953 – January 3, 2018) was an American professional baseball player and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Playing career Picciolo played nine seasons in the major leagues, from 1977–85, for the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, and California Angels, where he was primarily a shortstop; he also played third base and second base.

In 1,628 major league at bats, he walked only 25 times. Picciolo spent 20 years in the San Diego Padres organization after a nine-year big league career playing for the Athletics, Brewers, and Angels.

Post-playing career

He was a minor league manager with the Class-A Short Season Spokane Indians in the Northwest League in 1986 and 1987, winning the League and Division titles in his second season there, then was a roving infield instructor the following two years before being promoted to the Padres big league coaching staff midway through the 1990 season.

There, he served under Padres managers Greg Riddoch, Jim Riggleman and Bruce Bochy as a first base coach (mid-1990-92), a bench coach (1993–2002) and third base coach (2003–05).

Picciolo was the longest-tenured coach in San Diego Padres history, serving 16 consecutive years between and .

From 2006 to 2010, he served as the Angels' roving infield instructor. He was then named the Angels' bench coach for manager Mike Scioscia on November 10, 2010.

Personal life Picciolo graduated from Westchester High School in 1971, earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and played one season of baseball in Pepperdine University. He earned All-District honors and helped Pepperdine to first place in the WCC and a spot in the NCAA District Playoffs. Picciolo died on January 3, 2018, aged 64, from a heart attack.

He was survived by his wife Debbie and two sons, Breton and Dustin, who both attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Breton was a former staffer in the Padres communications department.