The new look on the Royals&#8217; coaching staff isn&#8217;t really new at all.</p><p>New bench coach John Gibbons is a former big-league manager who brings some much-needed experience to Trey Hillman&#8217;s second staff, while new hitting coach Kevin Seitzer is a familiar face and a one-time fan favorite.</p><p>The two hirings, announced Monday, complete Hillman&#8217;s 2009 staff.</p><p>&#8220;I think Gibby&#8217;s experience is going to be a big help to our team and, specifically, me as a manager,&#8221; Hillman said. &#8220;Gibby and I go way back.</p><p>&#8220;When we were managing against each other in the (Class AAA) International League, I used to get to the ballpark early in Norfolk, Va., just to go jogging with him so we could talk baseball together.&#8221;</p><p>Gibbons, 46, was 305-305 in 4 1/2 years as Toronto&#8217;s manager before his June 20 firing. His addition means former bench coach Dave Owen will become the new third-base coach.</p><p>&#8220;Dave and I both came into the American League last season virtually blind from an experience standpoint,&#8221; Hillman said. &#8220;I think this move gives us a lot more experience in that position.</p><p>&#8220;I think it also speaks volumes about Dave&#8217;s heart in realizing he still has value, but that his value can be better served on the baselines.&#8221;</p><p>The Royals previously announced Owen, pitching coach Bob McClure, first-base coach Rusty Kuntz and bullpen coach John Mizerock would return for next season. The club fired hitting coach Mike Barnett and reassigned third-base coach Luis Silverio within the organization.</p><p>Seitzer, 46, spent the first six seasons of his 12-year playing career with the Royals. He batted .323 as a rookie in 1987 and finished second in balloting for American League Rookie of the Year.</p><p>&#8220;You just never know in life, I guess,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t even begin to tell you how thrilled I am. I believe in my heart that I have a lot to offer. I think it&#8217;s going to be a great fit for everyone.&#8221;</p><p>Seitzer spent part of the 2007 season as the hitting coach at Arizona. He and former Royals teammate Mike Macfarlane operate a baseball-training facility in the Kansas City area.</p><p>&#8220;Kevin&#8217;s experience in studying hitting goes all of the way back to his playing days,&#8221; Hillman said. &#8220;The familiarity he has with our team &#8212; even though he hasn&#8217;t been employed by our organization &#8212; is a bonus for us.&#8221;</p><p>Gibbons said he welcomed the &#8220;chance to be part of something on the upswing&#8221; in joining the Royals.</p><p>&#8220;What I think is going to help is I&#8217;ve got a great relationship with Trey,&#8221; he said. &#8220;A bench coach&#8217;s job is to bounce things off him and make some suggestions. Just keep him abreast of the game as it goes along with some different options.</p><p>&#8220;Trey has a great baseball mind. Hopefully, I can give some advice along the way. I think I can. I think I can help him. That&#8217;s what it&#8217;s all about.&#8221;</p><p>The two additions leave the Royals without a minority among the six coaches. Hillman said efforts are ongoing to explore options to alleviate any potential culture gap.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s always a thought because we all know what an impact that Latin players can have on our major-league club,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s something that we&#8217;re going to continue to discuss and continue to look for ways to get better moving into next year.&#8221;</p><p>The Royals also announced Silverio&#8217;s new role will be aiding young Latin players in their transition to professional baseball. Silverio, 51, recently completed his 33rd year with the Royals. He spent the last six seasons as a coach on the big-league staff,</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m delighted that Luis has chosen to remain with our organization and serve in this newly created position,&#8221; general manager Dayton Moore said. &#8220;He will work with all of our young players as they come through the system, with an emphasis on communicating with the younger Latin kids as their skills develop and begin their professional careers.</p><p>&#8220;Luis has a terrific working knowledge of our organization, and his ability to communicate our values to them will only make the player more comfortable as they grow within our system.&#8221;</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> &#8226;Former Royals player Kevin Seitzer is elated to be back with the team. See <em>Top of the Mornin&#8217;</em><strong>| C2</strong></p><p></div>