ST. PETERSBURG - Former Rays and Cubs pitching coach Jim Hickey was back at the Trop on Tuesday, and is back in baseball, starting a player development job with the Dodgers.
Hickey, 57, has kept a low profile since re-signing unexpectedly in November from his post with the Cubs for what was said to be "personal reasons,' spending just one season with his hometown team, reunited with former Rays boss Joe Maddon.
He declined Tuesday to discuss any specifics of his departure from the Cubs, saying only it was a "parting of the ways.''
At the time, Cubs baseball operations chief Theo Epstein issued a statement, saying “Jim Hickey notified us yesterday of his decision to step down as pitching coach and leave the organization for personal reasons.