Kyles named bullpen coach (reply #130), Randolph bench coach, Castro pitching coach, Brad Fischer 3B coach, Sveum hitting coach, Sedar 1B coach

[bigredrobbo]

Let's hope that Sveum is one of those guys that goes by the adage "those that can, do - those that can't, teach", cos let's face it, his career average doesn't exactly scream of putting the bat on the ball consistently.

[3Putt]

"Yes, the impact of hitting coaches is over-rated, but I think they are important in shaping the individual and team approaches to situational hitting; i.e., convincing guys to hit the other way to advance runners, taking more pitches or being more aggressive, shortening your swing with two strikes. Don't care who the coach is as long as he gets them to believe and think about their approach at the plate."

 

Silver, if you're right, which I think you are, then we haven't been getting our money's worth from our recent hitting coaches. I can count on one hand the number of times someone hit to the right side (on purpose) to advance a runner to 3rd. Hopefully Sveum will demand accountability or we'll jettison the biggest offenders to send a message.

[endaround]

That message being grounding out to 2B is the best thing ever!

[vannzee]

Brad Fischer is a native of my home town and for being a coach from a small Michigan town is insipring to me. He preformed alot of jobs in Oakland. He was with the State College Spikes as a manager last year, and served as the Pirates roving C instructor. He will be a big help to the C.

 

His mom lives behind my girlfriends house, and Brad had interviewd for a bullpen copach spot with the Rangers. He makes his home in Milwaukee during the offseason so this will be good for him. He has wanted to be closer to his mom for awhile now.

[areacodes]

Just like that, all the strides we've taken to be more "mid-market" are turned about on us. This is small market, bush league, laughable, silly, embarassing.

How is this small market? Almost everybody on this site wanted Dale back, and now that he's back it's small market and bush league? In the long run it is up to the players to get the job done. Either the approach of our former hitting coaches was bunk or the hitters feel that their approach is better. Maybe the fact that they like Dale and respect him will get that done, but I got a feeling that by July (if we're struggling with the bats) people will be calling for his head because "we can't hit the ball the other way." Maybe, just maybe, its the players and not the coaches.

 

I get the feeling that this move amounts to Sveum adding to his resume, and/or being "groomed" to be the Brewers manager in the future.

How is him being named hitting coach lead to him being 'groomed' for the future? How many hitting coaches have gone directly to becoming a manager? If they had him as the bench coach I might buy that argument but not as the hitting coach.

[rpmeehan]

That message being grounding out to 2B is the best thing ever!

It is for the second baseman.... Great way for us to pad our defensive stats....

[Ennder]

Carlos Pena gave 100% of the credit of his turnaround to the hitting coach in Tampa so at times the hitting coach most certainly can have an effect on a player. Sveum would make a better hitting coach than say I would I'm sure.

[Nottso]

How is him being named hitting coach lead to him being 'groomed' for the future? How many hitting coaches have gone directly to becoming a manager?

He's already been a bench coach. And a third base coach. And an interim manager. I just happen to think that he is (wisely) trying to gather as much experience as possible, in as many areas as possible. He may or may not have been advised to do so from above.

[AJhawk50]

The Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers have lured Mike Maddux away from the Brewers to become their pitching coach.

Maddux became a free agent after the World Series, and while the Brewers wanted him back, it sounds like the Rangers, who probably have the game's highest-paid hitting coach in Rudy Jaramillo, stepped in with a big offer. It could prove to be a very nice pickup for the Rangers.

 

Maddux to the Rangers

(sp in link -TC)

[mothershipconnection]

Good for Maddux, he's earned a big stable paycheck. Sucks for us though.

[PeaveyFury]

Best of luck to Mike, but at this point I have no problem with the Brewers having someone different in the role as well, as long as that person shares Mike's beliefs about not overworking young pitchers and pitch counts.

[SeriesFinale]

A lot of the sheen has really seemed to come off Mike the last couple years.

 

Best of luck to him, but this isn't the gut-punch it would've been to me a few years back.

 

That said, I can't help be nervous about what's on deck.

[MNBrew]

Maddux is a known commodity and has had many notable successes to go along with a usual number of failures. He was a good pitching coach with solid credibility.

 

Ultimately the players have to deliver. Most pitchers obviously felt Maddux was giving them good stuff to go on.

 

I'm more inclined to think that only the exceptionally good and bad hitting & pitching coaches will have much of a noteworthy impact on their players' performances.

[clancyphile]

Best of luck to Mike, but at this point I have no problem with the Brewers having someone different in the role as well, as long as that person shares Mike's beliefs about not overworking young pitchers and pitch counts.

Bill Castro was interim pitching coach in 2002... perhaps he gets to be pitching coach without the "interim" title in 2009?

[Diskono]

I would agree with this. Guys are kind of set in their ways anyway. But maybe Sveum can pound it into certain guys heads to go the other way, something Skaalen couldn't do.

I can't help but remember the NLDS game against Moyer, where everybody was ridiculously and unrealistically patient at the plate and working the count. I don't know who was responsible for that, but everybody looked like a completely different player. Maybe it was Sveum, maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was the ghost of Ned, but it worked in that one game.

How is him being named hitting coach lead to him being 'groomed' for the future? How many hitting coaches have gone directly to becoming a manager? If they had him as the bench coach I might buy that argument but not as the hitting coach.

Wasn't Phil Garner a hitting coach before he came to Milwaukee?

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm happy he's going elsewhere. Not that he's a bad pitching coach, but he'd been here 6 years and sometimes guys learn to tune things out. Having a new set of eyes and a different voice often is a plus.

[Invader3K]

What probably happened was that the Rangers' GM wanted to improve their pitching staff, so he had his office staff "Go after Maddux." Only he meant Greg. When Mike saw the offer that was intended for his brother, he couldn't hesitate to sign.

[splitterpfj]

Just like Jack Z's situation with Seattle, you can't blame Maddux for taking a better deal. It's a lateral move, but it sounds like it's coming with a bigger paycheck.

 

Maddux was good for the organization, I wish him well in Texas. (That might be the last place I'd want to be the pitching coach)

[brewmann04]

I agree good for MM to get a big deal hope it all guranteed because that staff is horrible. well hopefully the Crew will find a Pitching Coach to help the young arms we have in the rotation.

[JoeHova]

As long as they don't bring in a guy like Mel Stottlemyre, it should be fine. Knowing how this offseason is going though, I expect he'll be announced soon enough.

[TooLiveBrew]

Bill Castro was interim pitching coach in 2002... perhaps he gets to be pitching coach without the "interim" title in 2009?

 

If Castro hasn't earned his way to the pitching coach spot at this point, I'd kinda just feel bad for Bill. Now, if he's not in tune with 'protecting young arms & pitch counts'... then I wouldn't feel bad.

[Thurston Fluff]

If Castro hasn't earned his way to the pitching coach spot at this point, I'd kinda just feel bad for Bill. Now, if he's not in tune with 'protecting young arms & pitch counts'... then I wouldn't feel bad.

 

perfectly stated. His 02 audition as pitching coach went well IMO. He focused on mechanics where Stewart focused on attitude or some such abstract bull. I thought at the time it was a shame Castro didn't get the job. Mike Maddux showed he was qualified and was a good choice but I don't think Castro would have done any worse than Maddux did.

[TSack27]

How many hitting coaches have gone directly to becoming a manager?

I know I'm treading in dangerous territory bring up 1982 again, but there was a hitting coach that year upon being moved into the managerial role during the season that lead his team to the World Series.

[bacon06]

My dad had a great line: Castro may finally get called in from the pen.

[TheLittleGreenGuy]

I agree good for MM to get a big deal hope it all guranteed because that staff is horrible. well hopefully the Crew will find a Pitching Coach to help the young arms we have in the rotation.

They may have a poor pitching staff in '09, but that farm system is loaded with quality pitching prospects. I'd go as far to say that the Rangers have the best collection of pitching prospects in the game.