Meulens named Giants hitting coach
SAN FRANCISCO -- Though Hensley Meulens speaks five languages, he realizes that instilling plate discipline within Giants batters is more of a mental process than a verbal one.
Meulens, named San Francisco's new hitting coach on Monday, has an intriguing background. He was the first native of Curacao to reach the Major Leagues. He was nurtured professionally in the New York Yankees system, where he received coaching from stars of yesteryear such as Wally Moon and Clete Boyer, and he crossed paths with enduring figures such as Don Mattingly. Playing professionally overseas enabled him to learn Japanese, which complemented his fluency in English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento, Curacao's most widely used language.
None of that will matter much if Meulens, 42, can't curb the Giants' free-swinging tendencies that helped cost Carney Lansford his job as hitting coach. San Francisco's 392 walks, fewest in the Majors, contributed to its .309 on-base percentage, also last in both leagues. The highest-ranking Giant among National Leaguers in pitches seen per plate appearance was Aaron Rowand, whose 3.47 average was good for 69th.
Meulens indicated that he'll have to preach patience differently to each hitter.
"Not everybody can be taught the same," Muelens said. "Psychology plays a big part in me trying to get in a guy's head and find out what works for him."
Meulens believes that the more confidence a hitter maintains, the more comfortable he'll feel as he attempts to run up a deep count.
Citing the get-a-good-pitch-to-hit bromide, Meulens noted, "Sometimes it's the first pitch; sometimes it's the fifth. It's all about trusting your hands and trusting yourself. ... They don't come overnight. There's a fine line between being aggressive and overaggressive."
Meulens joined the Giants' organization this year as Triple-A Fresno's hitting coach after spending six seasons coaching in the Baltimore and Pittsburgh systems. He is credited with making an immediate impact with Fresno, as John Bowker (.347) and Jesus Guzman (.321) finished first and fifth, respectively, in the Pacific Coast League batting race. Meulens hastened the improvement of Eugenio Velez, who galvanized San Francisco's offense by hitting safely in his first 14 games after being recalled July 27.
Meulens also worked with catcher Buster Posey, who hit .321 with 35 games at Fresno. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Meulens' familiarity with these younger Giants who could occupy key roles on the 2010 squad was a factor in his hiring.
"They see him as a father figure, a guy they really have a lot of trust in," Bochy said.
Meulens, who hit .220 with 15 home runs and 53 RBI in 182 Major League games spanning all or part of seven Major League seasons, also acquainted himself with Giants veterans while joining San Francisco as a coaching assistant in September.
"I got into a comfort zone with those guys, as well," said Meulens, who gained his renowned nickname "Bam Bam" as a teenager.
Reflecting the club's satisfaction with Meulens, Bochy said that the Giants interviewed no candidates from outside the organization, though Bob Mariano, San Francisco's coordinator of Minor League hitting instruction, also was considered for the job.
Bochy said that Meulens' promotion should motivate Minor League staffers. "That sends a great message to all these guys who are working their tails off down there," Bochy said.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
St. Louisans divided on McGwire
KSDK -- St. Louis is a divided city when it comes to feelings about Mark McGwire and his alleged use of performance enhancing substances.
Click here to tell us what you think about McGwire becoming hitting coach for the Cardinals
For Lindenwood University baseball coach Doug Bletcher, a major question isn't about drugs, but about coaching. He wonders if slugger McGwire become "Coach McGwire". "He was always more of an analytical player more than the rest so he did pay his dues in terms of studying the game," said Bletcher.
The second question is if baseball fans will allow him to coach. or will he be trailed with the black cloud of steroid abuse. Local reporters are divided on that issue. "Some will, some won't... I think more people admire him than detest him for happened, or what might have happened over the last ten or 15 years," said St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball columnist Rick Hummel.
Post-Dispatch sports writer Bryan Burwell says McGwire needs to be honest and straightforward with the fans. "I don't think it will ever change the fact that he's not going to get into the Hall of Fame.. I think he can put a lot of the public sentiment... swing it back into his favor if he would just come out and sit down and talk and not hide behind prepared statements," said Burwell.
(c) KSDK.
Cubs closing in on Jaramillo deal
CHICAGO-- The Chicago Cubs appear to be closing in on a multi-year deal for hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo.
The negotiations could land the former Texas hitting instructor a three-year contract that could pay Jaramillo more than $2.4 million over the life of the contract, according to player sources. The Cubs have not commented on the talks. However, it is believed that negotiations are going smoothly at this point.
St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan made $850,000 last year and was thought to be the highest paid coach in baseball. Jaramillo, at $650,000, was believed to be the second-highest paid coach in the game.
Although other teams are interested in Jaramillo's services, the Cubs appear to be the runaway front-runner to sign the Texas hitting guru.
(c) 2009 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Should the Orioles have brought back most of their coaching staff?
I know it is football season, but we're going to talk baseball today.
We are going to talk baseball lots of days, no matter what the temperature is outside. We won't abandon the Ravens, but I have to stick with my so-called expertise on occasion.
And that's baseball, and those battered and beaten birds of Baltimore.
Before I get to them, though, a quick scouting report on the Jason Isbell concert for those that care (and based on the emails I've gotten about my lack of music discussion recently, some of you, a vocal/typing portion anyway, do).
Isbell put on a heck of a show, one that would make all Drive-By Truckers fans proud. He played for about two hours, did several of his most recent solo tunes as well as covers of The Talking Heads and Tom Petty and mixed in some of his Truckers stuff (''Outfit,'' ''The Day John Henry Died,'' ''Decoration Day.'') There were some technical difficulties at the venue, but Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit, fought through it and sounded great.
The only disappointment was the size of the crowd. I wasn't expecting a Truckers' audience, but thought there'd be more people out. Of course, as an old guy, I'm much more comfortable with gatherings versus crowds these days.
Two Baltimore notes from that night: The opener was Charm City's own J Roddy Walston and the Business, a fun band that's energy is only matched by its volume of hair. The drummer is Steve Colmus, who is one of the Warning Track Power guys that created ''How Bout Dem O's?'' which we have featured here before. Steve came up and re-introduced himself to me before his gig, which was cool.
Also, I discovered after Isbell's show that one of the guys in his band, keyboardist Derry deBorja, is from Towson. He's a McDonogh grad, and this old Calvert Hall guy didn't hold it against him. I swear.
So, yeah, Baltimore's music scene was well represented in Pa. last week. Good to see.
OK, back to something you care more about: the Orioles.
As I wrote today, Dave Trembley has brought back all of his coaches except bench coach Dave Jauss. I guess that's somewhat of a surprise from a team that lost 98 games in 2009. But if you believe that Trembley deserved to return despite the record, the same can probably be said about his staff.
The fact that the only one to get the ax was the bench coach isn't surprising. The manager and the bench coach have to have a special relationship and if that doesn't develop -- or if it slips some over time -- it's an easy spot to make a change. Don't worry about Jauss, who has been in the game forever. He'll surely find a job somewhere else.
I know some were disappointed that Juan Samuel stayed. A bad team's third base coach is always a target for fans. It's by far the easiest coaching position to criticize and, in the time I have covered this club, fans wanted the heads of Sam Perlozzo and Tom Trebelhorn, too. Yes, Samuel made some mistakes in 2009. But a third base coach is only noticed when he makes a questionable decision. The other 700-plus times when the team scores, no one gives him any credit for waving his arm.
Here's what you need to know about Samuel: He is arguably the most respected person in the Orioles clubhouse -- players and coaches alike. A former all-star, he's unafraid to tell a player when he did something wrong or isn't acting professionally. And, at 48, he's still has the muscle (and resume) to back it up. I would have kept him, too.
In fact, I'm OK with the returning of these coaches; there is something to be said for continuity, But are you?
(c) The Baltimore Sun.
Royals shed two coaches, retain rest
KANSAS CITY -- The Royals' coaching staff, except for bullpen coach John Mizerock and first-base coach Rusty Kuntz, will return for the 2010 season under manager Trey Hillman.
The Royals announced on Tuesday that Mizerock's contract was not renewed and that Kuntz will become a special assistant to general manager Dayton Moore and an outfield and baserunning instructor.
Special assignments coach Eddie Rodriguez, who managed Team USA to the World Cup championship last month, will become the first-base coach. The new bullpen coach will be hired later.
Returning will be bench coach John Gibbons, third-base coach Dave Owen, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and pitching coach Bob McClure.
Moore said that the Royals decided they wanted a bullpen coach with a pitching background. Mizerock was a former Major League catcher.
"John Mizerock has been a tremendous contributor to our organization, but from a philosophical change we wanted to have a pitching coach in the bullpen," Moore said. "Mizerock's expertise was in catching and we wanted a bullpen coach whose expertise was in pitching."
The Royals' relief pitchers finished last in the American League with a cumulative 5.02 ERA.
Mizerock, 48, had been in the organization since 1992 and managed at every level, compiling a 648-534 record in nine years while winning three league championships. He first joined the Major League staff in 2002 and, for 13 games that season, served as the Royals' interim manager between the terms of Tony Muser and Tony Pena. Mizerock, who had a 5-8 record in that role, also was one of the candidates for the job that went to Pena.
He returned to the Minor Leagues after the 2004 season for two years as a catching instructor and one year as the Class A Wilmington manager before returning to the Major League staff in 2008.
Moore said that Kuntz will spend time with the upper-level Minor League clubs and with the Royals when they are in Kansas City to instruct in outfield play and baserunning.
"I think our coaching staff, under Trey's leadership, did a tremendous job, battled through a lot of adversity and kept a very positive approach surrounding the direction of our team and we're delighted to have them back," Moore said.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Kerrigan to return as Bucs pitching coach
CHICAGO -- Joe Kerrigan will return as the Pirates' pitching coach in 2010, he confirmed on Tuesday afternoon. And in a separate announcement, general manager Neal Huntington said that the organization will not be bringing back instructor and baseball operations advisor Rich Donnelly next season.
Kerrigan and first base coach Perry Hill were the only two members of the Pirates' field staff not yet confirmed to return next year. Pittsburgh has not yet made an announcement as it pertains to Hill's status, though the organization has made it no secret that it wants the infield instructor to return for a second season.
As for Kerrigan, he signed a contract -- the length of which is unknown -- after meeting with Huntington in Pittsburgh last week.
"It's been a great experience because of all the young pitchers and their personalities here," Kerrigan said. "These guys have been great. I've really enjoyed it as much as any year I've enjoyed as a pitching coach. I really have, as far as the teaching aspect of it."
The pitching staff has made noticeable strides under the veteran coach, with Ross Ohlendorf and Zach Duke standing out among those who have improved this year.
One year after the Pirates' starters finished last in the Majors with 33 wins and a 5.36 ERA under then pitching coach Jeff Andrews, the team entered this final stretch of seven games with 41 wins and a 4.61 ERA from its starters this season. The team's cumulative ERA of 4.63 is nearly a half-run lower than it was a year ago, and the club is on pace to walk 100 fewer hitters than it did in '08.
That said, a pitching staff that endured its fair share of midseason turnover hasn't been as strong in the second half (5.01 ERA) as it was in the first (4.33 ERA).
"We'll be better," said Kerrigan, who is finishing his 13th season as a Major League pitching coach. "We'll improve. Guys understand the program now. They've been in it for a year. They understand how valuable each pitch is. They know how to track the hitter and what the hitter reacts to. I think they're starting to understand it."
The news of Kerrigan's return goes hand-in-hand with Donnelly's departure. In a decision that was made not by Donnelly, but by the Pirates, the 63-year-old coach was not asked back for next season. Huntington described the decision as a "tough call," but the Pirates had determined to go in a different direction with the focus of that seventh coaching position.
The search will soon begin to fill that vacancy with another pitching coach, one that will be put in position to eventually be a successor to Kerrigan, who is not expected to remain in Pittsburgh long-term.
"We'll probably look to add a pitching guy to the club that can help Joe, but also be mentored by Joe," Huntington said. "Ideally that person can lead into being our next pitching coach if everything goes well. The timing of it is obviously awkward. We thought about waiting until the end of the season, but it is something that we're going to move forward with regardless of Joe coming back or not. So we decided it was best to give Rich the most opportunity to land another job somewhere else."
Donnelly served as the Pirates' bullpen coach from 1986-91 and as the third base coach from 1992-96. After stops in Florida, Colorado, Milwaukee and Los Angeles, he had returned to Pittsburgh in January 2008.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Randolph would be open to Astros job
MILWAUKEE -- Brewers bench coach Willie Randolph said he would listen if the Astros came calling about their managerial vacancy.
Houston on Monday dismissed manager Cecil Cooper amid a seven-game losing streak that included a trio of weekend losses to the Brewers in Milwaukee. Third-base coach Dave Clark will manage the Astros on an interim basis for the rest of the year before team officials conduct their search for a permanent replacement.
He wasn't happy about the circumstances, calling Cooper "a good baseball" man, but Randolph is interested in the job.
"I think everybody knows I'm interested in any job," Randolph said. "I want to manage again. I won't actively solicit that kind of thing, but I feel like if they feel I'm a fit and they're serious about it, they'll give me a call and we can talk."
He stressed that his priority is the Brewers, who interviewed Randolph as one of three finalists for their own vacancy last fall before selecting Ken Macha. In a somewhat surprising move, Macha picked Randolph as his bench coach and Randolph accepted, with the mutual understanding that he would be free to seek managerial opportunities elsewhere should they arise.
Randolph signed a two-year contract that runs through the 2010 season. Macha has a similar deal.
Another name to keep in mind for Houston's opening is Dale Sveum, who managed the Brewers for 12 regular-season games and four National League Division Series games in 2008 after Ned Yost was dismissed. Sveum also interviewed for the full-time job before joining Macha's staff as the hitting coach, and is considered a strong candidate to manage again in the Majors. Sveum played for the Phillies in 1992, when current Astros general manager Ed Wade was Philadelphia's assistant GM.
Randolph has also crossed paths with Wade. They met at a Manhattan hotel in late 2000, when Wade was the Phillies' GM and Randolph interviewed for a job that ultimately went to Larry Bowa. Randolph would have to wait four more years to finally get his first managerial gig, and he led the Mets to a 302-253 regular-season record and one National League East title before he was dismissed midway through 2008.
He wouldn't turn down the opportunity to meet with Wade again.
"I've been in this process a long time," Randolph said. "There's no real time frame on when you're going to get a call, if you do at all. I'll just sit tight."
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
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