Rudy Jaramillo

[Topcat]

Go get him now and pay him well and give him job security! No way the reds can let this guy pass us by as a hitting coach. He would by far be the best off season acquisition.

[Unassisted]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/baseball/rangers/stories/101509dnspogrant.3ac80b5.html


Rudy Jaramillo invited back by Texas Rangers, but not really

09:57 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Column by EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News | egrant@dallasnews.com

To quote Seinfeld, the lexicon for modern times, it was a nonvitation.

A nonvitation, according to the Urban Dictionary, is an invitation offered to somebody with the intent that that "nonvited" person will not accept. The dictionary goes on to explain it is most often extended out of politeness. In the Seinfeldian world, it was issued to a wedding in India that the gang was not supposed to attend but they did anyway. In the Rangers world, it ended up in Rudy Jaramillo's mailbox. He chose not to crash the party and instead he'll RSVP somewhere else in the next month or so.

What the dictionary doesn't say is that a nonvitation can be the most practical way to handle a delicate situation, which describes the situation in which they found themselves with Jaramillo.

Technically the Rangers invited him back, along with the rest of the coaching staff, a week ago. The initial offer to Jaramillo was for one year – which would have been his 16th with the Rangers – and at no raise off his 2009 salary. It was later amended to include a 3 percent cost-of-living increase. The offer also arrived with a set of directions for improving an offense that has become too liberal in its free-swinging approach and not focused enough on when manufacturing a run is necessary. About this, there is no doubt. The Rangers need to be a more effective, efficient offense.

It was the contractual definition of being placed on probation. If the offense rebounded and if the management team stayed intact and the ownership situation was settled, there was no reason 16 years couldn't turn into 20 or even 25. But if things didn't go just so, then come this time next year, Rudy Jaramillo, at age 60, would be another statistic in the nation's growing unemployment numbers after spending 27 years of a 32-season career in the Rangers' organization.

You want to sign a coach with big-time credentials like Jaramillo, then you've got to be willing to show long-term commitment. The Rangers know that part of the game. Last year, when they wanted to lure away a big-time coach for the beleaguered pitching staff, that's exactly what they did to get Mike Maddux to jump from Milwaukee.

The Rangers asked Jaramillo to make a decision on the deal before Oct. 31, when his contract expires. It would have kept him from exploring the "free agency" side of coaching. It was an offer to allow him to stay at home in Texas, but, as business decisions go, it would have been a very, very bad business deal. He certainly would have been giving up at least a year's worth of security. And, just as likely, leaving a more significant raise on the table.

It would have been along the same lines as Joe Torre accepting the Yankees one-year probationary offer following the 2007 season. Torre passed on it, wound up in Los Angeles and, lo and behold, has taken teams to the NL Championship Series in consecutive seasons.

Torre had enough confidence in himself to know that after 12 years in New York, maybe his skills were taken for granted. He knew that on the open market he'd be worth more to another club than he was to the Yankees. He walked away, too, and it didn't work out badly for him.

A couple of years ago, when Jaramillo was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Torre was one of the first to call the hitting coach. They have since followed each other closely. Certainly, Jaramillo, who preaches confidence as the key to his hitting philosophy, saw that Torre had the confidence to walk away from a nonvitation.

And just what kind of instructor would Rudy Jaramillo be if he didn't practice what he preaches?

[westofyou]

He's gonna end up in SF is my prediction

[Johnny Footstool]

The Rangers are looking for "win-efficient" runs now? Is the ghost of Dan O'Brien lurking somewhere?

[REDblooded]

go get this guy

[Scrap Irony]

I'm guessing LA even with Mattingly there. (Mattingly as bench coach or another title, Jaramillo as hitting coach. Or vice versa.)

[Brutus]

Houston.

[jojo]

I'm going to guess Houston with apologies to Sean Berry and what he's overcome recently.

“You can take the boy out of Texas, but not the Texas out of the boy.”

[Spring~Fields]

Rudy Jaramillo, isn’t this man suppose to be the best if not one of the best in his area of expertise? While Duncan is in his area of expertise? These guys should be getting calls from the Reds, surely neither is adverse to discussing the possibility. We all know that quality people make a major difference. Jocketty should at least be talking to them.

[Unassisted]

I thought we had established when Brook Jacoby was retained a couple of weeks ago that Dusty prefers a figurehead hitting coach, so that he can do some of the coaching of hitters. I doubt that Jaramillo would fit the profile.

[marcshoe]

I think I'd be happier about Jaramillo than Duncan, even, but I'd guess it ain't gonna happen.

Wouldn't it be nice, though, to have an a-lister working with Bruce?

[TRF]

I'm going to guess Houston with apologies to Sean Berry and what he's overcome recently.

“You can take the boy out of Texas, but not the Texas out of the boy.”

Berry was retained. I doubt Drayton let's him go.

I'm thinking SD or Washington.

[NJReds]

Maybe the Mets. He's buddies with Omar.

[jojo]

Berry was retained. I doubt Drayton let's him go.

I'm thinking SD or Washington.

He can be reassigned.

[AmarilloRed]

Bonehead move by the Rangers; they should have offered him a multi-year deal. I'd really like the Reds to try and sign him.

[TRF]

He can be reassigned.

True, and they just cut ties with Jose Cruz, but there hasn't been any mention of him being reassigned. I think he stays.

[redsfandan]

Cubs interested in hiring Jaramillo
The Cubs are talking to longtime Rangers batting coach Rudy Jaramillo
Jaramillo worked with the Rangers for 15 years but will not return next season

By Jon Heyman, SI.com
Posted: Thursday October 15, 2009 8:29PM; Updated: Thursday October 15, 2009 8:29PM

Well-regarded hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is talking to the Cubs about becoming their hitting coach, sources say.

Several teams have shown interest in Jaramillo, but it is believed the Cubs are favored to land him.

The Cubs have been in contact with Jaramillo since he declined an offer to remain with the Rangers. Jaramillo is so well thought of that he is expected to receive a salary of about $750,000 with the Cubs, who had a disappointing season offensively. Jaramillo made about $600,000 with the Rangers, where he has been hitting coach for 15 years.

The Cubs were 10th in the NL in runs with 730 and 10th in OPS with a .738 mark. The Cubs used two hitting coaches in 2009, starting with Gerald Perry, who was fired in June and replaced by Von Joshua.

[cincyinco]

Take the pile o cash from the weathers deal and give it to this guy.

Please.

[Bill]

I'm assuming the Reds settled for Stack O'Coins in the Brewers deal.

[Brutus]

Jon Heyman reporting that the Cubs are expected to sign him to be their hitting coach for a Major League - high $800,000 per year.

[Spring~Fields]

Jon Heyman reporting that the Cubs are expected to sign him to be their hitting coach for a Major League - high $800,000 per year.

Doggone Reds competition just won’t stay stagnate long enough for the already behind and lacking Reds to catch up and pull along side of them, let alone get ahead of the competition.

The rich just go out and keep looking to improve. Whether they do or not might be a different story. :)

That is one reason why I am not fond of discussions that indicate the current Reds are improving against past Reds, when any improvements should be compared to the competition and if the Reds are getting any closer to them, and not just is this Reds team better than the last Reds team. The competition keeps moving the target by trying to improve also when they are already in better positions than that of the Reds. Even though none of the Central Division teams seem to be anything special, the Reds, oh well.

[Brutus]

Doggone Reds competition just won’t stay stagnate long enough for the already behind and lacking Reds to catch up and pull along side of them, let alone get ahead of the competition.

The rich just go out and keep looking to improve. Whether they do or not might be a different story. :)

That is one reason why I am not fond of discussions that indicate the current Reds are improving against past Reds, when any improvements should be compared to the competition and if the Reds are getting any closer to them, and not just is this Reds team better than the last Reds team. The competition keeps moving the target by trying to improve also when they are already in better positions than that of the Reds. Even though none of the Central Division teams seem to be anything special, the Reds, oh well.

Given a choice between Jaramillo and Bryan Price, I'd actually take Bryan Price. That's not to say the two are mutually exclusive, that the Reds can only take one, but I think pitchers are more fragile and more in need of good tutoring. I think you can drain more out of a pitcher with good mechanics than you can out of a hitter.

[TRF]

The team that just filed for bankruptcy, just handed the largest contract ever to a bench coach.

fan damn tastic.

[Brutus]

The team that just filed for bankruptcy, just handed the largest contract ever to a bench coach.

fan damn tastic.

The bankruptcy was a farce. It was all so the new owners couldn't be targeted by previous creditors of the Tribune. It was more about protecting new ownership from the previous parent compnay.

[TRF]

The bankruptcy was a farce. It was all so the new owners couldn't be targeted by previous creditors of the Tribune. It was more about protecting new ownership from the previous parent compnay.

I know, but it looks awful.