Eric Davis to become full-time Reds coach?

[OnBaseMachine]

Eric Davis: a man’s man

By Hal McCoy | Friday, August 22, 2008, 08:13 PM
Latest comment

Look for Eric Davis to become a full-time coach with the Reds, probably next year.

He was with the team in Chicago and was supposed to fly back to his California home after the Cubs series, but there he was sitting in a dressing stall Friday in Coors Field.

“They said my services are needed,” said Davis. “So I go where my services are needed.”

There is talk about Davis becoming a full-time coach and he said general manager Walt Jocketty told him he wants to talk to him soon, probably about a job.

“I’m open,” said Davis.

Pardon my prejudice, but I believe it would be an outstanding move - for several reasons. Not only was Davis an outstanding players, he is an outstanding person, probably my all-time favorite.

When my oldest son, Brian, went to spring training with me and Davis was with the team, he took the time to be nice to my son - talked baseball and life with him. As a result, when my grandson was born 18 years ago, he was named Eric - after Eric Davis. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

When I was voted into the Hall of Fame, the Louisville Slugger company made a large plaque for me to hang over my desk. A bat was included and they asked what player’s bat I wanted affixed to the plaque.

Easy one, there. Eric Davis. So his bat hangs in my home office where I can see it every time I sit down at my desk.

Eric Davis is special in many, many ways.

In my entire career, I wrote one column I wish I had never written. There was talk that the Reds might trade Davis to the Phillies, but I got wind that some people in Philadelphia’s front office were leery of Davis because they thought he might be using drugs.

I wrote that. Why? I have no idea. It was somebody talking out of the side of their mouth. No truth to it. Eric Davis NEVER did drugs.

He was angry. Very angry. Rightly so. He talked to me about it and I felt so sad sitting there watching him after I’d put it out to the world that somebody thought he was doing drugs.

And you know what? Eric Davis forgave me. Never brought up the subject again. And he said nothing but nice things about me in his book.

That’s a man. A man’s man.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/con...incinnatireds/

[OnBaseMachine]

I said last week I would love to see the Reds hire Eric Davis as a coach. I like the thought of having guys like ED and Billy Hatcher around. This is a very good move by Walt to hire Davis. It seems like everyone just loves the guy and he seems to work well with young players. Hopefully Barry Larkin will soon join him in the organization...

[camisadelgolf]

As for the drug accusations, it probably doesn't help that he was reportedly such good friends with Darryl Strawberry.

Anyway, I don't see how this could be a bad move unless they put Davis in a position in which he's way over his head. The experience and intangibles he brings will certainly get players to listen to him, and as long as he's not saying anything stupid or unnecessarily changing players' mechanics, with all due respect to Tom Browning, he would be a great addition to the team.

[Matt700wlw]

Eric Davis as a part of this organization again has zero downside. Growing up and getting into the game of baseball, watching Eric Davis, certainly made it easy to do...he could do it all

[Tom Servo]

ED for manager

[vaticanplum]

ED for manager

[BoydsOfSummer]

Put him in CF. He's way better than Patterson...even now.:

[Krusty]

A no-brainer move here. If you want to teach players to play the game the right way you can't go wrong with Davis as a coach.

[Team Clark]

A no-brainer move here. If you want to teach players to play the game the right way you can't go wrong with Davis as a coach.

Couldn't agree more. Wouldn't surprise me if Billy Hatcher wasn't pushing for it as well.

[Sea Ray]

I'd like to see ED on the bench fulltime with the Reds. My disdain for the existing coaches has been stated around these parts before but I wish Hal had mentioned more about Eric's baseball expertise in order to endorse him. As a Reds fan I don't care how many bats he gave Hal or how he treated Hal's family if I'm going to get excited about him coaching young Reds players. I'd like to hear Hal rave about how well he communicates with the youngsters or better yet relay some stories from younger players on how ED helped them. That's the sort of stuff we heard about Mario Soto in Spring Training

[Strikes Out Looking]

He's a winner who left it all on the field. Exactly what this team needs advising them.

[Chip R]

It's a great idea even if it's only for a year or so. A lot of the kids need an older player to show them the ropes much as Dave Parker did for ED and Barry Larkin. I'm not sure if he would be in a position to do that since he'd be a coach and not a player but I think it's a great idea nonetheless. Of course the unspoken question is, who goes?

[BCubb2003]

He was a gifted, smart and driven athlete, and you rarely see that combination.

[Az Red]

Will there be a new spot created or will someone be leaving?

[Chip R]

Will there be a new spot created or will someone be leaving?

I think you can have only so many coaches.