Mark McGuire to become Dodgers hitting coach

[40YrRedsFan]

Mark McGuire is moving to the NL West as the Dodgers hitting coach. The Cardinals under McGuire as hitting coach led the NL in hitting for the last 3 years. I know it is just a week after the World series ended, but when are the Reds going to start building for next year? Or are they going to wait until just before spring training when there are no players left except the Wilson Valdezes
of the league?

[cooperlamar]

Is that serious? Free agents can't even sign yet, it's November 2nd and you're already being critical of the Reds' off-season? And this is coming off winning the division by 10 games? And our biggest rival just lost their hitting coach. I mean, wow. Just curious - name one reasonable move the Reds could have made to improve themselves by now?

[HometownHero]

They will miss him, he done wonders with some of their younger guys.

[vin19]

I wonder how much the Dodgers are paying him to actually leave the cards?
10 mil a year lol

[40YrRedsFan]

Originally Posted by cooperlamar

Is that serious? Free agents can't even sign yet, it's November 2nd and you're already being critical of the Reds' off-season? And this is coming off winning the division by 10 games? And our biggest rival just lost their hitting coach. I mean, wow. Just curious - name one reasonable move the Reds could have made to improve themselves by now?

I was and still am very critical regarding the Reds front office not doing anything during the season to help the offense. They knew our offense had problems early in the season, and yet they did nothing. Except for the time when Ludwick, Phillips, and Frazier got hot at the same time, (mostly against weak teams) during the time Votto was out, did our offense do anything. When September rolled around, they came back down to earth, and we scored less than 3 runs a game for the rest of the season. This might have been the only year where the World Series was within reach. You don't know what the next years will bring. We may not come close again for years. We were in first and had control of the division, and got no help from Walt & Co. to put us over the top. That tells me they will not do whatever is needed
to bring us a championship.

[MoneyInTheBank]

Originally Posted by 40YrRedsFan

I was and still am very critical regarding the Reds front office not doing anything during the season to help the offense. They knew our offense had problems early in the season, and yet they did nothing. Except for the time when Ludwick, Phillips, and Frazier got hot at the same time, (mostly against weak teams) during the time Votto was out, did our offense do anything. When September rolled around, they came back down to earth, and we scored less than 3 runs a game for the rest of the season. This might have been the only year where the World Series was within reach. You don't know what the next years will bring. We may not come close again for years. We were in first and had control of the division, and got no help from Walt & Co. to put us over the top. That tells me they will not do whatever is needed
to bring us a championship.

While your criticisms last season may be valid, the question still remains. What moves should the Reds be making right now that they are neglecting to make? They have not been allowed to sign other teams' free agents yet (starts today, Saturday, November 3rd) and it's rare for trades to go down before free agency starts.

[Ironman92]

Who?

[cooperlamar]

Is something as minor as the Dodgers hiring a hitting coach prompts you to vent perhaps you need to take a break from following them for a few weeks.

[alett12]

I don't blame him it sucks late in the season in the midwest it gets cold so St. Louis or LA no question for me.

[40YrRedsFan]

Originally Posted by MoneyInTheBank

While your criticisms last season may be valid, the question still remains. What moves should the Reds be making right now that they are neglecting to make? They have not been allowed to sign other teams' free agents yet (starts today, Saturday, November 3rd) and it's rare for trades to go down before free agency starts.

In my opinion, there has to be someone out there that can get more out of our hitters. I would have let Jacoby go long ago. We have been in this offensive pattern for a few years now, and have shown little or no improvement in our approaches at the plate. We swing and miss way too much, especially at pitches out of the strike zone. We have absolutely no discipline at the plate. A an opposing pitcher can throw 4 straight balls and our next hitter will swing at the first pitch. Replacing Jacoby would be the first item on my agenda.

[MoneyInTheBank]

Originally Posted by 40YrRedsFan

In my opinion, there has to be someone out there that can get more out of our hitters. I would have let Jacoby go long ago. We have been in this offensive pattern for a few years now, and have shown little or no improvement in our approaches at the plate. We swing and miss way too much, especially at pitches out of the strike zone. We have absolutely no discipline at the plate. A an opposing pitcher can throw 4 straight balls and our next hitter will swing at the first pitch. Replacing Jacoby would be the first item on my agenda.

That's fair and I happen to agree on Jacoby. Your first 2 posts were all about personnel, which led me to believe that was the crux of your issue

[alwaysawarrior]

Originally Posted by 40YrRedsFan

In my opinion, there has to be someone out there that can get more out of our hitters. I would have let Jacoby go long ago. We have been in this offensive pattern for a few years now, and have shown little or no improvement in our approaches at the plate. We swing and miss way too much, especially at pitches out of the strike zone. We have absolutely no discipline at the plate. A an opposing pitcher can throw 4 straight balls and our next hitter will swing at the first pitch. Replacing Jacoby would be the first item on my agenda.

I don't understand why Jacoby doesn't get more heat than he does. Imo opinion our approach has been horrible for a while.

[alett12]

If Jacoby did get fired who would replace him? I would be fine with Billy Hatcher getting a chance but other than him who would you like to see?

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by alwaysawarrior

I don't understand why Jacoby doesn't get more heat than he does. Imo opinion our approach has been horrible for a while.

This paragraph pretty much sums up my feelings on hitting coaches. I agree that the hitting coach preaches what the organization wants him to preach. This article focuses on Mickey Hatcher, but I feel it applies to all organizations. Is it a coincidence that the Reds have a fair number of low-OBP, high-SLG hitters? Or is that the type of hitter that Reds' management looks for?

It should be pretty clear by now that Mickey's job is maintenance rather than construction. Players have spent 20 to 30 years learning how to hit a baseball before they come to him. The guys with more serious influence are the minor league coaches. Even they only get to work with a player for about 5 years or so, certainly a critical 5 years, but a player's skills and talents are already pretty well developed by the time he's drafted. So it's the people doing the scouting and the drafting who really have the power to determine what the organization's hitting philosophy should be. If Mickey Hatcher is up in the big leagues preaching swing-happy contactball, it's because that approach is systemic within the Angels organization. But Mickey can preach all he want and he's not going to turn an experienced hitter into something he's not. If there is a genuine problem with the way the Angels develop hitters, Mickey should be the absolute last guy to be upset with.

[PhillipsHead]

McGuire to the Dodgers and Mabry to the Cards? Seems like teams have a thing for making mediocre hitters their coaches these days...