Potential Hitting Coach Options
Seems the kitchen was too hot for the chili, and with that, the Chicago Cubs have parted ways with Chili Davis after a single season of being the Cubs hitting coach. Chili did himself no favors here in Chicago, after virtually every offensive stat regressing in 2018, the Cubs could not afford to watch the offense continue down this path for another season.
This isn’t because Chili was bad, all evidence kind of points to him being ineffective, it does sound more like it was due to a fundamental difference between the way Chili teaches hitting and the way Theo Epstein wants hitting to be taught. That difference comes down to two simple words.
LAUNCH ANGLE
As Theo mentioned in his end of season press conference, launch angle isn’t a fad. This is what all successful offenses teach in 2018. Playing winning baseball games in today’s game incorporates many balls being lifted into the air. When balls are in the air, players have a much higher batting average than when balls are hit on the ground. When this happens, offenses do better.
This has been a roadblock with Chili, and one that he apparently could not get over. If he was dying on his sword, well more power to him, it will just become much more difficult for him to find a job in today’s game. Which brings us to the point, trying to find a new hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs.
David Ross
Rossy is a natural fit, well, at least for some Cubs fans. Here is a guy that was a fan favorite, a team favorite, a true leader, and an eventual no-brainer as a coach in this league. The only thing is, he hasn’t really hit much throughout his career and settling in as a broadcaster has seemed to fit his personal schedule much more than the everyday rigors of Major League Baseball.
Earlier this week we learned that the Minnesota Twins are interested in Ross to possibly fill the void in their managerial seat. There might be some questions as if he could succeed as a manager, especially without the experience, but baseball has shown time-and-time again that experience isn’t the best prerequisite to be a successful baseball coach.
I don’t know if this is the move though. A hitting coach is a pretty volatile position with a team (see Cubs:2017|2018) and a guy that is a fan, team, management favorite would be incredibly tough to swallow firing if it were to come to it. Grandpa Ross fits better either somewhere else, or as a bench coach and possible future replacement for Joe Maddon.
Andy Haines
If we are keeping it inside the Cubs family, Andy Haines could make some sense.
Haines has been in the Cubs organization as their minor league hitting coordinator since 2016. He has also been a minor league manager, coach or hitting coordinator since 2008 and has been around the game as a coach or manager in the independent leagues since 2001.
Andy has touched several young Cubs players before they made the leap from the minors to the big leagues. Guys like Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Victor Caratini, and David Bote. Each of these players experienced incredible seasons under his ultimate direction. Willson slashed .353/.442/.593 while in Triple-A in 2016. Ian Happ grew under direction from Haines, which saw him dominate the 2017 Spring Training and slash .298/.362/.615 in his 26 games in Triple-A before being called up where he hit 36 extra base hits with 15 bombs in limited action. Caratini slashed .342/.393/.558 and Bote had 53 extra base hits in 2017.
Haines isn’t a sexy pick, but he has familiarity with many of the Cubs hitters and has preached the organizational hitting theory since 2016.
Manny Ramirez
It would be great to have one of the best right-handed hitters ever helping them out. Manny helping the Cubs offense being Manny could help these young and still developing stars truly become an incredible offensive threat.
Known as perhaps the best ambusher the league has seen, Manny was able to put strategize opposing pitchers. In the chess game of each an during every pitch, Ramirez knew how to bait pitchers into giving into him, allowing him to hit his pitch. Not only did this allow Manny to blast 555 career home runs, it made him one of the most dangerous run-producing hitters of all-time (ranked 19th).
If the Cubs want to increase homers, if they want to drive in more runs, Manny is the choice. Not only does he have the offensive record that proves he knows what he’s talking about, but he’s also previously worked with several of these current Cubs players. The only question is if he wants to coach, or if he feels he can still play, or if he’s just ready to completely walk away from the game. Not many prolific stars continue on into coaching. Coaching is often frustrating to them as they’ve spent their entire lives just being able to do, and when someone can’t, they don’t know how to teach someone since it came so naturally to them.
Eric Hinske
Hinske might have been a no-brainer promotion had he not left for the Los Angeles Angels hitting coach position before John Mellee was let go after the 2017 season.
Hinske not only believes in teaching launch angle, which appeases Theo, but he’s also beloved in the Cubs clubhouse. Several times there have been players that’s have alluded to the team missing his energy, and since he’s just a couple seasons removed from being an active MLB player, he’s had an ability to gain player trust quickly.
But his availability is cloudy. He left Chicago for the Angels job just last season, and even with their manager Mike Scioscia departing, he might not openly pursue a job until a new manager is hired. A new manager might want a new direction, his own people, or Hinske might not mesh with a new skipper. But then again, maybe the reverse is true. In either case, Hinske would be a solid addition if he’s available.
Anthony Iapoce
Anthony, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, is the Cubs worst kept secret. He’s going as far as saying Iapoce to the Cubs is all but confirmed.
So this begs the question, who is Anthony Iapoce?
Anthony has been the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers since the 2016 season. In Iapoce’s first two seasons, Texas scored baseball’s fourth most runs (1,564) and last season the Rangers hit 194 home runs, including six players that hit 18 or more. In 2017 the Rangers became the first team in MLB history to have nine players hit 17 or Moreno home runs.
So he knows how to coach an offense, and he’s also extremely familiar with the Cubs organization. From 2013-2015 he was the special assistant to the general manager and player development, reporting to Theo and Jed Hoyer. He also oversaw the Cubs minor league hitting program while here. Iapoce has helped several organizations hitting programs, a hitting coordinator for the Marlins and Blue Jays as well.
Almost all of the options are either in or have some tie to the Cubs organization. This isn’t by accident either. Theo’s guys are his guys, and while the coaching staff is ultimately Joe Maddon’s decision, I feel there will be a lot of pressure from above on this hire. There isn’t a bad hire among the bunch, but perhaps the best is Iapoce, a guy that has proven that he can do it and has familiarity with the Cubs.
