UPDATED, 12:17 p.m. CDT: The rest of the coaching staff will return, the Rangers have announced.
Dallas-raised Rudy Jaramillo, the Rangers hitting instructor for the last 15 seasons, has turned down the club's one-year contract offer and is preparing to explore the free agent market after his contract expires October 31.
Jaramillo, who turned 59 on September 20, has been a player, coach or manager in the Rangers' organization for 26 of his 31 years in baseball.
Rangers officials met with Jaramillo shortly after the season to extend the one-year offer but to also stipulate that the offense needed to improve. The Rangers ranked seventh in runs scored in the AL in 2009, but ranked 11th of 14 teams in batting average (.260) and 12th in on-base percentage (.320). There were concerns about the team's approach, particularly how often the Rangers swung at first pitches and put themselves in unfavorable hitting counts. Though the Rangers ranked in the middle of the pack in pitches per plate appearance (7th at 3.86), they had the highest percentage of first-pitch swings in the AL (31.1) last season.
During his tenure, Jaramillo has produced four MVPs (Juan Gonzalez twice, Ivan Rodriguez and Alex Rodriguez), a batting champ (Michael Young) and three home run champions (Alex Rodriguez 2001-03).
As mentioned earlier, the Cubs have no hitting instructor and Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rogers has suggested the Cubs make a strong play for Jaramillo.
Posts: 1748 | Location: Desktop | Registered: August 02, 2004
In your opinion, can a hitting instructor at this level really control a player/teams plate discipline? Short of the 3rd base coach giving the "take sign" on the first pitch (and how often does that happen), are hitters at that level really influenced by their hitting instructor as far as plate discipline?
======================================================== "It's better to play with a group than with yourself!" ========================================================
Posts: 140 | Location: Mus-keet | Registered: August 07, 2006
Originally posted by Jewels4Baseball: Ken--question for you.
In your opinion, can a hitting instructor at this level really control a player/teams plate discipline? Short of the 3rd base coach giving the "take sign" on the first pitch (and how often does that happen), are hitters at that level really influenced by their hitting instructor as far as plate discipline?
I can tell you this. I worked closely with Rudy for 3 years. He, by far, had more respect from any player than any player/coach relationship I've witnessed in the game.
Rudy could tell those hitters anything and they would buy into it.
Why? Because he had their complete respect.
How did he get that respect? I think because he could jump their *** when they needed it, and hug them when they needed it.
Rudy understood mechanics, but he also believed confidence was the most important tool in hitting.
He would stop at anything to help a player in the cage, on the field before a game, video, whatever.
Did that translate to better mechanics or production? I think so. But what I do know is that those players believed they got better and they believed Rudy truely tried to help them. In the end, that's all that matters. A player has confidence when they know they worked hard and have a coach on their side to help them.
To answer your question directly...I don't think any coach has complete control of a player.
But I don't recall any player showing even a glimpse of not buying into Rudy's offensive game plan or his personal hitting techniques.
Rudy was unique. A hard nosed dude and could blend with any culture.
I played college ball with his nephew Tony. As a freshman, I'm not ashamed to say he was my hitting coach as a senior. He made me believe in things that I never thought I could do. I really believe he had a big part in me being drafted. I believe Tony coaches in professional baseball now as well.
The game has changed at so many levels. Responsibility isn't on players anymore. Excuses are allowed, and coaches are to blame. It goes on in MLB all the way down to 5U TBall.
I know Rudy wanted to stay close to home and his family, but I think a move is necessary for him to be truely appreciated.
I can gaurantee you this, there will be several players in that clubhouse very unhappy about this. I'm interested to see some interviews tonight on the tube.
Posts: 1748 | Location: Desktop | Registered: August 02, 2004
I don,t think Rudy will have a hard time landing on his feet. I think its more about the security offered with a multiyear contract and you can't blame him for that. If Hamilton doesn't have his year ruined by injuries, Kinsler hits about 30 or 40 points higher as he probably will next year and Davis doesn't have some setbacks like he did the first half, the Rangers hitting stats would not have been half bad. They will probably bounce back on luck alone next year.
I think Michael Young will be the most disappointed. He swears by RJ as well as numerous ex Rangers....
I read somewhere a few years ago that Arod was willing to pay Rudy's salary out of his own pocket if he would come over to the Yankees. If that is true, that is respect...
When the season started, Jones and then-Brave Jeff Francouer were the poster boys for Jaramillo's great counseling. Then both went in the tank. Francouer actually finished strong after his trade to the Mets. Neither burnished Jaramillo's resume very much, I'm afraid.
Posts: 3164 | Location: Virginia | Registered: February 01, 2006
So let me get this straight, the Rangers have 1 bad offensive season in the last 15 years and the hitting coach gets the blame? Yet another reason why it is tough to be a Ranger fan.
Last time I checked, he is not in charge of putting the team together. Now I don't know him like Ken does, but I am betting that Rudy did not all of sudden start coaching those guys to hit .260 as a team.
Sure, we'll get the company line that since they don't know who the owner was going to be they did not want to give multi-year deals to the coaches? That is a bunch of bullbutter!
To all the Rudy detractors out there, I have one thing to say to you...be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.
"Baseball is like a church. Many attend, but few understand." - Wes Westrum
Posts: 1046 | Location: Denton County, Texas | Registered: August 22, 2004
Rudy's other nephew Aaron played college ball for me and I can say that the times I had the opportunity to talk hitting, baseball or just life with him were absolutely priceless.
The way Rudy carries himself and his genuine love for the game and the players garners him the respect Ken speaks of.
I'm with Funnel, real hard to be a Ranger fan right now.
Ken, Tony is working as a minor league instructor in Detriots system I believe.
It is a shame that the single best hitting coach in all of basbeball wanted to work here, has had tons of success here, now wont work here.
Quite possible by passing over him in their last managerial search may have been the proverbial straw?? Or could it be organizational direction??
From what I read, Rudy didn't get fired. He refused the contract offer the Rangers gave him, which I believe still made him the highest paid hitting coach in the game. It was a matter of years. That's a direct result of Hick's financial mess right now. It is Hicks you should be angry with....or MLB since they are calling the shots for the Rangers right now. The hitting coach, head coach, GM and President are just stuck in the middle.
Posts: 782 | Location: Dallas | Registered: July 24, 2008
they made him an offer and he turned it down- maybe he just doesn't want to be here
Would you want to be here knowing MLB is calling the shots and you have no money to make any sort of investments in your future? They need to get the club sold fast.
Posts: 782 | Location: Dallas | Registered: July 24, 2008
they made him an offer and he turned it down- maybe he just doesn't want to be here
Would you want to be here knowing MLB is calling the shots and you have no money to make any sort of investments in your future? They need to get the club sold fast.
Agreed. This mess already cost the Rangers their number one pick, Matt Purke. They drafted him knowing it would be way over slot and believed the money would be there to sign him until MLB stepped in. I don't recall MLB doing that to the Diamondbacks when they had to borrow money years ago.
