Gary Gaetti for Hitting Coach??!

[Neuby]

This sundays Trib Phil Rogers mentions that Ron Jackson is a strong canadidate for Hitting coach and that Gary Gaetti is another possibility. Gaetti? Why?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

No to Gaetti. Yes to Jackson. I'd be happy with Chambliss as well. My guess is Elia is in the mix too.

[treebird]

hahahahah

 

come on guys, we all know the cubs are going to terrible for the next few (read:30) years, lets just give in and starting the 1998 crew back together. it'll be fun, i promise.

[Irishoshea21]

hahahahah

 

come on guys, we all know the cubs are going to terrible for the next few (read:30) years, lets just give in and starting the 1998 crew back together. it'll be fun, i promise.

 

Then I vote for Morandini... time for the dandy little glove man to return, mullet and all

[A New Era]

No to Gaetti. Yes to Jackson. I'd be happy with Chambliss as well. My guess is Elia is in the mix too.

 

#^

[TruffleShuffle]

you do know that a lot of good hitting coaches were bad hitters during their playing careers, and a lot of great hitters didn't make very good hitting coaches?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

you do know that a lot of good hitting coaches were bad hitters during their playing careers, and a lot of great hitters didn't make very good hitting coaches?

 

That's an important point.

 

On the other hand, does Gaetti have any coaching experience at all?

 

EDIT: Looks like he was Houston's AAA hitting coach and was their Major League hitting coach from July 2004 - July 2006, when he got canned.

[cubweiser03]

The fact they are even considering Ron Jackson is positive news. I really dont want Gary Gaetti.

[Bruno7481]

Who knows enough about Gaetti as a hitting coach to really have a qualified opinion on whether or not he should be the hitting coach?

[VanceJergins]

This sundays Trib Phil Rogers mentions that Ron Jackson is a strong canadidate for Hitting coach and that Gary Gaetti is another possibility. Gaetti? Why?

 

Worry about this when a real writer says something about it.

[RammyFanny]

hahahahah

 

come on guys, we all know the cubs are going to terrible for the next few (read:30) years, lets just give in and starting the 1998 crew back together. it'll be fun, i promise.

 

Then I vote for Morandini... time for the dandy little glove man to return, mullet and all

I've actually went to a lesson by Morandini, up here in NW Indiana. It was about a year ago, I don't know if he still does individual lessons.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ron Jackson! Ron Jackson! Ron Jackson!

[WrigleyField 22]

Ron Jackson huh?

 

Well I'm pretty sure theres a God now, but he may just be toying with us.

[chuckywang]

Gary Gaetti??? Why not just hire Minnie Mendoza?

[snoodmonger]

tell me about ron jackson

[Mephistopheles]

Hmmm Gaetti had a 308 career obp, he's perfect!

[RynoRules]

Everyone likes you as a person Gary, but no thanks.

[rawaction]

tell me about ron jackson

 

Basically, the big selling point for Jackson can be summed up in 2 words,

 

BIG PAPI

 

Ortiz went from a career low .800's OPS hitter to being a top 5 player in baseball the moment he came in contact with Jackson. And Ortiz himself gives Jackson a mountain of credit for it.

 

In his four years in Boston, his teams have hit:

-2006: .269 with a .351 OBP

-2005: .281/.357

-2004: .282/.360

-2003: .289/.360

 

I know he did have Manny and Nomar, who were already great hitters. And Ortiz could have figured out anyway entering his prime at the same time of his arrival to Boston and hitting around Manny, but Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, Kevin Millar, and Bill Mueller support Jackson's ability. Varitek went from an average offensive catcher at best, to one of the elites. Nixon had 2 career years, before injuries took over. Millar had better seasons in Florida, but became a much more patient hitter, which he needed considering his bat speed started to go when he hit 32. Mueller was coming off an injury and had shown flashes in 1 season with the Cubs, but put up a monster season in 03 under Jackson and a couple more solid ones after.

 

He was hitting coach in Milwaukee in 1999, and ironically (or not) enough that team hit .273 with a .350 OBP a lot like the great Red Sox offenses, considering the lack of DH. Jeff Cirillo, Jeromy Burnitz, Dave Nilsson, Ron Belliard had years they have not since repeated. Geoff Jenkins has only come close to repeating that season once. And Jose Valentin hasn't come close to the BB/PA of that season.

 

He's as good as it gets, people!

[Bruno7481]

Hmmm Gaetti had a 308 career obp, he's perfect!

 

So that precludes him from being an effective hitting coach?

 

I'll ask again, can anyone give concrete reasons on why he wouldn't make a good hitting coach? I know Jackson is the hot name. From what I can gather it is basically just because he was in the Red Sox organization. Why was he let go? Why was Gaetti let go?

 

I don't have enough information to make a qualified opinion on either one. Just curious what others think.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

UK posted this article already once, but it's a short lil read on Papa Jackson:

 

http://www.s-t.com/daily/03-03/03-24-03/c02sp096.htm

[CuseCubFan69]

If I remember correctly Gaetti was a guess hitter and I don't want that type of theory to be taught on the Cubs unless he has changed his technique.

[sethuel1]

If I remember correctly Gaetti was a guess hitter and I don't want that type of theory to be taught on the Cubs unless he has changed his technique.

 

I don't think hitting coaches matter very much. What matters is getting hitters that perform in the playoffs.

[CuseCubFan69]

If I remember correctly Gaetti was a guess hitter and I don't want that type of theory to be taught on the Cubs unless he has changed his technique.

 

I don't think hitting coaches matter very much. What matters is getting hitters that perform in the playoffs.

 

Their theory does though, especially when you have young guys coming up and looking up to you to be thee hitting coach.

[sethuel1]

If I remember correctly Gaetti was a guess hitter and I don't want that type of theory to be taught on the Cubs unless he has changed his technique.

 

I don't think hitting coaches matter very much. What matters is getting hitters that perform in the playoffs.

 

Their theory does though, especially when you have young guys coming up and looking up to you to be thee hitting coach.

 

Damn, I gotta strengthen the sarcasm a bit.

[CuseCubFan69]

If I remember correctly Gaetti was a guess hitter and I don't want that type of theory to be taught on the Cubs unless he has changed his technique.

 

I don't think hitting coaches matter very much. What matters is getting hitters that perform in the playoffs.

 

Their theory does though, especially when you have young guys coming up and looking up to you to be thee hitting coach.

 

Damn, I gotta strengthen the sarcasm a bit.

 

No, I have to improve my reading comprehension!