The D-backs announced Monday that they’ve “mutually parted ways” with hitting coach Dave Magadan. The remainder of the team’s coaching staff — pitching coach Mike Butcher, bullpen coach Mike Fetters, quality control/catching coach Robby Hammock, first base coach Dave McKay, bench coach Jerry Narron and third base coach Tony Perezchica — will return for the 2019 season under manager Torey Lovullo. Assistant hitting coach Tim Laker will be part of the search for Magadan’s replacement.
Magadan, 56, enjoyed a very solid playing career, hitting .288/.390/.377 with more walks (718) than strikeouts (546) over parts of 16 big league seasons. The 2018 season was his third as the Diamondbacks’ hitting coach and his 16th on a big league coaching staff. He’s also spent time as the hitting coach for the Padres, Red Sox (including their 2007 World Series season) and Rangers since retiring as a player.
The Diamondbacks were in contention for much of the season but collapsed in epic fashion over the season’s final month, following out of contention as the Rockies and Dodgers surged to a first-place tie in the NL West. The month of September was the D-backs’ second-worst of the season from an offensive standpoint, as they combined to hit just .214/.287/.374 as a team with 98 runs scored. Jack Magruder of The Sports Xchange tweets that Lovullo stressed that the decision was mutual in nature but also added that the team “did not live up to the expectations we had,” offensively.
Do you guys think he was scapegoated for the teams failures? They were solid most of the season. How responsible is he for “.214/.287/.374 as a team with 98 runs scored” in September
Three words: yes, yes, and yes……But they probably had to make some kind of move…it’s too bad, they were a fun team to watch (LOVE the defense)….the other teams were just better…..
I thought Mags did a solid job in Boston but that was years ago. Game has changed since then and not necessarily for the good. He was a solid contact hitter in his day, which has become more or less a lost art.
That’s a very good point about the game being a lot less about contact hitting nowadays. Jeff Branson was a similar type of player to Magadan, more about contact than power, and he got sacked today as hitting coach of the Pirates.
.390 career OBP over 16 seasons is so good.
How frustrating. This year Diamondbacks right fielder’s were pitiful. By WAR, Souza -0.4, Jay -0.3, Owings -0.8. In the meantime JD Martinez put up a 5.8 WAR for Boston after sitting on the market unsigned for months….. and the DBacks finished 9 games back. What this comes down to is the Diamondbacks pinching pennies, not the failures of Magadan. The DBacks would have been in the playoffs with a couple investments in the team this past off-season. Seriously, I’m so done with the season ticket marketing calls. Wake up front office
they don’t just make money, everyone knew they never could resign JD so you are just making nonsense arguments with that point. The failure was acquiring Souza and expecting much of anything
You have no idea what you’re talking about. JD was unsigned until part way through spring training. He could have been had at a reasonable price.
Is that the same Dave McKay coaching who used to play think was middle IF for the twins years ago?
Yes it is. McKay played mostly 2B and SS as a Twin for 2 seasons, a Blue Jay for 3 seasons (he’s an original ‘77 Blue Jay), and then played a few years in Oakland.
The Padres fired him once also. It made no difference, we still couldn’t hit, the following season.
Ultimately, it’s the players.