The D-backs have announced that Darnell Coles, who recently stepped down as the Brewers’ hitting coach, has been hired as the new hitting coach in Arizona. He’ll replace the recently dismissed Dave Magadan. The Athletic’s Robert Murray had previously reported that Coles was the “leading candidate” to take over for Magadan in Phoenix (Twitter link). Tim Laker is sticking around as the Diamondbacks’ assistant hitting coach, per the press release announcing Coles’ hiring.
“We’re excited to add a person of Darnell Coles’ caliber to our Major League coaching staff,” said manager Torey Lovullo in a statement accompanying the announcement. “He is an exceptional communicator that values building relationships. As a teacher, his dynamic approach has proven to help players develop.”
Coles, 56, enjoyed a 14-year career as an infielder and outfielder before beginning his coaching career as the Mariners’ minor league hitting coordinator in 2000. Since then he’s served as a minor league hitting coordinator, hitting coach and manager in the Nationals and Brewers farm systems, served as the Tigers’ assistant hitting coach and spent the past four seasons as the Brewers’ Major League hitting coach.
No link to his playing days?! Tisk tisk!
We had a good bat at every position and struggled to drive in runs allll year. Cole isn’t terrible but we can do better
Unless Arizona pays a lot more than Milwaukee, this looks like a horizontal move. So we Brewer fans want to know – did he leave on his own or was be pushed out? What were the issues that caused him to go? Are teams even allowed to change a hitting coach without a long debate about launch angles? (I hear they’re not a fad) Who had sub-par seasons that he gets blamed for? Who’s great seasons happened in spite of him? The Brewer writers aren’t exactly muck-rakers, so we’re left to speculate…
Good move, D-Backs.
Very happy that Darnell is with the D’Backs. He’s a great guy and even better coach. A+ move.
Interesting
A guy with a career -1.4 war, .245 batting average with 709 hits and 75 career homeruns is a hitting coach
What?
This is after 14 seasons.
And 8 different teams sometimes he was traded back to a team he played for prior.
Those that can do it… do it.
Those that can’t do it… teach it.
I remember reading in moneyball “I’d rather have a formerly bad hitter to teach me about hitting as they know their mistakes in their career so I don’t suck like they did.” (Not verbatim)
Coles greatest claim to fame may have been being a part of the 1986 Tigers All 20 HR infield (including catcher).
Today sounds easy, but start digging through the recordbooks…notsomuch. Only matched by 96 Orioles and the 05 Rangers…
Stood outside tigerstadium locker room w my 2 kids hoping to catch player autograph. DC came out with his two kids and chatted with us. Was really cool.