Rookie Orioles manager Brandon Hyde’s staff is starting to come together. Hyde will hire Don Long to work as the Orioles’ hitting coach, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Additionally, the Orioles will tab Arnie Beyeler to coach first base, while Jose Flores – whom the O’s hired in December – is “expected” to serve as their third base coach and infield instructor, per Kubatko.
The 56-year-old Long will succeed Scott Coolbaugh, who was Baltimore’s hitting coach from 2015-18 and is now with the Dodgers organization. A former minor league infielder with the Giants, Long spent the past half-decade as the Reds’ hitting coach, but they replaced him with Turner Ward in November. For what it’s worth, the Reds’ Long-led offense ranked eighth in the majors in walk rate, 17th in wRC+ and 18th in runs in 2018.
In Baltimore, Long will be tasked with helping to improve an offense which wallowed toward the bottom of the league last year. However, considering the rebuilding Orioles are short on talent, it’s unlikely they expect Long’s presence to make a major statistical impact in 2019.
it’s unlikely they expect Long’s presence to make a major statistical impact in 2019.
Well any improvement will be appreciated.
Maybe Long can find out what 147 Million dollar Mystery Man Chris Davis is doing to improve! Davis can’t even identify pitches and the league knows this!
Also, whatever happened to former O’s hitting coach Jim Presley? I always thought he did a decent job and then he disappeared
Lastly, I would seriously consider hiring Chris Bosio as pitching coach, some might think it would not be stylish or PC, but he is a good pitching coach and is sorely needed in Charm City!
Does Davis still have his therapeutic exemption for the medicine he took in 2013?
If he does, he’s built up an immunity to it.
Presley left the building.
Wait what am I missing? Why would hiring Bosio be controversial?
Kirby is gone??!
CLEAN HOUSE!!!!
Hopefully the Orioles can get it turned around with their franchise. Kind of sad where it now is compared to the not to distant past.
They are well on their way. An outstanding offseason, not in terms of players signed/acquired but in terms of restructuring the whole system. Still work to be done but what’s been done so far is quite impressive!
don long went to prison for distributing steroids. but that’s a different don long. a bodybuilder don long
Any relation to Kevin Long?
Both hitting coaches…
Or kevin maas. There both 170 hitters.
No Maas. No Maas.
I heard his hitting philosophy is the Long ball.
I bet chicks dig that.
Mike Hawk and Harry Dhong are next.
Mike Hawk and Mike Hunt were double play domestic partners…..
Actor Richard Long, of “Big Valley” fame, often reminded fans that his nickname was Dick Long…….
Not to be confused with race car driver Dick Trickle.
Long duck don
Chris Davis will be a major priority, obviously.
I wonder if that contract could ever be moved…
I’m sure there’s a chance but unlikely. Then again even Vernon Wells’ contact was moved so what do I know
As it stands now, no it could not be moved; with a good season, yes it could be.
That’s an awesome name