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Phillies To Hire Kevin Long As Hitting Coach

By Steve Adams | October 11, 2021 at 2:19pm CDT

The Phillies are set to hire Kevin Long as their new hitting coach, Britt Ghiroli and Matt Gelb of The Athletic report (via Twitter). Long, who has been the Nationals’ hitting coach for the past four seasons, will be reunited with manager Joe Girardi and bench coach Rob Thomson in Philadelphia. The trio worked together in New York, where Long served as the hitting coach for much of Girardi’s managerial tenure. Long was on a one-year contract with the Nats for the 2021 season, and while he was reportedly open to a return to D.C., he also had the freedom to gauge interest elsewhere.

With the Phillies, Long will replace the recently dismissed Joe Dillon — his former assistant hitting coach with the Nats. The Phils hired Dillon as their hitting coach prior to the 2020 season, but his tenure proved relatively short, as the Phils made some changes to Girardi’s staff after another disappointing playoff miss. Phillies hitters ranked sixth in the Majors in walk rate from 2020-21 and are tied for the seventh-lowest team strikeout rate at 22.6 percent in that same span. They ranked 10th in runs scored (1040), 13th in home runs (280) and posted an overall .244/.324/.417 batting line (97 wRC+) during Dillon’s two years as hitting coach.

Moving from Washington to Philadelphia, Long will also reunite with one of his highest-profile pupils, Bryce Harper, whom he coached with the Nationals during Harper’s final season prior to free agency. (His time with the Yankees did not overlap with embattled Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius.) Girardi and Long had a heated exchange earlier this season after Girardi called for then-Nationals ace Max Scherzer to be checked for foreign substances on the mound mid-inning, though doesn’t seem to have formed a lasting rift between the longtime colleagues, based on today’s news.

Long, 54, has a pair of World Series rings: one for his 2009 work with the Yankees and a second for with the 2019 Nationals. He served as Yankees hitting coach from 2007-14 before joining the Mets in the same capacity from 2015-17 and the Nationals from 2018-21.

The Phils also parted ways with infield coach Juan Castro and gave assistant hitting coach Pedro Guerrero the freedom to explore other opportunities, so Long’s hiring will be the first of at least a couple of coaching changes in the weeks to come.

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Philadelphia Phillies Washington Nationals Kevin Long

Michael Lorenzen Hoping For Rotation Opportunity In Free Agency
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Coaching Notes: Dickerson, Phillies, Padres, Washington, Bochy, Yankees
View Comments (64)

Comments

  1. Francys01

    1 year ago

    Interesting. Long has been a good hitting coach.

    Reply
    • iverbure

      1 year ago

      Wouldn’t it make sense for teams to have a right handed hitting coach and left handed hitting coach? They could get even more in depth as well. Certain guys even in today’s game you want hitting line drives or putting the ball on the ground if they’re speedsters. Having one hitting coach having the same philosophy of everyone trying to swing for the fences seems like a good way to lose.

      Reply
      • PeteWard8

        1 year ago

        When Hawk was GM of the White Sox he hired two hitting coaches except one was for the power guys and the other was for the singles hitters.
        Willie Horton coached the power guys.

        Reply
      • luclusciano

        1 year ago

        Honest question, would you need to be a lefty batter to coach lefty hitters? Are the mechanics different between left and right handed?

        Reply
        • jkoko

          1 year ago

          Hitting concepts do not change from left to right

      • Samuel

        1 year ago

        That’s a great idea!

        And they should hire multiple coaches for infielders and outfielders – one to work on catching a ball hit in the air, one to work on catching a ground ball, and one to work on throwing the ball.

        Then they need to hire a pitching coach for LH throwers, another for RH throwers, and assorted coaches to teach the individual pitches – broken down by LH or RH throwers.

        Then there needs to be at least 10 coaches to work with the Catchers…….

        Are you a government bureaucrat?

        Reply
    • Hippyripper

      1 year ago

      WHAAAAAT? I just about spit my drink across the room?

      “Well come on k-long let’s go!”

      I realize they were coaching partners before they were a Jomboy breakdown because of the Jomboy break down that informed me they were coaching partners before they were fighting partners and that was sponsored by a Jomboy breakdown

      Legend has it Girardi is still staring at him

      Reply
  2. SFBay314

    1 year ago

    C’mon K-Long! Let’s Go! You wanta go K-Long? -Girardi

    Reply
    • kiddhoff

      1 year ago

      Let’s Go Brandon!

      Reply
  3. VonPurpleHayes

    1 year ago

    This is awkward. Girardi and Long were cursing at each other across the dugouts this season. Remember the whole Scherzer/Girardi thing?

    Reply
    • Monkey’s Uncle

      1 year ago

      “Tastes great!”
      “Less filling!”

      Reply
    • YankeesBleacherCreature

      1 year ago

      I don’t find it so as these guys are professionals.

      Reply
  4. 13Morgs13

    1 year ago

    I’m not a big fan of the Move, but time will tell.

    Reply
  5. lordd99

    1 year ago

    Good hire.

    Reply
  6. davidk1979

    1 year ago

    Might be the only guy that can fix Didi

    Reply
  7. dirkg

    1 year ago

    The old adage is that a MLB coach knows his value by his next MLB job. Sounds like Long has quite a bit of value.

    [Mike Scioscia, Mickey Hatcher, and Brad Ausmus disagree with this message].

    Reply
  8. MetsFan22

    1 year ago

    LOL. 4th place baby!

    Reply
    • Monkey’s Uncle

      1 year ago

      I imagine that it feels very similar to third place where your boys reside, but maybe after next season you can compare the two and let us know how similar they are.

      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        1 year ago

        we finished above them again this year, yet they still talk smack.

        Reply
        • VonPurpleHayes

          1 year ago

          DarkSide’s keypoint here “again.” MetsFan cannot be serious at this point. The Mets had a losing record against the Phillies, and lower place in the standings. Phillies have problems for sure, but they’re better than the Mets.

        • MetsFan22

          1 year ago

          The Phillies aren’t better than the Mets. One team was a lot healthier the other team most of the year. Please use common sense

        • 48-team MLB

          1 year ago

          I’ll clear all of this up. The Phillies and Mets both suck…but the Mets suck more.

        • VonPurpleHayes

          1 year ago

          48-team-MLB summed it up nicely.

        • @toofpick78

          1 year ago

          I’m so sick of your asinine comments and pathetic excuses. Stop embarrassing every rational Mets fan.

        • Yankee Clipper

          1 year ago

          Mets22: BUT, the Phillies have Harper, the Mets have LolLindor.

        • Bill Kane

          1 year ago

          You and common sense don’t belong in the same sentence

    • Phantom X

      1 year ago

      Isn’t this a little early for your Mets prediction?

      Reply
      • ftasports

        1 year ago

        No. Mets do and will always suck. They will start hot Etc etc and it’s the same story.

        Reply
    • brian214

      1 year ago

      @MetsFan22 I realize you have the luxury of hiding behind your keyboard, but it doesn’t bother you in the least bit that you are essentially a laughingstock of this community? I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that, no, you are not “living rent free” in anybody’s head. You’re just a punchline, that’s all.

      Reply
      • Lee Mazzilli for HOF

        1 year ago

        I picture some guy in his basement with his mom upstairs that you need to take out the garbage or diner is getting cold.

        Reply
    • bucketbrew35

      1 year ago

      Yes we are all already laughing about the 2022 Mets fourth place finish.

      Reply
    • Bob333

      1 year ago

      That is where your Mutts will be J.O.

      Reply
  9. Monkey’s Uncle

    1 year ago

    I tried to draw a flow chart showing all of the apparent connections between Long and Girardi. I ran out of paper.

    Reply
  10. fffbbb

    1 year ago

    Unless he brings along better hitters, really doesn’t mean much. As long as Girardi remains, never going to succeed as a team. Oh well, always 2023.

    Reply
  11. Metsin7

    1 year ago

    Mets really couldn’t rehire him? He was our best hitting coach in a decade. Sandy Alderson really needs to go now

    Reply
    • evilmrm

      1 year ago

      Who’s left in management to hire him? First, the Mets need to hire a POBO, who will then hire a GM, who will then assemble most of management to hire a manager and coaches (do managers even get a say in their coaches anymore?). Right now, calling the Mets brass goes to voice mail.

      Reply
      • bobtillman

        1 year ago

        Cohen’s friend Michael Avanati has the job when he finishes his “governmental responsibilities” (jail term). Jeff Epstein was going to take the job but he got hung up.

        Reply
  12. sn0048

    1 year ago

    What is with this organization and their hiring of friends and former associates..
    I’d say they’re guilty of cronyism and also aren’t confident in their ability to find the best people to fill job openings.

    Reply
  13. whosehighpitch

    1 year ago

    Hopefully he can keep Hoskins out of prolonged slumps. Highly doubtful but I’m hoping

    Reply
  14. DarkSide830

    1 year ago

    so Dillon wasnt good enough so we just hired another Nats HC? um, okay then…

    Reply
  15. No big deal

    1 year ago

    I was hoping the Mets would make him their manager after Collins. Three bad hires later…

    Reply
  16. 48-team MLB

    1 year ago

    It’s still a long shot that they contend.

    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      1 year ago

      Good pun and also true story.

      Reply
  17. downsr30

    1 year ago

    Did Bryce Harper demand this?

    Reply
  18. Fly over fan

    1 year ago

    so, your telling me the Phillies are Long-ing (see what I did there) for better hitting.

    Reply
    • MasterShake

      1 year ago

      1/5 points deducted for pointing it out

      Reply
  19. whosehighpitch

    1 year ago

    Phillies can hire whoever they want as hitting coach. Fact: Rhys Hoskins stinks

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      1 year ago

      so out of pocket and not close to correct but okay then.

      Reply
    • sn0048

      1 year ago

      What fact? Hoskins was very productive this year.

      Reply
      • VonPurpleHayes

        1 year ago

        Two years in a row, the Phillies offense crumbled when Hoskins went down, and fans still hate on him. Compare his numbers to Pete Alonso. Similar players for sure. Hoskins gets on base more. Alonso is a better defender. The Phillies really need a bat behind Harper. Hoskins was it before he got hurt. Can’t expect him to stay healthy anymore. Need to fill that void.

        Reply
    • Bob333

      1 year ago

      Good move by the Phillies if Long can’t turn the inconsistant hitting around no on can.

      Reply
  20. em650r

    1 year ago

    Long was the hitting coach for Trea Turner and Juan Soto this year. They both had the highest batting average so Long will work his magic in Philly

    Reply
    • whosehighpitch

      1 year ago

      Not for Rhys. Maybe Alec Bohm

      Reply
  21. atmospherechanger

    1 year ago

    I rarely hear players talk about their hitting/pitching coaches.

    Is the value to the players so little that they see no reason to recognize them?

    Reply
    • Rsk3228

      1 year ago

      Yes, but they are good fall guys to fire after a disappointing season is over.

      Reply
    • whyhayzee

      1 year ago

      Huh?

      Reply
  22. Rangers29

    1 year ago

    Wow. K-Long really does wanna go.

    Reply
  23. Cohens_Wallet

    1 year ago

    K-Long has a knack of signing with teams that will either go to or/win a championship. It definitely looks good for Philly.

    Reply
    • tstats

      1 year ago

      That’s a big name

      Reply
      • Rangers29

        1 year ago

        It’s moreso a long name.

        Reply
  24. driftcat28 2

    1 year ago

    Waiting for Girardi to hire Rothschild too

    Reply
    • Bob333

      1 year ago

      That would be a great move we need more old school guys these analytic guys are geeks that know nothing about baseball

      Reply
  25. Lou Orlando

    1 year ago

    Just hope Long doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all mantra. I’m about fed up with every hitter, even guys who don’t hit homers, upper cutting everything. I believe that approach ruined Scott Kingery.

    Kingery was a good hitter everywhere he played until just recently. How many times have we watched him strike out swinging on pitches at the letters or higher?

    Just put the bat on the ball. Tough to win striking out 10 or more times each night. Plus it makes for boring baseball.

    Reply
  26. m1

    1 year ago

    They should’ve hired me as the hitting coach

    Reply

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