Bomber Bites With Jumping Joe–New Yankee Hitting Coach Should be Jorge Posada

After the historic offensive ineptitude of the Yankee lineup over the last two years, there is little doubt that the Bombers should replace hitting coach Kevin Long. While the struggles to score runs in 2013 can be blamed on a lineup that featured Jayson Nix, Chris Stewart, and Lyle Overbay for much of the year after losing Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Curtis Granderson to free agency, the Yankees added a lot of talent for this past season.  Brian McCann replaced Stewart.  Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury were also designed to replace Robinson Cano.  However, the offense in 2014 was even worse than 2013.

Despite the lackluster performance the last two years, the Yankees should not fire Kevin Long. But he does need to be reassigned within the Yankee organization. Long is a good hitting coach and excels at helping hitters, especially left-handed ones, take advantage of the short porch in right field.  McCann and Granderson are two prime example of befuddled hitters that Long was able to work with to pull the ball into the stands.  Granderson had two consecutive seasons of 40+ home runs in pinstripes and while McCann struggled at the plate for much of his first year in the Bronx, he turned it on in September hitting eight home runs in the final month.

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The Yankee organization can use a hardworking coach that has had success in the minors or as a “hitting guru” that works out of the Tampa complex.  Billy Conners operated as a pitching guru for years in Tampa helping countless players retool after injuries or try to learn or relearn their mechanics.  There is no reason that Long can utilize the same idea for hitters.

Mandatory Credit: Chad R. MacDonald.

As for Long’s replacement, the Yankees should bring back a former Core Four member, Jorge Posada.  Now, there are plenty of reasons why this move would not work and I have no idea if Posada would even be interested in a coaching position.  But let’s look at why this makes sense.

Posada is respected in the Yankee clubhouse and while Derek Jeter was the Captain, Posada was the soul of the Yankee clubhouse for years.  He was the vocal leader to Jeter’s lead by example professionalism.  The Yankees need more fire and brimstone in the clubhouse and Posada could be the one to put a charge into the players.

The former Yankee catcher was also a borderline Hall of Famer as a catcher and a terrific hitter.  He hit for average, a career .273 hitter with a .338 season in 2007.  He hit for power with eight seasons of 20 or more home runs including 30 in 2003, the Yankee record for a catcher in a single season.  The five-time All-Star was a consistent and reliable player in the lineup for a long time.

One of the biggest issues in the Yankee lineup this season was a lack of consistency on a nightly basis.  Posada can help the players be more consistent hitters who value each at bat and get the big hit in key situations. Too often last season, the Yankees were unable to score more than a run or two despite having baserunners throughout the game. The Yankees need to do better with runners in scoring position, which is an area in which Posada excelled in his playing career.

Of course, it is very unlikely that Posada will ever be a part of a coaching staff under manager Joe Girardi.  The relationship between the two is frosty at best, with Girardi holding a grudge for a young Posada pushing him out of the Bronx and Posada disliking Girardi for embarrassing him on national television with benchings and lineup drops in his final season.  But hopefully, after this season, Girardi will be shown the door, opening the possibility of Posada working under a different manager.

The idea of Posada as the Yankee hitting coach for next season makes a lot of sense and it is something the Yankees need to explore this off-season. The culture in the clubhouse has drifted in the past few years and without the steadying influence of guys like Posada, Jeter and Mariano Rivera, the soul of the club is up for grabs.  It’s time to bring in some old friends to steward the Yankees into the post-Jeter era and return to the Bombers to its winning ways.