When a team hits as poorly as we did last year, changing the batting coach is a given. But you can't make All-Stars out of over-the-hill major leaguers, and you can't make major leaguers out of AAAA hitters. Or can you? I like the Lansford choice. I'm not basing this on any track record as an instructor. I have no idea whether he has been a good one or a bad one. But he was a fine hitter, and if he can teach others how to hit, we might get our surplus of AAAA hitters over the hump to producing regularly in the bigs.
15 years, 1899 games, .290 AVG, .343 OBA, .411 SLG, only 553 BB's, BUT only 719 K's
He was a solid, productive percentage hitter who lacked pop. BUT he didn't whiff much. I like that. Maybe he can teach plate discipline, patience, and how to use the whole field. A guy like Frandsen or Ortmeier could really improve with some work in those areas. Lansford is a Bay Area boy and the Giants seem to like that hometown connection (like Righetti--who's useless).
Welcome aboard, Carney! (Eek! That name! Don't you just want to wear a striped shirt and porkpie hat, chew on a cheroot and accost passers-by with a gravelly baritone: "step right up, folks, ya won't believes yer eyes, only a dollah, ladies are free . . .")
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To digress a bit: the list of free agents was in the paper this morning -- what a motley crew. Are we interested in any of them?
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