Yankees to add Kelleher to coaching staff
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Nov 06, 2008 
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Brian Cashman has left the St. Regis. But before he did, he said the Yankees have decided to name Mick Kelleher their first base coach. Tony Pena will move to bench coach and Rob Thomson to third base. It’s not official yet but will be soon.
Pena, Cashman said, was “under-used” as the first base coach.
Kelleher was a minor-league infield instructor and the Yankees needed those skills. Cashman said Keller was not hired to work specifically with Robinson Cano. “Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,” he said.
While his realignment appears to make sense, it will work only if Joe Girardi fosters a better relationship with his staff than he had last season.
Hopefully he’s a smart guy
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,â€
We could go in so many directions with that quote.
“We could go in so many directions with that quote.”
and Robby could end up with many teams with that quote.
“What I disagree with is the sentiment that Hughes needs to be traded simply because people think he won’t be an “Aceâ€.â€
The line of thought that makes people think of trading Hughes for short term help is the same short-sided thinking that traded Jay Buehner for Ken Phelps. Frank Costanza is still having coniptions over that one.
I think moving Pena to bench coach is a great move!
This also begs the question, if the Yankees get off to another slow start could Pena be the possible replacement if Joe G gets fired?
Pena was a finalist, along with Mattingly, before the 2008 season.
“This also begs the question, if the Yankees get off to another slow start could Pena be the possible replacement if Joe G gets fired”
sigh
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,â€
Still not convinced on this “Robbie was fixed”. In the NBA equivalent of garbage time, Cano finished ’08 on a 10 game hitting streak.
Was he anymore fixed those last 10 days than he was during his white hot July, when he hit .327 with 3 homers and 17 RBI???
Cano finished the season 19 for 42 over 10 games. In the 11 games prior to that he went 4 for 39. In 12 games before that he went 17 for 42.
Isn’t more reasonable to say he finished the season hot rather than fixed??? I think the jury is decidedly out on that.
Oh, boy. Here we go. Let’s here it: why did Girardi not have a good relationship last year with his staff? Because they resent him for not being Joe Torre?
If Girardi does not “foster a better relationship with his staff” (and his players) he will not see the end of next season.
Adam:
Try to pay attention. It was widely reported when Bobby Meacham was fired last month that Girardi did not solict input from his coaches beyond his two friends, Meacham and Harkey (who also lived at his home). This was reported by virtually every paper in the market, WFAN, etc.
It has nothing to do with Torre.
Adam,
Don’t shoot the messenger. What Pete wrote was true.
You can choose not to believe it but, it doesn’t make it any less true.
Look at it another way……
The Yankees fired the closest person to Girardi on the staff.
Do you think they did that because they liked the job Girardi did last year? Or, do you think this they were sending a message to Girardi to do a few things differently next year?
Moreover, Girardi didn’t choose Meachem’s successor, the Yankees did.
Unless of course, you want to believe Girardi wanted Mick Kelleher to coach first and Tony Pena to be the bench coach.
The bottom line is, the Yankees have now put together Girardi’s ENTRIRE staff, save for one person, Mike Harkey, the bullpen coach.
Not exactly a ringing vote of confidence.
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,â€
————————————
I’m staying away from this.
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,†he said.
I knew he was in the doghouse but having him “fixed” for nonchalance? Makes banning candy and ice cream seem mild.
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,â€
They fixed Robbie? That doesn’t seem fair. Maybe he wanted to be a father someday.
“Cano finished the season 19 for 42 over 10 games. In the 11 games prior to that he went 4 for 39. In 12 games before that he went 17 for 42.”
That’s .325 over his last 35 games. Not white hot but more than merely “good”.
That said… We’ll know if he’s “fixed” for real by early May.
lol laura!
“Robbie was fixed at the end of last season,â€
They fixed Robbie? That doesn’t seem fair. Maybe he wanted to be a father someday.
————
too easy to crack a joke, and Laura said it for me. lol
Basically, this is a warning shot to Girardi.
He needs to get it done and change his ways. They have re-tooled his staff to give him more help and his new bench coach was a former manager of the year and is a great clubhouse presence.
“That’s .325 over his last 35 games. Not white hot but more than merely “goodâ€.
That said… We’ll know if he’s “fixed†for real by early May”
Sort of my point, Jeers. He’s streaky. Always has been. As a guy with zip for plate discipline, he probably always will be. Because he ended the year on a hot streak doesn’t make him fixed in my eyes just as the 4 for 39 that preceded it doesn’t make him Melky.
Just sayin’ I’d be careful about calling him fixed. Better to say “we like where he finished the year” or something like that. You call him fixed and he start’s ’09 hitting .163 in April, you look like a stooge.
how was cano fixed.
he doesnt take pitches
he isnt patient
he cant bunt
and he is lackadasical in the field and on the bases.
bring back larry bowa.
Soon as Robbie cloded up his batting stance he improved very dramatically. He started not only hitting better but actually walking and talking pitches. With Rob Thomson working with him on the new swing in the winter there is good reason to think it will carry over. He didn’t just start hitting he made a marked change in his swing and saw immediate results.
“He started not only hitting better but actually walking”
Walking? No, he didn’t.
Alright I checked and his walks and while he did have two walks after the change he didn’t walk overly more. I do remember him specifically saying he could see the ball better and longer and was thus swinging at strikes versus balls. He was getting into better counts which allowed him to start hitting better by being more selective. We will see but I think the change will result in a much better 2009.
Put me on the side of the group that believes if Cano is still a Yankee by the start of next season he’ll definitely be struggling to hit .250 (with a .251 OBP) by June 1.
Anyone thinking he’s fixed is delusional.
He’s shown us who he is. He will take the 1st few months of the season off, get a hot streak at some point to build up his average, take no walks, make mental areas that are called “smooth” by some, not be able to hit above the 6 hole and infuriate every Yankee fan except for those who think he’s dreamy.
Evan:
Still not buyin’ in. Over those last 10 games, Cano averaged 3.24 pitches seen per plate appearance. On the year, he averaged 3.34. I’ll buy he was seeing the ball better, but he still showed no plate discipline.
Cano has always had “slow” starts. Look at his career splits:
Pre ASG: .280 .314 .416 .730
Post ASG: .327 .358 .526 .884
Hey Pete–
I only know what I read about Tony Pena, but it seems to me that he’s not the kind of ‘passive guy’ who will allow Girardi to make him irrelevant. What are your thoughts on that? Thanx.
The truth is, Tony Pena was “under-used” last year and his talents serve him better as a bench coach. Rob Thomson is better served as a 3rd base coach and Mick Kelleher is a welcome addition.