Saturday, December 6, 2014

Yankees Hire Marcus Thames to be Assistant Hitting Coach


The New York Yankees may be one step closer to catching up with the rest of the league and one step closer to actually having a hitting coach in place for the 2015 season. The Yankees signed Double-A Trenton Thunder hitting coach and former Yankees player Marcus Thames to be their assistant hitting coach. New York does not have a hitting coach in place but Bill Madden and Anthony McCarron of the NY Daily News predict that the team will sign minor league hitting coordinator James Rowson to fill the position.

Thames is just 37 years old and has been retired as a player for just three seasons and spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons as the hitting coach for the High-A Tampa Yankees and the Double-A Trenton Thunder respectively so the job would not be relatively new to the former Yankee.

14 comments:

  1. MARCUS THAMES..Brings back fond memories.
    Years ago, when the Yankees firs obtained Thames, I often joked with my friend Tommy Twasp
    in regards to Thames' defensive attributes. Thames was always referred to as........
    ..." the man with the aluminum glove." It was funny, it was true.

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    Replies
    1. Wasn't he born deaf too? Or am I thinking of someone else?

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    2. Southbound Burch :..........

      MARCUS THAMES....aka....I Hear Noises, & I Can Hear Music.
      No, Marcus can hear. He always acknowledged applause, while patrolling left field,
      with his aluminum glove.

      You may have been thinking of Curtis ' Silent Night ' Pride.

      ".....Curtis John Pride (born December 17, 1968 in Washington, D.C.) is a former Major League ... He excelled in baseball, basketball, and soccer in high school. ... At that time, he became the first deaf player in the majors since Dick Sipek in 1945."

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    3. You're right. I knew it was one of those guys.

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  2. MELKEY CABRERA...what a great addition he would be.
    I will trumpet his signing, until the end. That is how I feel.

    Forgive my lack of facts, but did not Bret Gardner just recently sign for four years / 50 plus million ?
    Cabrera is a better player, all around...and, this is what is being reported :
    "..Cabrera is said to be seeking a five-year deal, with the Mariners thought to be willing to get into the neighborhood of the $57-million, four-year deal Cruz received."....Seattle Times / MLB.

    Same money, Cabrera a much better player.
    Therefore sign Cabrera. And, improve the team. The man can hit / field.
    Trade Gardner in a package for a young pitcher / power bat.

    Is it me ? It's not a reach, but it is as clear as day ?

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    Replies
    1. I would be in favor of this deal. I love Gardner but Melky is a superior player, in my opinion. I think Gardner's value is as high as it's going to get.

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  3. KEN REED....A walk around ?
    Is that when your wife lets you out of the house, and you come back two days latter ?
    "...Is lunch ready yet ?"

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    Replies
    1. Dats de 1, Patrick!
      Melkey has more power and is a better hitter but, other than that Brett is a better Defensive player.

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    2. Ellsbury is great defensively and Yankee Stadium's left field is on the small side. I don't think Leche would miss a beat defensively.

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    3. Ooops, Daniel you meant right field is small, right? Left field takes a CF type of player, which Melkey was!

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    4. I don't think left field is all that big either. We've survived with less than stellar speedy guys and defensive guys without missing a beat. Ricky Ledee, Shane Spencer, Chad Curtis and others come to mind.

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    5. Shane Spencer, played right field at home (most times) and left on the road (most times)!
      Ricky and Cjad were not as fast as Brett, but they were fast enough!
      When I said a CF player type for left field, that would be the best case scenario. Yogi, Howard and Piniella all played left field back a year or twenty-five but, those teams won GOLD because they had great teams.

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  4. Well best case scenario you want a center fielder at all three positions so no balls fall in the outfield.

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    Replies
    1. Yup, in a perfect world that's true.
      Back in the day, not only did the CF position have to be good enough to play there but, had to be able to hit like a corner fielder or better.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)