Meet the 2019 Yankees: Reggie Willits

Last, but certainly not least, is a name that I can remember the Yankees signing to a Minor League deal way back when. Reggie Willits obviously knows the game and has been around the game for much of his adult life, now the former outfielder finds himself as the first base coach for the New York Yankees. Dreams really do come true, so let’s meet the man who saw his dreams come to fruition last winter when he accepted a spot on new Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s staff. Willits is back in the same position here in 2019, so let's meet him once again. This is Meet a Coach: The Reggie Willits Edition.


Reggie Gene Willits was born on May 30, 1981 to Gene and Judy Willits, both of Fort Cobb, Oklahoma. Willits attended both junior high and high school at Fort Cobb-Broxton before attending Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. Willits eventually transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he played baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners. While with Oklahoma he caught the eye of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who drafted Willits in the seventh round, 210th overall, of the 2003 MLB First Year Players Draft. Willits made his MLB debut with the club just three years later on April 26, 2006 and even made the Angels Opening Day roster in 2007.

When all was said and done Willits spent five seasons with the Angels before being designated for assignment by the team on August 17, 2011. After the 2011 season Willits elected free agency but was unable to find a job before the 2012 season. Willits took the 2012 season off away from the game before returning to the game in 2013 as the head baseball coach for Binger-Olney High School. Willits was their head coach for two seasons before joining the New York Yankees organization in 2015 as their outfield and baserunning coordinator, a position he held until the 2018 season. For the 2018 season, Willits was promoted to first base coach for Aaron Boone's New York Yankees and saw the team reach the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox, before ultimatrly falling to the eventual World Series Champions. Willits is back with the Yankees, and under Boone, for the 2019 season at the first base coach position, hoping this time he sees his season end in the World Series and in the Canyon of Heroes.


Reggie Willits was named after another Yankees great, Reggie Jackson. No pressure Reggie, but with a name like that we expect big things. Congrats again on the promotion, do us proud!

Meet a Coach: Reggie Willits

Last, but certainly not least, is a name that I can remember the Yankees signing to a Minor League deal way back when. Reggie Willits obviously knows the game and has been around the game for much of his adult life, now the former outfielder finds himself as the first base coach for the New York Yankees. Dreams really do come true, so let’s meet the man who saw his dreams come to fruition this winter when he accepted a spot on new Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s staff. This is Meet a Coach: The Reggie Willits Edition.

Reggie Gene Willits was born on May 30, 1981 to Gene and Judy Willits, both of Fort Cobb, Oklahoma. Willits attended both junior high and high school at Fort Cobb-Broxton before attending Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. Willits eventually transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he played baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners. While with Oklahoma he caught the eye of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who drafted Willits in the seventh round, 210^th overall, of the 2003 MLB First Year Players Draft. Willits made his MLB debut with the club just three years later on April 26, 2006 and even made the Angels Opening Day roster in 2007.

When all was said and done Willits spent five seasons with the Angels before being designated for assignment by the team on August 17, 2011. After the 2011 season Willits elected free agency but was unable to find a job before the 2012 season. Willits took the 2012 season off away from the game before returning to the game in 2013 as the head baseball coach for Binger-Olney High School. Willits was their head coach for two seasons before joining the New York Yankees organization in 2015 as their outfield and baserunning coordinator, a position he held until the 2018 season. This season Willits has been promoted to the Yankees first base coach position with new manager Aaron Boone, congratulations to the former MLB player.

Reggie Willits was named after another Yankees great, Reggie Jackson. No pressure Reggie, but with a name like that we expect big things. Congrats again on the promotion, do us proud!

The New York Yankees & Solving Their Outfield Logjam

Good afternoon everyone, it’s been a while. You all remember that movie “Angels in the Outfield” with that kid that could see and use ghosts to help the California Angels win games? Well I hear they are making a sequel in 2018, and I heard it will be called “Yankees in a Crowded Outfield” with the ghosts of Yankee Stadium helping to terrorize the rest of the American League, especially the Boston Red Sox. Now while the movie and movie title are a bit tongue-in-cheek, the fact that the New York Yankees have a crowded outfield (and ghosts that will hopefully continue to terrorize the Boston Red Sox) is not. The outfield is overcrowded with Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury possibly all on the active 25-man roster, although Frazier is likely to start the season in Scranton in Triple-A, and the Yankees may need to address this over-population sooner rather than later. The good news for them is I have a plan; the bad news is this may not be one of my most popular blog posts from this offseason and spring.



Before I put forth my idea to clear the logjam I will preface this post by saying that the Yankees have a plan, and that plan has already been put into place by Aaron Boone and his staff this spring. Reggie Willits, a newcomer to the Boone staff and to the Yankees coaching staff this season, is already working with both Judge and Stanton in left field this spring with the hopes that either could play there in a pinch this season. The team has also left the designated hitter position open with the hopes of rotating their outfielders in and out of the position to not only get everyone at-bats, but to give the players a half-day off as well. It is also worth mentioning that Judge has reportedly spoken with and asked manager Boone about playing some center field in 2018, an idea I am admittedly not really keen on personally, giving the Yankees yet another option to help with the logjam. Unfortunately, I do not think this will be enough and there will always be one or more players on the outside looking in so here are my ideas on how the team could clear up the clutter.



The team tried, and reportedly failed, to trade Jacoby Ellsbury and his three-years and $68 million left on his contract all winter long so why not try and trade the man that replaced him instead, Aaron Hicks. I know this won’t be a popular decision as Hicks did well in 2017 posting a .266/.372/.475 triple slash with 15 home runs in 88 games, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Honestly, I cannot see the value for Hicks getting any higher than it already is and as much as I would hate to lose the switch-hitting center fielder, it may make the most sense for the Yankees this season. The production from Hicks is replaceable, in my opinion anyway, by having Clint Frazier take over center field, something he did with the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees as a prospect and something he could do again until Estevan Florial is ready, while keeping Jacoby Ellsbury on the bench.



Trading Hicks could bring back a significant piece, especially if packaged with a prospect or two, to the pitching staff as well as a little bit of salary relief and roster space. It isn’t ideal losing Hicks, I admit that, but in my opinion, it isn’t ideal having Frazier down in Triple-A with nothing to prove either. That’s when bad attitudes and bad practices occur with a player, see Jesus Montero as a recent example of this. Trading Ellsbury would be ideal, no one would argue this fact, but for most of the same reasons the Yankees want rid of him other teams wouldn’t want him and his salary either. And don’t even get me started on his no-trade clause and his seemingly unwillingness to move it. More on that and bad journalism at a later time, I feel a rant coming on, but until then moving Hicks may make the most sense for the New York Yankees here before the 2018 season. I’m not sure where I would like to move him, or for who, but a move involving him just makes sense right now.


With that said and with the World Series in the Yankees sights I want to win at all costs. Sites like mytopsportsbooks.com has the Yankees' odds to win set at +550, just behind the Dodgers (+500) and level with the defending champion Astros. Agree? Disagree? Leave it below in the comments.

Leading the Yankees to Great Success!...

The 2018 New York Yankees Coaching Staff (allegedly)…

The Yankees have yet to officially announce Manager Aaron Boone’s coaching staff but the names are taking hold.

Here’s what we know:

Bench Coach:  Josh Bard

Pitching Coach:  Larry Rothschild

Third Base Coach:  Phil Nevin

First Base Coach:  Reggie Willits

Infield Coach:  Carlos Mendoza

Hitting Coach:  Marcus Thames

Assistant Hitting Coach:  P.J. Pilittere

Bullpen Coach:  Mike Harkey

Josh Bard 

Bard is a first-time bench coach and was a former teammate with Aaron Boone in Cleveland. Last year, he was the bullpen coach for the World Series-losing Los Angeles Dodgers. Bard, 39, played for five teams between 2002 and 2011. He accumulated 586 plate appearances, with 39 home runs, 220 RBIs, and .254 batting average. His most notable accomplishment came in 2006 as a member of the Boston Red Sox when he opened the season with ten passed balls in his first five games, including three passed balls in his first appearance, with knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the mound. Bard was born in Ithaca, New York, but he grew up in Elizabeth, Colorado (just outside of Denver). After retirement, he joined the Dodgers as a special assistant before his appointment as the bullpen coach in 2016 for manager Dave Roberts. 

Larry Rothschild

Larry needs no introduction to Yankees fans as he has been the team’s pitching coach since the 2011 season when he replaced the fired Dave Eiland. Eiland, ironically, will be back in New York this year as the new pitching coach for the Mets. Rothschild, 63, was the original manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Rays) when they entered the American League, and, a native Chicagoan, he was a long-time pitching coach for the Cubs.  

Phil Nevin

Nevin is remembered as the first pick of the 1992 MLB Draft, the year that Derek Jeter slid to the Yankees at the sixth position. Remembered primarily as the third baseman for the San Diego Padres, Nevin, 47, played for seven teams over 12 MLB seasons. In 1,217 games, Nevin hit 208 home runs and 743 RBIs to go with a .270 batting average. After his playing career, Nevin held a few minor league managerial positions before becoming the third base coach for the San Francisco Giants for the 2017 season. Although he was fired after the season (along with long-time pitching coach Dave Righetti), Nevin was rumored to become the Giants bench coach had the Yankees hired current bench coach Hensley Meulens as their manager. Nevin attend high school (El Dorado High School in Placentia, California) with Aaron Boone’s brother Bret and is a long-time friend of the Boone family. Nevin presently makes his home in Poway, California, near San Diego.

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Darryl Webb)

Reggie Willits

Willits was an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels during the course of his MLB playing career from 2006 to 2011. Willits, 36, was named after Yankees great Reggie Jackson. The Oklahoman joined the Yankees organization in 2015 as a minor league outfield and base-running coordinator. This will be his first MLB coaching job. Willits did not hit any home runs during his MLB career (1,014 plate appearances) but he’ll certainly have the opportunity to see MANY guys round first base on their home run trots this year.

Photo Credit: The Oklahoman (Chris Landsberger)

Carlos Mendoza

Mendoza, 43, was primarily a minor league outfielder.  He made it to the Show with the New York Mets in 1997 and the Colorado Rockies in 2000 (total of 28 games). The Venezuelan native has coached or managed in the Yankees minor league system since 2009. As the new infield coach for the Yankees, he’ll be in uniform in the dugout during games. 

Marcus Thames

Last year, Thames served as the assistant hitting coach under Alan Cockrell on Joe Girardi’s staff. This year, he becomes the hitting coach for the new manager.  Thames, 40, came up in the Yankees organization, and the outfielder played for four MLB teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers, from 2002 to 2011. The Yankees traded Thames to the Texas Rangers in the 2003 deal that brought Ruben Sierra to New York. Thames, originally from Mississippi, played in 640 games, batting .246 with 115 home runs and 301 RBIs. He became the Yankees Assistant Hitting Coach for the 2016 season when Cockrell was elevated to Hitting Coach to replace Jeff Pentland. Thames will never forget his first MLB at-bat when he jumped on the first pitch from Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 10, 2002 for a home run.  

P.J. Pilittere

Pilittere, 36, was a former minor league catcher who has spent his entire career in the Yankees organization. He was selected in the 13th round of the 2004 MLB Draft, and advanced as high as Triple A when his playing career ended in 2011. 2017 will be Pilittere’s seventh year coaching in the Yankees organization. The Buffalo, New York native (and die-hard Bills fan) served as hitting coach for then-manager Al Pedrique last year with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Pilittere has strong relationships with current Yankees like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird.  

Asked about his promotion to Assistant Hitting Coach for the big league club, Pilittere told the Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA), “The thing that doesn’t change is it’s still about players, and players still want to get better. The good ones and the best ones and the ones on our roster want to get better until the day that the uniform is taken away from them, and I think that is what creates a championship atmosphere and I think that’s what we want to promote around the clubhouse. I know that’s what we want to promote — is always looking to do better and always doing what it takes to help the team. The only thing that I think that slightly might change a little bit is that it still is developing guys at the big-league level and getting the most out of our players, but that only thing that does change is at the end of the day it’s about getting the win a 7 o’clock. It’s, ‘What can we do to win ball games. What can we do to have a championship season in 2018?’”

P.J. Pilittere, holding camera on left

Mike Harkey

Harkey, 51, is expected to return as the Yankees bullpen coach. Harkey, a native of California, is a former MLB pitcher who played for five teams from 1988 through 1997. Over eight years, Harkey pitched in 131 games, including 104 starts. He was 36-36 with 4.49 ERA and 216 strikeouts. He served as the Yankees bullpen coach from 2008 until 2013 when he was hired as the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After his dismissal by the D-Backs at the end of the 2015 season, he returned to the Yankees as their bullpen coach the following season.  

Mike Harkey, right (as if the guy on the left is unrecognizable)

Aaron Boone has done a good job bringing diversity to his coaching staff. I would have preferred a veteran bench coach but there’s plenty of experience to be offered by guys like Larry Rothschild and Phil Nevin. Despite the lack of experience as a bench coach, Josh Bard seems to be a manager-in-training and will most likely be leading another team against the Yankees at some point in the not-so-distant future if he proves successful in his current role.  

It’s sad to see the old faces depart. Former bench coach Rob Thomson will serve the same role for first-time manager Gabe Kapler with the Philadelphia Phillies. Third base coach Joe Espada replaced new Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora as the bench coach for the World Champion Houston Astros. Guys like Tony Pena and Alan Cockrell served the Yankees well, and I wish them the best with their coaching careers. Nevertheless, I am excited about the potential of the new coaching staff that Boone has assembled. They’ve been charged with bringing the Yankees, a team that came within a game of reaching the World Series, their 28th World Series championship (and more). No pressure. So, welcome to the Yankees Family, Newcomers and welcome back, Holdovers! We’re happy and excited to see you in Pinstripes in 2018!

It’s been funny following the suggestions for the home run call that Yankees radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling will use for Giancarlo Stanton. I don’t recall who made the suggestion, but I really like “Giancarlo dropped the Mike”. There have been some great suggestions, but it will be interesting to hear what Sterling actually uses when Stanton goes yard for the first-time as a Yankee. I am sure that he’ll come up with something that none of us have heard before.  

Photo Credit: YES Network (E.H. Wallop)

We only have two more weekends beyond this one until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa. Players and coaches have already begun their migration to the Sunshine State. Soon, very soon…

Go Yankees!

The Changing of the Guard...

Thoughts While We Wait for the Press Conference…

Aaron John Boone officially takes the reins as the 33rd Manager of the New York Yankees today at Noon ET. I continue to see so many opinions, both strongly tilted toward the pros and the cons. Being upset or taking a strong position that Boone is not the right guy serves no purpose. Regardless of how you feel, Boone will be the guy delivering the lineup card on Opening Day, March 29th, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. There is nothing that you can do or say that will change Boone from taking that walk. So, it is in our best interests to unite and support the next manager of the Yankees.  

Credit:  Sporting News Archive/Getty Images

Personally, I am excited to see what Boone can do. Admittedly, I wasn’t crazy about the lack of managerial or coaching experience but Boone has so many other positive attributes.  We’ve heard about his unique ability to relate with everyone, his sense of humor, his immersion into Major League Baseball as a youngster due to his grandfather, Ray Boone, and father, Bob Boone, both Major Leaguers.  Boone has said that he has prepared for 44 years for this job. Boone’s predecessor, Joe Girardi, won a Manager of the Year Award in his first season as a manager with no coaching or managing experience (2006 with the then-Florida Marlins). Granted, he was fired after the season, but still, there’s no reason that Boone can’t reach the same accomplishments (excluding the end of the year firing).  

The immediate decisions that face Boone is the composition of his coaching staff. Larry Rothschild is returning as the team’s Pitching Coach but so far, that’s the only official announcement. The bench coach will be a critical hire and needs to be someone with strong managerial experience. The Yankees lost very strong in-house candidates when Josh Paul, Rob Thomson, and Al Pedrique left to join the coaching staffs of other MLB teams. Eric Wedge’s name has been thrown out as a possibility but so far, there have been no strong indications who might take the role. Yankees minor league coaches Reggie Willits and Carlos Mendoza have been cited as possibilities for the staff but neither has the experience to serve as bench coach. I am expecting the return of Alan Cockrell, Hitting Coach, and Marcus Thames, Assistant Hitting Coach, although they could just as easily walk away. It’s been mentioned that Mike Harkey, the bullpen coach and a Girardi buddy, could return. That one does surprise me a little since he was a Girardi friend and hire. Tony Pena is someone the Yankees should bring back. He’s certainly qualified to serve as bench coach despite his years as the first base coach.  

Perhaps Boone addresses the coaching staff during today’s press conference or the staff is assembled over the next few weeks. Either way, I will be watching and listening with interest.  

Al Pedrique’s departure (to join the Oakland A’s as first base coach) creates an opening at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. A replacement has not been named but I could easily see the elevation of High A-Tampa Yankees Manager Jay Bell to the position. I really hated to see Pedrique go. I felt he would have been the ideal bench coach…an experienced manager who has strong relationships with the younger Yankees. The A’s denied the Yankees permission to talk to their manager, Bob Melvin, but then stole one of the Yankees’ best coaches. Almost immediately, the A’s fans talked about the excitement of a coach who could help mold Dustin Fowler, Jorge Mateo and James Kaprielian based on his past experiences with them. Ouch!  He could have been doing that with the Baby Bombers.

Credit:  Jason Farmer, Scranton Times-Tribune

It was sad to see Rob Thomson take a lateral position with the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving the Yankees after 28 years in the organization. He will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge for Phillies rookie manager Gabe Kapler. Thomson must like sitting next to very physically-fit managers. It’s too bad he won’t be there for Aaron Boone but it’s probably hard to stay with an organization when you are passed over for a job you felt should be yours.  

It’s a tough time to fill a coaching staff considering most other teams have finalized their respective staffs. I keep half-expecting Bret Boone to added. No idea what qualifications he has other than being a former Major Leaguer but like Aaron, he obviously grew up in a baseball family. His recent jokes about sexual harassment probably nixed the possibility he’d join his brother’s team.  

Credit:  Alan Berner, The Seattle Times

The Yankees have cash to spend on the international market ($3.5 million) with the rejection by Shohei Otani but so far, the Yankees have been idle while Billy Eppler and the Los Angeles Angels have been very aggressive. Yesterday, the Angels signed two former Braves prospects including the top-rated shortstop Kevin Maitan and another shortstop, Livan Soto. The Yankees need to bring in more catching prospects but the Phillies grabbed former Braves catching prospect Abrahan Gutierrez.  

Baseball activity seems to be picking up in general. The minor free agent signings are picking up so there should be major movement with the free agent market over the coming days.  The Baseball Winter Meetings start Sunday in Orlando, Florida so next week should be a wild ride. Clint Frazier’s latest tweet (@clintfrazier) was “my cat has been staring at my shower drain for three straight hours and i’m freaking out”. We really need more excitement with the Yankees!  

Today should be a fun day. Welcome (back) to the Bronx, Aaron Boone! Go Yankees!

Reggie Willits Joins New York Yankees Organization

Reggie Willits is back in the major league and is now a member of the greatest organization in the world, the New York Yankees. If you don’t know who Willits is he is a former Oklahoma standout and MLB outfielder with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Willits stole 40 bases in six seasons with the Angels, obviously in very limited playing time, while being thrown out just 17 times. Willits is now the outfield and base running coordinator for the team after restoring and reviving Binger-Oney’s baseball program.

As a play Willits was a very aggressive base runner and will likely help the Yankees get aggressive on the basepaths, here’s looking at you Brett Gardner. Willits will also undoubtedly work with the plethora of outfield prospects the team has that are pretty close to the major leagues.  Welcome to the family Mr. Willits.