This isn’t really very complicated. It’s a 4-step process.
1. Fire Alan Cockrell, hitting coach.
2. Hire Ken Griffey, Jr. as hitting coach.
3. Sign Mike Sweeney to a 1 year, 1.5 million contract.
4. Hugs and kisses and rainbows.
I’ll be honest. I’m not the sort of guy who buys into team chemistry having a profound effect on a baseball team’s performance. But it is undeniable that Griffey and Sweeney made just about everyone in the Mariners clubhouse happy. I doubt there is much of a correlation between Sweeney and Griffey’s “veteran presence” and the success of the 2009 Mariners, but there is ample evidence that the duo certainly kept the guys happy. And being comfortable and at-home is never a bad thing in a sport spanning over 6 months per year.
And it’s not like they just contributed in “intangible ways.” Sweeney hit .281 and slugged .442 with 8 homers, and GRIFFEY added 19 homers and 63 base-on-balls.
Who’s to think Griffey won’t be a good hitting coach? He’s funny, easy to get along with, and has the prettiest swing this side of Manny. His plate discipline is phenomenal, and I would love to see a lineup of Mariners with perfect arcing swings.
Admittedly, the hitting coach doesn’t do much other than to emphasize an approach to hitting, and the Griffey approach is a damn good one.
Call to the Pen
FanSided
Halo Hangout
Nolan Writin'
Swingin' A's
I’d feel bad for Cockrell as there was nothing he could really do with this offense, but as long as Griffey’s roster spot is opened for a major-league DH it’s cool overall. And I still like Sweeney as a RH bench bat; even better if he can spell at 1B once in a while.
I don’t know reading a couple different articles, he has made huge improvements in the swings of both Adam Moore and Michael Saunders. I’d give him another year at it. I think the team will survive without Griffey and that includes Ichiro.