Barry Bonds Fired as Marlins Hitting Coach - do you entertain the idea of him coming here?

[Loosey]

So the Marlins fired Bonds after one season as their hitting coach.  As a team the Marlins hit .263/.322/.394, this includes pitchers batting 1 out of every 9 times (And Oswaldo Arcia twice).  Their problems on offense were they didn't score many runs due to not having great power outside of Stanton who was hurt for a large chunk of the season.  

 

Their "Core 8" in their lineup however managed to hit .275/.335/.425 (.759 OPS).  Now the big question would be did they hit because of Bonds or in spite of him.

 

The argument against Bonds could be the players that hit well were already becoming or were established hitters.  And the arguably best hitters from an average standpoint and power point of view had down years (Dee Gordon and Stanton).  

 

If Falvey were to make some changes and Brunanski were one to get the boot, would you entertain the idea of Bonds as hitting coach?

[GMinTraining]

You definitely consider it - As in call Bonds in for an interview to see if he can follow a managers lead and still do his job effectively.  We have too many power hitters on the roster who have yet to reach their potential.  

How are they trying to pitch to you?

Leg Kick - No Leg Kick?

How to shorten your swing and get the most out of it?

 

I have to believe that the greatest HR hitter in history would have some idea as to how to hit the ball consistently?  Juice or No Juice - He still had to hit the ball.  He is worth considering IMO - 

[Halsey Hall]

I'd pass on Bonds.

[70charger]

I want nothing to do with Bonds, and I want Bonds to have nothing to do with baseball.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Huh. Dunno how I'd feel about Bonds on the team.

 

He was an extremely smart baseball player, so that's good. The problem is that he was also an extremely talented baseball player, which doesn't exactly translate to coaching.

 

I'm ambivalent on it, I suppose.

[Vanimal46]

If you believe this speculation by Craig Mish, "Don Mattingly “called out” Bonds during a road trip this summer, allegedly because the latter’s “commitment level dwindled.” Mish added that Giancarlo Stanton “tuned out” Bonds, who had been “openly critical” of the Miami slugger."

 

- Source

Not sure if Bonds is cut out to be a full-time coach. I'd pass on him. 

[h2oface]

Do the players need to know how to inject roids or the correct order of the clear and cream?

[Blake]

I don't think you give up on Bruno. I think this is the first year the Twins have had two hitting coaches, one for the Spanish language players, and getting things sorted out probably took some time. 

 

 

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I don't think you give up on Bruno. I think this is the first year the Twins have had two hitting coaches, one for the Spanish language players, and getting things sorted out probably took some time. 

2nd year with two hitting coaches for the Twins. Bruno needs to go. Wether it is his fault or not, the averages are too low, OBP is too low. Dozier was great, but an outlier. If Bruno helped Dozier and it didn't work for anyone else, it is a failure.

 

New blood, new fuel, new concepts... Dozier can always consult Bruno in the offseason. We need a guy that reaches the other players.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Every time i have heard Bruno open his mouth I've been impressed. The guy knows his stuff and seems well liked by his players.

[jimmer]

 

I don't think you give up on Bruno. I think this is the first year the Twins have had two hitting coaches, one for the Spanish language players, and getting things sorted out probably took some time. 

Not like the numbers on offense were good last year either, though.

[Bark's Lounge]

The past 3 years, and 3 years is good enough to let a new philosophy set in, I have seen a jump in the power department, but not mush else. Brunansky has had success, but we have had ultimate failure in Avg. and OBP. Tom should be relieved of his duties.

.

Bruno maybe had an effect on Dozier. That's one guy out of many. Let's move on.

[Thrylos]

For what is worth, I'd love the Twins to hire coaches and manager who a. have had some results to show and b. appreciate and rely on their paycheck for a living, so they are motivated to perform.

 

Bonds might be the best hitter to ever play the game, but satisfies neither of the above conditions.  Heck, I'd hire Pete Rose (who satisfies both of those conditions) before I'd hire Bonds for that position...

[Blake]

 

2nd year with two hitting coaches for the Twins. Bruno needs to go. Wether it is his fault or not, the averages are too low, OBP is too low. Dozier was great, but an outlier. If Bruno helped Dozier and it didn't work for anyone else, it is a failure.

 

New blood, new fuel, new concepts... Dozier can always consult Bruno in the offseason. We need a guy that reaches the other players.

Glad I wasn't definitive. Yeah, two years is long enough to get things sorted out. I dunno what to think at this point.

 

The whole organization seems to be decrepit and Bruno is one very small part of the institutional malaise that has set in.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I don't think you give up on Bruno. I think this is the first year the Twins have had two hitting coaches, one for the Spanish language players, and getting things sorted out probably took some time. 

We need to leave it up to the new regime. Hell, us fans like some things and don't like some things. Let's wash our hands clean and let them decide.

[twinsnorth49]

Ok the logic escapes me. We want to fire a coach for presumably good reasons and we want to replace him with another guy who was fired for presumably good reasons? Can we get a little more grown up about the whole coaches hiring / firing debate?

Presumably.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Glad I wasn't definitive. Yeah, two years is long enough to get things sorted out. I dunno what to think at this point.

 

The whole organization seems to be decrepit and Bruno is one very small part of the institutional malaise that has set in.

It's definitely gonna take some work. 

[Blake]

 

It's definitely gonna take some work. 

Augean stables level of work, from the looks of it.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Augean stables level of work, from the looks of it.

Yeah, something that has to do with solving the impossible.

[Bark's Lounge]

Bonds was the best baseball player I have ever seen at the plate - bar none... no one comes close.

 

He is a former superstar, who is desperate to get back in, he got back in, but could not hold his ego in check and his disinterest, once futility shown its face. Never seen him being a good coach.

 

He's probably a guy you can seek out in the offseason for instruction.

[Champuckett]

Bonds could of course teach our hitters a thing or two about hitting.

 

The real problem I see is Bonds can't help but make everything about him, which is the last thing we need right now.  As a coach you need to put the team and your players first, and I see a conflict quickly developing in this regard due to his personality.  Yes he could possibly teach the young crew something Brunansky has not yet taught, but is it worth the cost?

[Guest]

No to Bonds. Damage to clubhouse would neutralize or outweigh any gains from his hitting instruction.

[HitInAPinch]

Wasn't there a pretty signification change over in the Twins lineup this year, starting last year?  Players leaving [OK, only Torii Hunter as anything signification] and MiLB players being brought up, this year and last?

 

I think Bruno should get one more shot at it. 

[DaveW]

For what is worth, I'd love the Twins to hire coaches and manager who a. have had some results to show and b. appreciate and rely on their paycheck for a living, so they are motivated to perform.

 

Bonds might be the best hitter to ever play the game, but satisfies neither of the above conditions. Heck, I'd hire Pete Rose (who satisfies both of those conditions) before I'd hire Bonds for that position...

Pete Rose is an absolute degenerate, he is the absolute last person you want around a young team.

[DJSim22]

NO!!!

[prouster]

I'd rather have Bonds as a player.

[Jerr]

 

I'd rather have Bonds as a player.

NOOOOOOO!

[Pardon My Dinger]

Hall of fame players who have made good coaches: go.

[Pardon My Dinger]

As in, go ahead and try to think of one because I sure don't think it happens more than once in a blue moon.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

Hall of fame players who have made good coaches: go.

Don't take this as arguing your post PMD.

 

A HOFer can be a good coach, a former major leaguer can be a good coach, a career minor leaguer can be a good coach, someone who has never took the field professionally can be a good coach.

 

It is all about vision, strategy, being intelligent, and being able to inhale this game numerically as modern times begin to flood this game. Being strong headed and stubborn is a death nell.

 

The old school is pretty much dead. Being a coach in MLB is no easy stuff these days, you need to  be malleable. Like Bruce Lee once famously said "Be Water".