Wally Joyner hired as assistant hitting coach
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Wally Joyner hired as assistant hitting coach
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
During a coaching overhaul immediately following a disappointing 2012 season, the Phillies decided they wanted two hitting coaches to offer their lineup differing methods of instruction. They hired Wally Joyner, a 16-year major-league veteran, Monday to serve as assistant hitting coach.
Joyner, 50, will work with newly appointed hitting coach Steve Henderson. Part of Henderson's hiring was his acceptance of an assistant. It's the newest trend in baseball; three teams - St. Louis, Atlanta and San Diego - employed assistants in 2012. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he studied the model and liked it.
"The system will be better with an assistant in so much that different guys take information in different ways," Amaro said. "I think it's important for our players to see different points of view and get information in different ways."
Joyner previously served as hitting coach for San Diego from 2007-08. During the last four years, he has worked as the lead hitting instructor for MLB International's Elite-level development programs in Italy and Brazil. He also served as China's hitting coach in the World Baseball Classic.
He hit .289 with an .802 OPS in 16 seasons with California, Kansas City, San Diego and Atlanta. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1986.
Henderson, 59, was formerly hitting coach for Tampa Bay from 2006-09. He spent the last two seasons as the Phillies minor-league hitting coordinator.
Major-league rules allow for only six uniformed coaches in the dugout. It's likely Joyner will spend most of his time during games watching video with hitters or working in the underground batting cage.
In 2007, Joyner was one of 89 players implicated for usage of performance-enhancing drugs in the Mitchell Report.
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Vote: Phillies: Stay or Go?
Wally World comes to Philadelphia...Get out your 1986 Topps Traded rookie cards to get autographed at spring training!— Dobie Gillis- One to tell Rollins to be patient and swing for hits not homers and the other to hold his arms back for the first couple of pitches.
— DarnelX - They can hire 10 hitting coaches but nothing will help Howard hit lefthanders.— farley
- I firmly believe this excellent hiring is the strategic key to reaching the World Series next season. What's his name again? — rwolffd12
- So tired of all these Ryan Howard bashers.
Every season since he's been our starting 1st baseman, we've made the playoffs. Oh yeah, we've also won our 2nd WS in 200 years of existent. Blame RAJ for resigning Howard to that ridiculous, unwise contract. Don't blame Howard for who he is. I'll take 250-270 BA, 35-40 HRs, and at least 120 RBIs every year with a chance to win the WS.
Worry about about our 3B, CF, and bullpen situations instead.— PhileaglyersFan - Everyone wants Howard to never strikeout. Well I want Rollins to play and run hard all the time. Neither one will ever happen. I agree with PhileaglyersFan. Look at his RBI's this year. Any correlation between those numbers and the 6 week run the Phillies went on? Exactly, case closed. Just live with it.— bk3131
- Is the rule 6 uniformed coaches "in the dugout" or 6 uniformed coaches? In other words, is the bullpen coach (using binoculars to steal signs) one of the 6?— Clearly Ambiguous
- @Clearly - I thought the punchline was going to be uniNformed coaches...— kissamiazz
- Should be a good off season. The workload is huge for a hitting coach...I've been saying they should have more than 1 for awhile.— Kempatsu
- I am so tired of all the people who bury their heads in the sand when it comes to Howard's splits. He is a platoon player at this point in his career; it's not arguable.— JimEisenreich
- Uh-oh...keep Galvis away from Joyner. ..Joyner was named in the Richards Report...or maaaaaybeeeeee there IS a reason OTHER than hitting he was hired for....— michael2_19030
- Gadzooks! It is the Mitchell Report!! Hello??!! There is no downside here....stop looking for one. — Nigel#1
- What difference does it make if Rh strikes out? An out is an out. He has had over 100 rbi since he came up. Based on Vottos and Puhols' contract I think they got a bargain.— philsfansince1946
- They can hire a dozen hitting coaches, but if all of the players are like Rollins and Howard it will do no good. They listen to no one.
— fischman
