How does Scott Ulleger has a job with the Twins?

[Timberwolf]

With the way the Twins stranded runners the last two night, I can't help but start scrapegoating Scotty. I am amused Scott is still employed as the hitting coach. What the hell has he done to stay on as the hitting coach? This team has been brutal in hitting under his leadership. This team takes stupid at-bats. This team strikes out a lot. This team hates too many double plays. This team does stupid things on offense. I am sick and tired of it. I can't take it anymore. How does he have a job? How is Terry Ryan and Co so obvilious about Scott? It's the same ol crap since 1997 and I am really sick of it. He should have been gone going back to 97.

When David Ortiz become a superstar all of a sudden while the rest of the Twins hitters are just hideous, someone has to be blame. Our hitters make Mario Mendoza look like Vladimir Guerrero. I am so sick of it.

I can't take it anymore.

I would love to see Paul Molitor as the hitting coach. I know he stunk as Seattle's hitting coach last year, but the Mariners had hitters who were old. Could you imagine what Paul can do with our hitters? Our hitters are not as bad as they are. Hell I rather have Bert Blyleven as the hitting coach. He can't be worse than Scott.

Twins ain't winning a championship as long as this guy is around

[>TC<]

They've already won three straight Central titles with him.

As far as Ortiz goes, Gardy and Ulger (and Molitor) had been trying, for years, to get David to make the very change he made in his swing when he went to Boston. Ortiz wouldn't do it. Maybe the fact that he was released made him realize that he needed to modify his approach? The same goes for Guzman, who earned his reputation as being un-coachable by ignoring advice from Gardy, Ulger, and even Rod Carew and Molitor(during ST)

Part of the problem is that we don't have the depth that other teams have - and we play our subs, a lot. Castro and Corky Miller are lifetime .215 hitters in the majors. Punto is hitting .154, and doesn't project to more than .250 - the hitting coach isn't going to change any of these guys.

Hunter is hitting .220 - Cuddyer, .238, Ford .214, Stewart .255
All these guys will come around and add to a group that is already hitting well
Jones .361 - Morneau .333, Mauer .317
The fact that Rivas is hitting .269 might mean that he is actually starting to listen to the coaches. Bartlett .263 will get better

I wouldn't mind seeing Molitor get the hitting coach job but it's very unlikely. Terry Ryan has been loyal to guys in the organization. Ulger put in his time just like Gardy did under Kelly.

TC

[Timberwolf]

Keep in mind the division was weak too. I am worried about winning a championship and that will never happen under Scott as a hitting coach.

If Scotty was great, why is it Luis skip batting practice with him last year as Sid reported. How about when guys looked up to Al Newman and Shannon Stewart for hitting advice couple of years ago.

[>TC<]

Easy - Rivas is another player who doesn't want to listen to any coaches. Maybe one reason he had his worst season ever was because of the very thing you are talking about. That's a big reason why they almost didn't make him a qualifying offer this year. Gardy really went to the wall for Luis during the off season. They tried to have Rod Carew work with him in ST this year, we'll see if he listens.

Shannon Stewart is well respected in the clubhouse, a lot of players have talked hitting with him. One reason management signed him to the contract they did was because he helped change the hitting philosophy of some Twins players, both by example and by talking to them.

I don't ever recall that anyone went to Al for help hitting. Many go to him for fielding help and as an adviser. I'm sure Rivas was pouting and was looking for someone to listen to his gripes.

TC

[Timberwolf]

TC: Shouldn't the players listen to the coach for ideas not a player? That's a slap in the face to Scotty that hitters are asking Shannon for help.

[Timberwolf]

Here's a look at Scott's stats as a player:

79 major league at-bats in his career
15 hits (a .190 batting average).
21 times (only drew 5 walks).
6 double plays.

Maybe there is a reason why players do not listen to Scott as a hitting coach.

[Durango53]

You dont talk to co-workers at work about what you do? You only ask your boss?

There are some people that only ask co-workers and then you get a co-worker that is good at what he does then he can point to the boss in some other hints.

And as for the stats of a coach here is something I believe very firmly in.
It is the guys that never do that good in the sport that make the best coachs.They know that it dont come easy. They know how hard it is for some guys.
Name me 3 coachs that was a All-Star player and then a great coach in MLB. It is something that just dont happen. The best coachs was players that were sub-par and had to work there butt off for what they did and pay atteintoin to the details to where the All-Star players it just came easy for them and so when they get players that strugle they dont know how to act because they never really was in that place as a player.

I dont know the problems of the guys the past few years on the Twins like Mark does but I believe him on this. There are people that have problems with athority even if it is a coach. To where they think they know what is better.

[Timberwolf]

Rod Carew, Mickey Hatcher, and Clint Hurdle were All-Star players and great hitting coaches.

You make great points, Shad, but the bottom line is that the Twins strike out and hit into double plays way too often. Some of the guys have too many stupid at-bats. Twins make pitchers look like great pitchers sometimes.