Yankees hire former big leaguer Sean Casey as hitting coach
It didn’t take the Yankees very long to find their next hitting coach.
Just a day after the club relieved Dillon Lawson of his duties, sources confirmed to SNY’s Andy Martino that former MLB player Sean Casey will become the next hitting coach, as first reported by the New York Post and the Athletic.
“I’m just really excited about having this opportunity in the second half to impact the guys in the lineup," Casey said in a statement.
“The Yankees have a lot of professional hitters, and I’m looking forward to connecting with them and getting on the same page. I’ve already spoken with both Brad Wilkerson and Casey Dykes, and I can’t wait to utilize their skills and everything they have to offer," he added.
Aaron Boone, who was a teammate of Casey's in Cincinnati from 1998-2003, added, "I've had the great pleasure of knowing Sean for close to 30 years, and his passion for hitting is infectious.
"For anyone that's ever come in contact with him, his ability to inspire is one of his greatest gifts, and I can't wait for him to tap into our players and help them reach their potential. There's no doubt in my mind that he will have a tremendous impact on our team," Boone said.
Martino reported on Monday that the Yankees front office has been aware that players miss Hensley Meulens, an assistant hitting coach last season who took the head-hitting job with the Colorado Rockies.
Last year, "Yankees hitters gravitated toward Meulens for advice, and many team officials were upset to lose him," Martino wrote, adding that now the Yankees were "left to wonder if Meulens’ departure threw off a delicate balance and exposed Lawson’s inability to get buy-in from big league hitters."
By adding Casey, the Yankees front office is clearly hoping to now get that buy-in as someone with not only big league experience but big league success, takes over.
"Anyone who knows Sean knows he is a very well-respected former baseball player with a big personality full of positive energy," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in a team statement announcing the hire. "We Feel his abilities to connect with people with his experience will serve him well in his new role as our head hitting coach."
When it comes to approaching the job, the first coaching gig of his career, Casey said the is "no way to cookie cut hitters" and doing that will get you into trouble and underutilize their strengths.
"I'm going to get to know each player and their approach at the plate," he said. "One thing I will stress is controlling the zone and hunting in the zone. I want them to control their process and stick to their approach with the goal of winning every pitch. At the end of the day, we’re going to focus on making sure each hitter has a process that brings out the best version of himself."
Casey, a three-time All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, was a career .302 hitter over 12 big league seasons with five different teams. He finished in the Top 10 in batting average for the National League three times during his career, including a career-high .332 in 151 games in 1999.
Casey hit above the .300 mark in six individual seasons, including his final year in the major when he hit .322 in 69 games with the Boston Red Sox.
The Willingboro Township, N.J. native had been working as an analyst for MLB Network prior to his hiring.
"Working at MLB Network for the last 15 years, I’ve been able to keep my finger on the pulse of the game, speaking with current big leaguers, watching a tremendous amount of video, breaking down film as part of my job and trying to figure out what hitters are doing physically and mentally," Casey added. "So I feel good about being ready for this opportunity to teach and impart my experience and ideas.
"Also, having Aaron Boone in the dugout was a huge factor in me taking this position — with how well I know him and how much respect I have for him as a manager. I also have so much respect for Brian Cashman, the Steinbrenner family and what it means to put on the pinstripes in terms of the history of the game."
