Angels hire Eric Hinske as hitting coach
The Angels hired longtime major leaguer Eric Hinske as their hitting coach, they announced Monday. He replaces Dave Hansen, who was fired at October’s start after four seasons with the Angels.
Hinske, 40, played for seven teams over 12 seasons, lastly in 2013 for Arizona. His career year was his 2002 rookie season, when he won American League rookie of the year honors.
In 2009, the New York Yankees acquired him midseason, and he logged an .828 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 98 plate appearances for the World Series champions. Angels general manager Billy Eppler worked for that Yankees team. Hinske also won the World Series as a member of the 2007 Boston Red Sox, and played in it as a 2008 Tampa Bay Ray. Hinske spent the last three seasons as the Chicago Cubs’ assistant hitting coach and the previous season as their first-base coach. He won his third title a year ago.
After a poor offensive season, the Angels will get on base at a better rate in 2018, Eppler vowed. He conducted interviews over the last two weeks for the hitting-coach position.
Among other candidates, the Angels also interviewed Tim Laker, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ assistant hitting coach. Ex-Angel Chili Davis, who was Boston’s hitting coach this year and recently interviewed for positions in San Diego and San Francisco, was not a candidate.
The rest of manager Mike Scioscia’s staff are staying on in their 2017 roles, including assistant hitting coach Paul Sorrento.
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