Richard Durrett has a blog post up at ESPN Dallas, talking to Thad Bosley about the decision yesterday by the Texas Rangers to relieve him as his duties as the team's hitting coach.
Bosley, who was hired this offseason to replace Clint Hurdle, says he understands the decision and says all the right things on his way out.
The hitting coach dynamic is an interesting one for the Rangers right now...Rudy Jaramillo had been here for over a decade, outlasting several managers, before leaving at the end of the 2009 season to join the Chicago Cubs.
Clint Hurdle was here last season, and I, for one, suspected that he might be in place as a manager-in-waiting if Texas -- in the year of "Its Time" -- struggled under Ron Washington. Washington's job ended up being safe, Hurdle got great reviews, and he's now managing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bosley then came in, a guy with a history with Washington, and after not clicking with the players, he's out and Scott Coolbaugh, formerly the hitting coach with Round Rock (and with Frisco before that), is in. Coolbaugh has a history with most of the young Rangers hitters who came up through the system, although it remains to be seen whether he'll be the major league hitting coach beyond 2011.
After the Rangers' hitting coach was one of the most stable positions in baseball for years and years, Texas is now on their fourth hitting coach in 21 months, and could end up on number 5 later this year, if the Rangers decide Coolbaugh is better suited working with the minor leaguers.