Gary Gaetti let go -- former Astro Sean Berry new hitting coach

[Clutch]

... according to sports 610. Just happened to overhear that.

[hoopstar]

great we jus need to bring back derek bell and we can be the killer B's again

[MadMax]

i like gaetti a lot...oh, well.

[LongTimeFan]

Wasn't this guy supposed to be a premiere hitting coach in 2004? Are the Astros trying that hard to send a message?

[leroy420]

I guess you could see that coming. The hitting and pitching coaches are always first to go. I think Hickey's job is safe. Sean Berry...huh? Round Rock sure wasn't having any offensive problems.

[OldManBernie]

Boy... that's a scapegoat firing and a half. If anything else, Gaetti turned some misfits into legit hitters. I seriously doubt Taverez and Burke would have early successes if it wasn't for Gaetti. In fact, he was able to get Ausmus hitting (for a long stretch at least). If anything else, I thought he was the team's biggest asset outside of it's players.

[SamCassell]

Hitting coaches are pretty overrated in terms of impact on the team. Not a big deal to me. I thought Gaetti was doing an ok job, but maybe the move will shake some guys up and give us a temporary shot in the arm.

[Roxfan73]

Looks like Ensberg will definitely take a seat after Garner sees Berry taking grounders at 3rd.

[rocketfat]

lol. what a joke. ausmus, biggio, and everett should each send him a couple hundred thousand bucks and their most sincere apologies.

[rocketlaunch]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4043443.html

[Major]

I like Gaetti - he really turned around a lot of hitters in 2004, it seemed. But that said, the only job of a hitting instructor is to help improve the hitters and they were all sucking, so I don't think it's a real loss. It may not be his fault, but that's life in MLB. Maybe Berry can bring a new approach or some new thoughts that the hitters respond to (like Gaetti in '04). Basically, it can't hurt.

[JBIIRockets]

why did they let Gaetti go?? at least give him time to work with Huff. I don't like the move..

[Baqui99]

I like Gaetti - he really turned around a lot of hitters in 2004, it seemed. But that said, the only job of a hitting instructor is to help improve the hitters and they were all sucking, so I don't think it's a real loss. It may not be his fault, but that's life in MLB. Maybe Berry can bring a new approach or some new thoughts that the hitters respond to (like Gaetti in '04). Basically, it can't hurt.

Bingo. Our guys couldn't even execute a sac bunt dammit! Granted guys like Orlando Palmeiro and Morgan Ensberg have been swinging the bat like a bunch of pussies lately, but the coach always takes the blame.

[Drewdog]

Eh - no biggie. Hitting and pitching coaches come and go. Its just like getting a new golf pro to show you a thing or two that the last guy didnt. Just doing something to get the bats going.... try something new.

[don grahamleone]

Bingo. Our guys couldn't even execute a sac bunt dammit! Granted guys like Orlando Palmeiro and Morgan Ensberg have been swinging the bat like a bunch of pussies lately, but the coach always takes the blame.

Roger Clemens didn't win 20 games last year with his ERA. There was a problem. Berry will fix it.

[imoffg33]

why did we let gary go? humm... here are 3 reasons why we did. (1) morgan hit .145 in june (2) brad ausmus hit .103 the last month, not to mention going 1-48 at one point. (3) jason lane is hitting .205 for the season.

thats not mentioning willy tavares and adam everett.

thats 5 people out of our lineup that can't hit. period. this move should have taken place a long time ago

[Raven Lunatic]

I loved Sean Berry when he played for the Astros, so I fully endorse this move.

[Hakeem's Dream]

I thought it would be a good idea to get rid of him because our batting is our problem so we have to change as much as we can. If pitching was our problem, Hickey would possibly leave too. I thought Gaetti was doing a decent job with P. Wilson but he hasn't been able to do much for Mo or Lane. I think Berry is a great replacement, although I would rather see Bagwell in that position eventually.

[rrj_gamz]

Boy... that's a scapegoat firing and a half. If anything else, Gaetti turned some misfits into legit hitters. I seriously doubt Taverez and Burke would have early successes if it wasn't for Gaetti. In fact, he was able to get Ausmus hitting (for a long stretch at least). If anything else, I thought he was the team's biggest asset outside of it's players.

Agreed...There is always somone to blame...A pitching coach should be next...

[bottlerocket]

On that note why does Jim Hickey still have a job?
He can't help Lidge, Qualls, or Wheeler, ect...
The guy has never played in the Majors. What can he tell Clemens and Co?

[SamFisher]

They should fire Patrick Ewing while they are at it. What a tool.

[gwayneco]

why did we let gary go? humm... here are 3 reasons why we did. (1) morgan hit .145 in june (2) brad ausmus hit .103 the last month, not to mention going 1-48 at one point. (3) jason lane is hitting .205 for the season.

thats not mentioning willy tavares and adam everett.

thats 5 people out of our lineup that can't hit. period. this move should have taken place a long time ago

So, in April when Ensberg and Ausmus were hitting and the team was 16-8 Gaetti was fine, but he became an idiot in May?

[MykTek]

bad pr move, GG was liked alot by ppl and helped the rookies last yr alot..

[weslinder]

great we jus need to bring back derek bell and we can be the killer B's again
Don't forget Tim Bogar. What's he doing now?

[Raven Lunatic]

Don't forget Tim Bogar. What's he doing now?

Isn't he a coach somewhere in the minors now? Maybe not for the Astros system, but for someone.

EDIT: Looks like he is managing in AA for the Akron Aeros, which I believe is a Boston Red Sox team.

[weslinder]

Isn't he a coach somewhere in the minors now? Maybe not for the Astros system, but for someone.
EDIT: Looks like he is managing in AA for the Akron Aeros, which I believe is a Boston Red Sox team.Thanks.

[candlegreen]

Someone made a good point on why the pitching coach is still around.... Let's see, the whole staff is doing worse, Lidge was nowhere near himself. What gets me is this... apparently Lidge was tipping his pitches and it was ADAM EVERETT that figured it out, not the pitching coach. What's going on here?!? :eek:

[MadMax]

Someone made a good point on why the pitching coach is still around.... Let's see, the whole staff is doing worse, Lidge was nowhere near himself. What gets me is this... apparently Lidge was tipping his pitches and it was ADAM EVERETT that figured it out, not the pitching coach. What's going on here?!? :eek:

that's very troublesome, i agree. whether it's tipping or mechanics issues, something needs to be done.

[Major]

So, in April when Ensberg and Ausmus were hitting and the team was 16-8 Gaetti was fine, but he became an idiot in May?

No, but at the present time, nothing he's doing is improving things, so why not make a change?

[rocketfat]

No, but at the present time, nothing he's doing is improving things, so why not make a change?

lol...i love brad ausmus. immune to as much pathetic baseball as he can play, and costing others jobs to boot!

[gwayneco]

No, but at the present time, nothing he's doing is improving things, so why not make a change?

I don't really care one way or the other. I'm just amused at how assistant coaches are always the scapegoats regardless of the sport.

[Major]

I don't really care one way or the other. I'm just amused at how assistant coaches are always the scapegoats regardless of the sport.

Yeah - it's the easiest thing to change just to shake things up. The biggest value just comes from the new voice, whether he's better or worse than the old one. These guys always land on their feet somewhere else that is trying to shake things up, so they just kinda rotate around in circles, it seems.

[Buck Turgidson]

Why this move happened, according to Purp:

- Berry better suited to take advantage of new video/computer technology;
- very unhappy w/ the approach at the plate of several players, something Berry has done well w/ the minor leaguers;
- hope a new voice can get through to some of the guys;
- "put players on notice".

Basically to shake things up. Not surprising.

And to whoever said "Hickey never played in the majors", you might want to compare the coaching careers of, say, Rogers Hornsby & Ted Williams versus Jim Leyland & Earl Weaver. Sometimes the greats are the worst teachers - they had the gift of talent & can't get others to replicate what came easily to them. The list of excellent coaches who either never played in MLB or had middling to awful careers is long. Jimy Williams comes to mind also - say what you want about him as a manager, but as a coach he's one of the best in baseball.

[rocketfat]

And to whoever said "Hickey never played in the majors", you might want to compare the coaching careers of, say, Rogers Hornsby & Ted Williams versus Jim Leyland & Earl Weaver. Sometimes the greats are the worst teachers - they had the gift of talent & can't get others to replicate what came easily to them. The list of excellent coaches who either never played in MLB or had middling to awful careers is long. Jimy Williams comes to mind also - say what you want about him as a manager, but as a coach he's one of the best in baseball.


great. that doesn't answer why he still has a job though.

[Buck Turgidson]

Maybe because he's good at it?

Nobody here has the knowledge to judge the performance of a hitting/pitching coach.

[Hakeem's Dream]

Okay, Gary Gaetti played in 2507 games in his career and had a .255 BA, a .434 SLG%, 96 stolen bases, 1341 RBIs, 360 HRs, 39 trips, 443 doubles, and 1130 runs on 2280 hits in 8951 at bats. Now, Sean Berry played in 860 games in his career and had a .272 BA, a .445 SLG%, 47 stolen bases, 369 RBIs, 81 HRs, 10 trips, 153 doubles, and 310 runs on 657 hits in 2413 at bats. Gaetti played 19 seasons and Berry played 10. I personally want to start a petition for Bagwell to he hitting coach. He's played in 2150 games in his 14 season career and has a .297 BA, a .540 SLG%, 202 stolen bases, 1529 RBIs, 449 HRs, 32 trips, 488 doubles, and 1517 runs on 2314 hits in 7797 at bats. Who's with me?

[Master Baiter]

Okay, Gary Gaetti played in 2507 games in his career and had a .255 BA, a .434 SLG%, 96 stolen bases, 1341 RBIs, 360 HRs, 39 trips, 443 doubles, and 1130 runs on 2280 hits in 8951 at bats. Now, Sean Berry played in 860 games in his career and had a .272 BA, a .445 SLG%, 47 stolen bases, 369 RBIs, 81 HRs, 10 trips, 153 doubles, and 310 runs on 657 hits in 2413 at bats. Gaetti played 19 seasons and Berry played 10. I personally want to start a petition for Bagwell to he hitting coach. He's played in 2150 games in his 14 season career and has a .297 BA, a .540 SLG%, 202 stolen bases, 1529 RBIs, 449 HRs, 32 trips, 488 doubles, and 1517 runs on 2314 hits in 7797 at bats. Who's with me?
I love Bags and hopes he gets some sort of position with the Astros. Unfortunately, Bagwell has the most unorthodox swing in the history of baseball. Not exactly who I figure would make a great hitting coach. Bench coach? Ok, that'll work. Honestly, I'd rather pull Ausmus out of the lineup and have him coach.

[Baqui99]

Roger Clemens didn't win 20 games last year with his ERA. There was a problem. Berry will fix it.

No doubt, I'm totally in favor of firing Gaetti. Management needed to shake things up immediately.

[msn]

Honestly, I'd rather pull Ausmus out of the lineup and have him coach.
"Those who can't, teach." :D

[DaDakota]

Sounds like a message to the players........to me.

[Hakeem's Dream]

I love Bags and hopes he gets some sort of position with the Astros. Unfortunately, Bagwell has the most unorthodox swing in the history of baseball. Not exactly who I figure would make a great hitting coach. Bench coach? Ok, that'll work. Honestly, I'd rather pull Ausmus out of the lineup and have him coach.
I guess that's the general concensus, having Baggy would be off. I just want him to stay with us no matter what. I hope Biggio is skipper one day.

[Master Baiter]

I guess that's the general concensus, having Baggy would be off. I just want him to stay with us no matter what. I hope Biggio is skipper one day.
I without a doubt would like for him to stay in the organization in some capacity. As well as Biggio.