Toby Harrah to Join Club For Remainder of Year

[1776]

Per an article taken from the Detroit Free Press, the Tiigers are bringing in the minor league's roving hitting instructor, Toby Harrah, to assist the big club with their hitting issues. Good luck Mr. Harrah.

Tigers' minor-league hitting instructor will be with big team for rest of season | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

[Antrat]

Maybe they'll bring up a minor league manager to help Leyland do his job as well.

[PuNk42AE]

I thought it was a joke when I read the short snippet about it last night, at least now we know it isn't just Detroit trying to do it.

St. Louis went to two hitting coaches in 2008, with Mike Aldrete to assist Hal McRae. The Cardinals manager at the time was Tony La Russa, a close friend of Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

“Tony talked to me about it in the winter, and we (the Tigers) have talked about doing this on several occasions,” Leyland said. “It seems when you have some guys struggling like we have, it’s a lot for one guy. It’s another helping hand. There’s no difference in philosophies.

“This is in no way, shape or form any disappointment in Lloyd. This is to get another body up here to help. Mac and Toby have a great rapport and won’t be getting in each other’s way.”

The Cardinals’ two-hitting-coach arrangement continues this year, with John Mabry helping Mark McGwire. Atlanta also has Scott Fletcher as the assistant to Greg Walker.

[tiger paw paw]

Maybe they'll bring up a minor league manager to help Leyland do his job as well.

Awesome. Well played sir!

[RedRamage]

“Tony talked to me about it in the winter, and we (the Tigers) have talked about doing this on several occasions,” Leyland said. “It seems when you have some guys struggling like we have, it’s a lot for one guy. It’s another helping hand. There’s no difference in philosophies.

Well that's a disappointment...

[Biff Mayhem]

Maybe they'll bring up a minor league manager to help Leyland do his job as well.

*applause*

[LineCrosser]

I believe this is a great move. I've always said what this team needs most is more palindromes!

[Walt]

But many of the Tigers hitters already hit like minor leaguers?

[Biff Mayhem]

But many of the Tigers hitters already hit like minor leaguers?

Yes, but now they'll hit like roving minor leaguers.

[ROMAD1]

This should have a good result. When Lloyd likes a player he can focus on fixing his swing/approach. But there are so many guys broken right now.

[Yoda]

So Lloyd just magically fixes the players he likes but just the ones he likes?

[ROMAD1]

So Lloyd just magically fixes the players he likes but just the ones he likes?

Magic

[Yoda]

If only we had two Lloyds :) Oh wait, now we do. That will solve everything!

[ROMAD1]

If only we had two Lloyds :) Oh wait, now we do. That will solve everything!

This reminds me of the scene in "bang the drum slowly" when they bring in a catching coach

[Yoda]

“Tony talked to me about it in the winter, and we (the Tigers) have talked about doing this on several occasions,” Leyland said. “It seems when you have some guys struggling like we have, it’s a lot for one guy. It’s another helping hand. There’s no difference in philosophies.

Is there any discernible, general hitting philosophy for the team? The team has notoriously had a horrible approach for as long as I can remember.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Is there any discernible, general hitting philosophy for the team? The team has notoriously had a horrible approach for as long as I can remember.

They had a great one in the early 90's.

[chasfh]

Well that's a disappointment...

Just because Leyland is saying this doesn't necessarily mean there is actually no difference in hitting philosophies. It would be impolitic of Leyland to say there is because it would make his good friend Lloyd McClendon look bad.

I would bet there is a difference in philosophies, and I think it is a good move to bring up Harrah provided his philosophy includes improving pitch recognition and exercising more patience at the plate. The Tigers are first in the AL in swinging at total pitches, which is not necessarily bad, but:

- They are third in swinging at pitches outside the strike zone
- They are seventh on making contact with those pitches.
- They are ninth in receiving pitches within the strike zone

This means that, in general, the Tigers are known to swing at bad pitches and miss a lot of them, so pitchers keep the ball out of the zone because they don't have to throw it there. They need help. And if Delmon Young is considered to be part of the future of the Tigers, he needs to be Job #1.

[mickeyb105]

Just because Leyland is saying this doesn't necessarily mean there is actually no difference in hitting philosophies. It would be impolitic of Leyland to say there is because it would make his good friend Lloyd McClendon look bad.

I would bet there is a difference in philosophies, and I think it is a good move to bring up Harrah provided his philosophy includes improving pitch recognition and exercising more patience at the plate. The Tigers are first in the AL in swinging at total pitches, which is not necessarily bad, but:

- They are third in swinging at pitches outside the strike zone
- They are seventh on making contact with those pitches.
- They are ninth in receiving pitches within the strike zone

This means that, in general, the Tigers are known to swing at bad pitches and miss a lot of them, so pitchers keep the ball out of the zone because they don't have to throw it there. They need help. And if Delmon Young is considered to be part of the future of the Tigers, he needs to be Job #1.

I agree, Leyland is about as articulate with the press as a honey badger in a bad mood.

Bringing in Harrah could only help. How many times have you ever seen McClendon talking to Tigers hitters after an AB about what just happened or didn't happen?

I think this is an overdue move.

[redshark63]

Bottom line is that if it allows for a "2nd set of eyes" to help advise the hitters on what they can do to improve, it is good. Doesn't mean that they will necessarily improve and if they do "improve", that it will be overnight.

It's not like Boesch didn't have his swing and miss issues when in Toledo under Bull Durham as well.

Sometimes hitters are who they are and no matter the amount of instruction, they will remain who they are.

[Oblong]

All kidding aside... maybe half the lineup just isn't good at baseball anymore?

[tiger337]

All kidding aside... maybe half the lineup just isn't good at baseball anymore?

I think the three main culprits are high risk high reward guys, none of which had a high probability of being a reward. We are seeing all of the risk and none of the rewards.

[pyrotigers]

Toby Harrah is probably one of those crazy people who doesn't understand why they were good at baseball (Joe Morgan, Ruben Amaro Jr. etc) but I'm going to blissfully hope that this is actually an attempt by Tigers management to instill a better approach and some plate discipline into the team. Harrah walked 1153 times vs 868 strikeouts in his 8767 career plate appearances.

[BoomGaspar]

Am I accurate in my memory of Harrah once being the big league hitting coach?

[ROMAD1]

I wonder if this is a continuity move for when Leyland, Mclendon, Lamont move on after this season.

[sagnam]

Why not bring in a second coach to help Belliard? He can't seem to fix anyone.

[Oblong]

Am I accurate in my memory of Harrah once being the big league hitting coach?

Yes.... I think it was during the Bell/Parrish years.

[NeedMoreLike84]

He was around for the Texas series. And the hitting was better. Not sure if that means anything.

[sagnam]

He was around for the Texas series. And the hitting was better. Not sure if that means anything.

He works fast.

[zimm]

this doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but i just want to mention that my 1st baseball glove when i was a kid was a toby harrah model (followed later by a roy smalley and finally a jim rice model.)

[ToledoTigerFan]

If the Tigers hitting approach improves after Harrah gets here, the Tigers will have no choice on whether to fire or perhaps gently reassign Lloyd.

[PuNk42AE]

this doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but i just want to mention that my 1st baseball glove when i was a kid was a toby harrah model (followed later by a roy smalley and finally a jim rice model.)

Mine was a Deon Sanders glove, I was so proud of that, wait what...

[toadhunter911]

Toby Harrah is probably one of those crazy people who doesn't understand why they were good at baseball (Joe Morgan, Ruben Amaro Jr. etc) but I'm going to blissfully hope that this is actually an attempt by Tigers management to instill a better approach and some plate discipline into the team. Harrah walked 1153 times vs 868 strikeouts in his 8767 career plate appearances.

OBP of .365 in 17 big league seasons, averaging 87 BB per 162 games. Seems he had a solid approach at the plate. Hopefully he can pass some of that on to some struggling hitters.

[sagnam]

If the Tigers hitting approach improves after Harrah gets here, the Tigers will have no choice on whether to fire or perhaps gently reassign Lloyd.

I mentioned this in the other thread, but what does it mean if Young, Boesch, and Raburn don't start hitting? Does that makeHarrah a bad coach?

I think those guys are who they are and you know what you are going to get.

[ToledoTigerFan]

I mentioned this in the other thread, but what does it mean if Young, Boesch, and Raburn don't start hitting? Does that makeHarrah a bad coach?

I think those guys are who they are and you know what you are going to get.

Well, they can't get any worse. Even if it were you or I coaching them. So, it can't possibly hurt them to have someone else assessing their swings and approaches. This can only help.

[eastside billee]

I'm thinking this may be their last Harrah this season.