Sky Sox Hall of Famer and Hitting Coach Named Rockies New Hitting Coach
DENVER - The Colorado Rockies have announced two additions to the major league coaching staff. Alan Cockrell, a part of the organization for the last nine years, was named the club's hitting coach. Former big league outfielder Glenallen Hill, a three-year member of the Rockies minor league coaching staff, was selected as the team's first base coach.
"We are very pleased about being able to meet our needs by promoting from within the organization," said Manager Clint Hurdle. "We conducted a search and they were the most qualified candidates. It's a great testament to the effort and time they have invested in our player development system."
Cockrell, 43, has already had one stint as a major league coach for the Rockies. He was the club's hitting coach for the last five months of the 2002 season after Clint Hurdle was promoted to manager on April 29 of that year. The hitting coach at Triple-A Colorado Springs for the last four years from 2003-06, Cockrell has also been the Rockies' roving hitting coordinator (2001-02), a minor league manager (1999-2000), and a professional scout (1998). The ninth overall pick by the Giants in the 1984 June draft out of the University of Tennessee, he was a minor league outfielder for 13 seasons, with his only major league action being 9 games for the Rockies in 1996. An All-American at Tennessee, Cockrell was also the Volunteers' starting quarterback in 1982-83.
This will be first major league coaching stint for the 41-year-old Hill, a position which will include coordinating baserunning and outfield instruction. He has been the hitting coach for the Rockies' High-A affiliate for the last three seasons, and served as manager at Modesto for the final three months of the 2006 campaign. Hill took over as the manager of the Nuts on June 9, after Chad Kreuter was named head baseball coach at the University of Southern California. An outfielder in the major leagues for 13 seasons, Hill played for seven different teams in his big league career before retiring after the 2001 campaign. He was among the game's more effective pinch-hitters in his playing days, posting a career .287 average in pinch situations. One of Hill's career highlights came with the Cubs on May 11, 2000 vs. Milwaukee, when he homered onto the roof of an apartment building across the street from Wrigley Field.
These are the first changes to the club's coaching staff since Mike Gallego took over as third base coach after the 2004 season. Gallego took the role vacated when Sandy Alomar accepted a position on the New York Mets coaching staff. That marks the only other change to the Rockies' staff since Clint Hurdle began his first full season as manager in 2003.
All other Rockies coaches are scheduled to return for the 2007 season: pitching coach Bob Apodaca, Gallego, bullpen coach Rick Mathews, and bench coach Jamie Quirk.
"We are very pleased about being able to meet our needs by promoting from within the organization," said Manager Clint Hurdle. "We conducted a search and they were the most qualified candidates. It's a great testament to the effort and time they have invested in our player development system."
Cockrell, 43, has already had one stint as a major league coach for the Rockies. He was the club's hitting coach for the last five months of the 2002 season after Clint Hurdle was promoted to manager on April 29 of that year. The hitting coach at Triple-A Colorado Springs for the last four years from 2003-06, Cockrell has also been the Rockies' roving hitting coordinator (2001-02), a minor league manager (1999-2000), and a professional scout (1998). The ninth overall pick by the Giants in the 1984 June draft out of the University of Tennessee, he was a minor league outfielder for 13 seasons, with his only major league action being 9 games for the Rockies in 1996. An All-American at Tennessee, Cockrell was also the Volunteers' starting quarterback in 1982-83.
This will be first major league coaching stint for the 41-year-old Hill, a position which will include coordinating baserunning and outfield instruction. He has been the hitting coach for the Rockies' High-A affiliate for the last three seasons, and served as manager at Modesto for the final three months of the 2006 campaign. Hill took over as the manager of the Nuts on June 9, after Chad Kreuter was named head baseball coach at the University of Southern California. An outfielder in the major leagues for 13 seasons, Hill played for seven different teams in his big league career before retiring after the 2001 campaign. He was among the game's more effective pinch-hitters in his playing days, posting a career .287 average in pinch situations. One of Hill's career highlights came with the Cubs on May 11, 2000 vs. Milwaukee, when he homered onto the roof of an apartment building across the street from Wrigley Field.
These are the first changes to the club's coaching staff since Mike Gallego took over as third base coach after the 2004 season. Gallego took the role vacated when Sandy Alomar accepted a position on the New York Mets coaching staff. That marks the only other change to the Rockies' staff since Clint Hurdle began his first full season as manager in 2003.
All other Rockies coaches are scheduled to return for the 2007 season: pitching coach Bob Apodaca, Gallego, bullpen coach Rick Mathews, and bench coach Jamie Quirk.