Feature Story: Carney Lansford
Sky Sox Hitting Coach Has Two Sons in the Minors
By Lindsey Korsick
In the hours before a Colorado Spring Sky Sox home game, Carney Lansford is in the batting cages coaching young, professional hitters on their swing. He isn't just coaching with learned mechanics and procedures, he is coaching with experience. These players are taking advice from a coach who once hit three consecutive home runs in a game.
Lansford is a veteran baseball player who spent 15 years in Major League Baseball as a player, won a World Series in 1989 and an American League batting crown in 1981. With the "real world" experience Lansford possesses, he said he thinks the players take that into account when reacting to his coaching style.
"They respect the fact that I have been there and done that and that I was able to hang out for 15 years as a player," Lansford said.
Since retiring from the playing side of baseball, Lansford coached under St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa both in St. Louis and previously when La Russa was with the Oakland A's. After the 1998 season with the Cardinals, Lansford back tracked down to the high school level to coach his two sons, Joshua and Jared. Since then, both sons have pursued careers as professional baseball players. With both of his sons in minor league systems, Lansford too has made the move back to professional baseball. The careers of Lansford and his sons have now turned into a playful rivalry.
"I told them that the game is on now," Lansford chuckled. "We will see who gets to the big leagues first."
With his time in the Big Leagues, as a player and coach, Lansford has picked up on what formulates the make-up of a major league ball player and he said he wants to instill these traits in the Sky Sox players and see them succeed in Triple-A and Major League Baseball.
"I think more than anything else I have tried to teach them the importance of good work ethics," Lansford said. "That starts with getting in here early and getting our work done in the cage. If you are having any mechanical problems that is where you are suppose to work them out."
Making sure the hitting mechanics are solid with each of the hitters is a priority for Lansford, but with the improved mechanics he said it is game consistency that separates his players from the major leagues.
"Really the main goal is to get them to the next level," Lansford said. "What I see between these guys and the guys that are in Denver is those guys are more consistent. That goes back to proper work-outs. They are just as talented, just a little off here and there."
The players are not the only ones who are benefiting from the addition of Lansford to the staff. Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells said that Lansford's experience and passionate attitude have been a great supplement to the Sky Sox organization.
"Carney is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. He is very passionate about his job, teaching hitting and teaching how to play the game the right way," Runnells said. "I can just let him handle the hitting which makes it nice for me to be able to concentrate on some other things. "He has a great attitude and I think the guys can feed off of that."
The Sky Sox composed a seven-game winning streak before dropping a game to the Memphis Redbirds on May 14. Over the win streak, the Sky Sox took control of their opponents with timely and effective hitting. The same kind of consistent hitting Lansford has been teaching that he said will boost some of these players into major league careers.
In the hours before a Colorado Spring Sky Sox home game, Carney Lansford is in the batting cages coaching young, professional hitters on their swing. He isn't just coaching with learned mechanics and procedures, he is coaching with experience. These players are taking advice from a coach who once hit three consecutive home runs in a game.
Lansford is a veteran baseball player who spent 15 years in Major League Baseball as a player, won a World Series in 1989 and an American League batting crown in 1981. With the "real world" experience Lansford possesses, he said he thinks the players take that into account when reacting to his coaching style.
"They respect the fact that I have been there and done that and that I was able to hang out for 15 years as a player," Lansford said.
Since retiring from the playing side of baseball, Lansford coached under St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa both in St. Louis and previously when La Russa was with the Oakland A's. After the 1998 season with the Cardinals, Lansford back tracked down to the high school level to coach his two sons, Joshua and Jared. Since then, both sons have pursued careers as professional baseball players. With both of his sons in minor league systems, Lansford too has made the move back to professional baseball. The careers of Lansford and his sons have now turned into a playful rivalry.
"I told them that the game is on now," Lansford chuckled. "We will see who gets to the big leagues first."
With his time in the Big Leagues, as a player and coach, Lansford has picked up on what formulates the make-up of a major league ball player and he said he wants to instill these traits in the Sky Sox players and see them succeed in Triple-A and Major League Baseball.
"I think more than anything else I have tried to teach them the importance of good work ethics," Lansford said. "That starts with getting in here early and getting our work done in the cage. If you are having any mechanical problems that is where you are suppose to work them out."
Making sure the hitting mechanics are solid with each of the hitters is a priority for Lansford, but with the improved mechanics he said it is game consistency that separates his players from the major leagues.
"Really the main goal is to get them to the next level," Lansford said. "What I see between these guys and the guys that are in Denver is those guys are more consistent. That goes back to proper work-outs. They are just as talented, just a little off here and there."
The players are not the only ones who are benefiting from the addition of Lansford to the staff. Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells said that Lansford's experience and passionate attitude have been a great supplement to the Sky Sox organization.
"Carney is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. He is very passionate about his job, teaching hitting and teaching how to play the game the right way," Runnells said. "I can just let him handle the hitting which makes it nice for me to be able to concentrate on some other things. "He has a great attitude and I think the guys can feed off of that."
The Sky Sox composed a seven-game winning streak before dropping a game to the Memphis Redbirds on May 14. Over the win streak, the Sky Sox took control of their opponents with timely and effective hitting. The same kind of consistent hitting Lansford has been teaching that he said will boost some of these players into major league careers.