Red Sox manager John Farrell, in a conference call discussing the hiring of pitching coach Juan Nieves [1], said that the team is now setting up interviews with hitting coach candidates to take place as soon as this week. The "preference," said Farrell, is to have two hitting coaches, as the manager feels that the demands on a hitting coach -- with advanced scouting as well as individualized work with hitters -- are now too great for one person to handle.
"It is not only being contemplated but it’s being discussed in reality. If I were to sit here today, that would be the preference -- to go with two guys," Farrell said of the dual hitting coach approach. "But just like we talked about my relationship with Juan and dealing with pitchers, the consistency of message is what matters most. If you look at what the hitting coach is required to do and the amount of time spent in the cage, in addition to preparing for an opponent on a given night or for a given series, I think it has evolved into more than a one-man system, one-man setup, and we’re moving in that direction."
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[2] http://www.weei.com/redsox
[3] http://www.weei.com/category/boston/red-sox