Hit the spot
Source: Well-traveled Pentland tobe new Yanks' batting coach
The Yankees are set to replace fired hitting coach Kevin Long with Jeff Pentland, a source confirmed.
And they also plan to add Alan Cockrell as an assistant hitting coach, with Joe Espada taking Mick Kelleher’s spot as infield coach.
Long was let go shortly after the season ended and the Yankees missed the playoffs for a second straight year. Pentland was first named as a potential replacement for Long in The Post last month.
The 68yearold Pentland was the hitting coach for the Marlins, Cubs, Royals, Mariners and most recently the Dodgers in 2010 and 2011. Last year, he served as the Marlins’ hitting coordinator.
He told The Post last month when asked about the Yankees’ job, “It’s a great city and a great organization.”
Pentland has several connections to the Yankees’ current coaching staff.
He was Joe Girardi’s hitting coach when the Yankee manager played for with the Cubs and served on the same staff in Chicago as pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Pentland was the hitting coach in Kansas City when bench coach Tony Pena managed the Royals.
Cockrell, 52, was previously the hitting coach in Colorado and Seattle. Espada was the thirdbase coach for the Marlins before becoming a special assistant to general manager Brian Cashman in 2013.
This will be the first time the Yankees will have two hitting coaches, a system that has become more common throughout Major League Baseball in recent years.
The YES Network first reported the moves.
The Yankees certainly took their time in the process and talked to several candidates, including Chili Davis — who ended up leaving Oakland for Boston — and Texas hitting coach Dave Magadan. James Rowson, the team’s minor league hitting coordinator, had also been in the mix.
Pentland received a good review last month from former pupil Gary Sheffield, who was on the 1996 Marlins.
“It’s almost like he is in there with you as far as what pitch the pitcher is throwing,’’ Sheffield said. “He knows what your strengths are, and he wants you to keep to your strengths as opposed to the pitcher’s strengths. He works on that with you in the cage, and you can’t find a better hitting coach.’’