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A16 sports
Tuesday 5 april 2022
Hit Hard: Hitting coaches have short shelf life in majors

By JAY COHEN you’re seeing the coaches
AP Baseball Writer cycle. And it’s because it’s
PHOENIX (AP) — Connor a really difficult job.”
Dawson is a psychologist, Today’s hitting coaches do
gatekeeper, analyst and a lot more than just coach
strategist. And a hitting hitting, a daunting task in
coach, too. and of itself since it involves
Tough job. knowing the swings of ev-
“There’s just so much out ery position player on the
there for one guy to handle roster — a group that most
now that wasn’t the case likely varies dramatically in
20 years ago,” Dawson size, strength and experi-
said. ence.
The 28-year-old Dawson They also help their players
is one of two new hitting find the right mindset for a
coaches for the Milwau- task that usually results in
kee Brewers, hired along failure. They sift through an
with Ozzie Timmons after ever-expanding amount
Andy Haines was let go in of information to help de-
October. Haines ended up termine what is useful for
in Pittsburgh, part of a re- each hitter and what can
markable shakeup for one be discarded. They shape
of the highest profile posi- how their team plans to at-
tions on a major league tack an opponent’s pitch-
coaching staff. Boston Red Sox hitting coach Peter Fatse (62) watches the warmup in the fourth inning from the ing staff.
A whopping 17 teams dugout during a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park, “At the big league level, a
made a change at hitting Sunday, April 3, 2022, in North Port, Fla. lot of guys know what their
coach in the offseason. The Associated Press swing does. They know how
Brewers, Baltimore Orioles pitching coach title. they get worn out, I don’t pandemic-shortened 2020 to formulate a game plan,”
and Seattle Mariners opted “By a significant amount know. ... You see a hitting season and 784 in 2019, Diamondbacks catcher
to give the title to two peo- the hitting coach is the coach that’s got longev- when strikeouts topped hits Carson Kelly said. “So I think
ple after previously going toughest staff job, includ- ity, man, you cannot give for the first time. a lot of it is reassurance
with one, joining the Hous- ing the manager. For sure,” them enough credit.” “We’re in a stage with it and giving information. Just
ton Astros and Los Angeles said Tony La Russa, the The widespread changes that other areas of the basically having as much
Dodgers. 77-year-old Hall of Fame at hitting coach occurred game have provided some information as we can to
That’s compared to four manager of the Chicago after the major league bat- concrete ways to move for- help us try to move forward
managerial changes — White Sox. ting average dipped to ward and we’re still really when we’re struggling and
Mark Kotsay in Oakland, “Those other guys have .244 last season, its lowest searching for ways that we find ways to make adjust-
Buck Showalter with the to work, but hitters hit ev- since the year of the pitch- think can sustain in helping ments over a long season.”
New York Mets, Oliver Mar- ery day and there’s a lot er in 1968. There were a re- hitters,” Brewers manager Dawson said he felt his job
mol for St. Louis and Bob of them. And trying to get cord 2,664 more strikeouts Craig Counsell said. “We’re was about 30% coaching
Melvin in San Diego — them right, keep them than hits, the gap increas- trying a lot of different versus 70% working on psy-
and four changes with the right. I don’t know if it’s just ing from 1,147 during the things and I think that’s why chology and mindset.q

London firm taking bets on esports

launches in New Jersey

Jersey regulators evalu- in New Jersey, one of the billion last year.
ated its product. gold standard jurisdictions Esports is generating mon-
The New Jersey Division of for sports wagering in the ey for the hosts of events
Gaming Enforcement con- country.” including tournaments
firmed it had authorized The company is based in and championships, but
the company to com- London and has offices in also in hotel room stays
mence full operations. The Hoboken, New Jersey, and and food and beverage
company is affiliated with in Malta. For now, it can spending. Las Vegas has
the license of Bally’s ca- only take bets on esports. embraced it, building a
sino. It will take bets on people 30,000 square-foot arena
“We are pleased to have playing games including for esports in 2018.
Gamers compete during the Athens Online mega-lan gaming
expo, hosted by eSports at the University of Georgia, in Athens, passed through the soft Call of Duty, Overwatch, New Jersey has been slow-
Ga, March 3, 2018. play period, which is a CS:GO, League of Leg- er to embrace the activity,
Associated Press testament to all the hard ends and DOTA 2. although individual casi-
work put in by our team Johnson estimated betting nos have held scattered
By WAYNE PARRY erations Monday, having over the past year,” said on esports is expected to tournaments.
Associated Press completed a trial period Grant Johnson, the com- reach $205 billion by 2027. Last year, New Jersey in-
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) for state regulators. pany’s CEO. “As the first The market research com- vested $200,000 to set up
— New Jersey’s first com- Esports Entertainment licensed esports-focused pany Newzoo projects es- a center at Stockton Uni-
pany to take bets on com- Group was approved Fri- betting site in North Amer- ports will generate $1.6 bil- versity to help Atlantic City
petitive video games said day to end a testing peri- ica, we’re thrilled to fully lion in revenue globally by and the state become a
it planned to begin full op- od of “soft play” while New launch the VIE.gg platform 2024, up from just over $1 national hub for esports.q