Hey, Nineteen: Tom Slater

[Edgy MD]

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You know who's more anonymous than a first base coach? More anonymous than even a bullpen coach. It's the assistant batting coach and I'm one of them. I'm Tom Slater.



Assistant batting coach is a position that has only come into vogue in the last decade. Basically, my in-game job is to stay out the dugout, hand out by the indoor batting cage, and supervise players who are constantly sneaking back to take BP between at-bats. You want to shorten the game? Maybe you can get the defense in place better if they aren't taking BP under the seats.



But that would eliminate the need for me, Tom Slater.



I have two cool things underpinning my tenure:



(1) I'm the rare find of a coach who has made it up from the college ranks to the major leagues. College has longer tenures, but professional coaching puts you on the track to the big league. Once you pick one, the boat usually sails on the other. From high school, to Marshall, to VMI, to Florida, to Auburn, to the pros. There's a thousand players out there with a little Slater in them.



(2) I was assistant hitting coach under Pat Roessler. He gets fired, but I get to stick around and be Chili's assistant too? I mean, I'm not complaining. Working for Chili beats working at Chili's, nowwhu'msayin'?



So, what do you think my season will feature? "He's a baseball rat," Mickey Callaway said when they hired me. "Those guys make the best coaches because they've done everything. They've been selfless leaders their whole life.”



I'm doomed, aren't I?