SEATTLE (AP) - The Seattle Mariners will not retain hitting coach Chris Chambliss for 2013 after another season during which their offense was among the worst in baseball.

The Mariners made the announcement on Thursday. The rest of Seattle's coaching staff will return next season.

Chambliss was Seattle's hitting coach the past two seasons. The 63-year-old previously was the hitting coach for the New York Yankees and Mets, St. Louis and Cincinnati.

The Mariners finished last in baseball this season in batting average (.234), on-base percentage (.296), slugging percentage (.369) and on-base plus slugging (.665). They were also last in baseball in most major offensive categories in 2011 as well.

General manager Jack Zduriencik (zur-EHN'-sihk) says the search for a new hitting coach will begin immediately.


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Comments (13)


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  • Rayvensdad wrote...
    The fact...
    October 4, 2012 10:29 am
    That it was Smoak who took himself back to his roots and remembered some things his father always told him which helped his swing and raised his BA 30 points in September showed that Chambliss was about as usefull as a lead vest is trying to swim. I'm glad they got rid of him.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rayvensdad wrote...
    Plus...
    October 4, 2012 10:30 am
    Saunders was helped by the brother of a former mariner in the off season to bring his swing under control. Chris Chambliss had nothing to do with it. Chambliss might have been a good player when he played, but that doesn't mean they can see, diagnose, or fix a proble with someone else's swing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan1 wrote...
    He will go somewhere else and be successful
    October 4, 2012 10:48 am
    Just like almost everyone else that has left this club. They should consider sending Wedge packing too!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • clevesside wrote...
    It was only......
    October 4, 2012 10:59 am
    ... a matter of time. Compare hitting over last two years, players' plate approaches. Maybe Chambliss can find a job with the Yankees, since they're "not the Mariners."
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sambra27 wrote...
    take a note from the A's hitting coach
    October 4, 2012 11:04 am
    Who basically turned a group of nobody's into the AL West champions. Gotta believe there is hope for this team after watching what the A's did, which I think was nothing short of incredible.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    The concept of hitting starts in the minor leagues
    October 4, 2012 11:41 am
    The As are the perhaps the MOST aggressive swingers in MLB,they also strike out a huge amount of the time.Pitchers hate getting behind in the count and the first pitch from a number 3 or 4 pitcher is likely a FB that gets a pretty good piece of the plate.But it is said that a hitting coach at the big league level doesn't really have much impact on teaching a guy,after all would you have the confidence to change your swing after the swing you have got you to the big leagues?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seahawkscoach wrote...
    Chris Chambliss
    October 4, 2012 11:52 am
    Moving in the Safeco fences will make a remarkable difference for the Mariner bats. Chambliss deserves better, but he understands the routine. He will land a job somewhere else in the Bigs! Thank you Chris Chambliss for the effort and direction you have shared with a very youthful Seattle team. Good times ahead for these Mariners!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Worst job in the world
    October 4, 2012 12:35 pm
    M's hitting coaches get less respect than a Columbian hooker!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    It's obvious that Chambliss
    October 4, 2012 1:57 pm
    doesn't know how to hit as well as some of us on this blog.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • clevesside wrote...
    A great hitter in his prime......
    October 4, 2012 3:01 pm
    ... doesn't guarantee a better teacher past prime. One could learn more about hitting itself from, hmm, Edgar Martinez than say, Ricky Henderson, only cuz Edgar would want to show what he knew. Ricky would just tell you to hit like he does. Try that on 9 different hitters.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cresswell wrote...
    Had to happen
    October 4, 2012 8:42 pm
    Sorry Chris. Taking a nice up-the-middle contact hitter like Dustin Ackley and making him into a leadoff hitter who tries to pull everything? This isn't the old Yankee Stadium. This team struck out way too much and didn't make smart decisions. That's what bothered me.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }






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