Cage Rat: Lessons from a Life in Baseball by the Yankees Hitting Coach – Professional Batting Strategies and Power-Hitting Methods from an MLB Insider - Softcover

Long, Kevin; Waggoner, Glen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061995010 ISBN 13: 9780061995019

Publisher: Ecco, 2012

Synopsis

The Hitting Coach for the New York Yankees, Kevin Long trains power-hitters in the fine art of hitting a baseball well—a talent the legendary Ted Williams once called, “the most difficult skill in sport.” In Cage Rat, the man who helps sharpen the mechanics of such superstars as Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Alex Rodriguez shares the expertise he honed over his more than two decades in the game as both player and coach. With an introduction by Alex Rodriguez and an Afterword by Robinson Cano, Cage Rat is an indispensable guide to hitting, filled with practical advice, fascinating behind-the-scenes action, and an enduring, inspiring love for the Great American Pastime.

About this title

About the Authors

Kevin Long was named the hitting coach of the New York Yankees in 2007. Before that, he served as the hitting coach of the Triple-A Omaha Royals and the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. He made his professional coaching debut at Single-A Wilmington in 1997 after eight seasons as a player in the minors. Long played college ball at the University of Arizona, where he earned second-team All-America honors in 1989. He resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife, Marcey, and their three children, Britney, Tracy, and Jaron.

Glen Waggoner, a founding editor of ESPN The Magazine, is the coauthor of Bobby Murcer’s New York Times bestselling autobiography A Yankee for Life, as well as the bestsellers My Life In & Out of the Rough with John Daly and Clearing the Bases with Mike Schmidt. Waggoner was one of the founding fathers of Rotisserie League Baseball, which sparked the fantasy sports movement in America.

From the Back Cover

From Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long—the man who coaches all-stars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Robinson Cano—comes the inspiring story of one man’s road to the big leagues, full of practical advice, behind-the-scenes baseball action, and an enduring, inspiring love for America’s national pastime.

In Cage Rat, Long—with help from his spirited wife, Marcey—takes readers on an unforgettable journey from his early days in the minor leagues, to his major-league dreams of playing with the Kansas City Royals, to his dramatic decision to turn to coaching, to the fateful call from the Yankees. Along with its compelling narrative, Cage Rat is also an indispensable guide to hitting. From bat angle to grip, from plate coverage to athletic stance and hitting drills, Long takes us into the Yankees’ batting cage, showing us how major-league players hone their hitting skills.

Chock-full of inspirational stories, practical advice, behind-the-scenes action, and instructional photographs, Cage Rat is a must-read for young athletes, aspiring players, Yankees fans, and anyone who loves baseball.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ecco
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061995010
• ISBN 13: 9780061995019
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224